Board Certification is an extra step some doctors choose to take to demonstrate they are held to the highest standard in their speciality. Board Certified doctors are assessed on their training beyond what is required of their peers.
Not all pediatric dentists are board-certified. To become a board-certified pediatric dentist. You have to complete four years of dental school, and 2-3 years of a hospital residency then take a 2 part examination by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. In addition, to remain board-certified, a pediatric dentist must show a commitment to lifelong learning.
While all dentists are licensed to work with children. It is as important to take your children to a pediatric dentist as you take your child to a paediatrician over your family physician.
Parents may not always be aware that children’s teeth aren’t just “small teeth.” In fact, they can be very different from adult teeth in anatomy, composition, and methods to treat them.
To put things in perspective, in my four years of dental school at UCLA, I only had TWO pediatric courses, all while taking 10 other courses that same quarter.
Could I (Orthodontist, HERE) or my husband (Dr Tyler, who is a general dentist) do a root canal and crown on your child? Yes, but I decided to hire a specialist for your child because I understand the importance of this distinction.
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