Is My Dentist Qualified to Place My Implants?

As we discussed in our last article, the dental implant process is complex and requires skills beyond those of a normal general dentist. While general dentists are trained to do dental surgery, they have not had extensive exposure and training beyond the basic requirements to become a dentist. Only Periodontists or Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons have completed post-graduate specialty training in surgery. The implant procedure is very complex and the doctor performing the procedure should be educated, trained, and have experience in all areas of periodontics to become an expert in the field of Dental Implantology.

So how do you know if your dentist is qualified? It is hard to sort through the “implied expertise” you will find on-line and in the dental clinic advertisement to find the actual qualifications of the dental professional that you will entrust with your new smile. Many clinics and dentists will claim to be an expert “Implantologist.” The American Dental Association only recognizes 9 areas of dental specialty, and implantology is not one of them. (You can find the complete list on the ADA website here) Most of the dentists providing implants have completed post-graduated training programs where they learn the skills needed to give their patients the best possible care and results. Along with the training in Implantology, your dentist should be skilled in sedation, potentially bone grafting and treatment of gums and surrounding tissue. And for the best experience, look for a dental professional who has a highly trained and experienced staff too.

To be sure your Dentist is truly skilled here are a few questions to ask:

• How many years in practice?
• How many courses in surgical procedures have they had?
• How many classes on surgical/ procedural complications?
• If they are not a Periodontist or Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, do they have a referral team in case of complications?
• How many courses in Dental Implantology do they complete annually?
• What type of sedation do they offer?
• Ask to see their Curriculum Vitae (CV) which is a complete list of all their training and course work and it should be readily available. You can find Dr Hameroff’s on our website here.
• Check all available reviews on-line.

Bear in mind, no amount of classes or training can replace the experience of a truly qualified Periodontist to provide you with your dental implants and a beautiful new smile.

For more information on Dentist Qualifications for Dental Implants, you can read this article: