Your dentist says you need “to see a specialist,” hands you a card, and suddenly you’re looking up a word you’ve never used before. Dentistry has twelve recognized specialties; for most patients, five or six come up. Here’s who does what.
General dentists
Your general dentist handles the bulk of dental care: checkups and cleanings, fillings, crowns, bridges, many extractions, often whitening and sometimes root canals or implants. A general dentist is your starting point and usually coordinates any specialist care.
Orthodontists
Orthodontists straighten teeth and correct bites, with braces or clear aligners. They complete two to three years of specialty training after dental school. Treatment usually lasts a year or more, so the office’s location, scheduling and how they handle questions along the way matter.
Endodontists
Endodontists are the root canal specialists. General dentists do many root canals themselves, but they refer the difficult ones — curved or calcified canals, molars, re-treatment of an earlier root canal, or pain that’s hard to pin down.
Periodontists
Periodontists treat the gums and the bone that hold teeth in place: gum disease, deep cleanings below the gumline, gum grafts, and placing dental implants.
Prosthodontists
Prosthodontists specialize in replacing and rebuilding teeth — complex crowns and bridges, dentures and implant-supported teeth, including full-mouth reconstruction.
Pediatric dentists
Pediatric dentists train an extra two years in treating children, including very young children and kids with special health care needs. Many families see a pediatric dentist until the early teens and then move to a general dentist.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
Oral surgeons remove impacted wisdom teeth, place implants, treat jaw problems and facial injuries, and can provide sedation and general anesthesia in the office.
Before a specialist visit
- Ask your general dentist to send your X-rays ahead of time — it can save you a repeat set.
- Check whether your dental plan requires a referral and whether the specialist is in network; dental networks are narrower than medical ones.
- Ask for a written estimate. Specialist procedures can be expensive, and plans often cover them differently.
Each dentist’s profile on ProVerdicts shows their practice, office address and New York license number. If you’ve been treated by one, leave a review — dental reviews that mention cost explanations and pain management are some of the most read on any site.
