Dentists are well-known for their intimate knowledge of human oral and dental diseases. But they can also spot signs of a patient’s general health conditions, including metabolic changes and vitamin deficiencies. This means that if dentists are able to integrate dentistry with medical care, they can better help patients with preventive measures and the treatment of their underlying illnesses.
Turning dental surgeries into screening facilities is a key step toward this goal. And the field has made some headway on that front, thanks to new safety measures and the widespread use of personal protective gear for all dental professionals.
While the use of personal protective gear has helped keep a wide variety of infections at bay, a number of other safety improvements are needed. These include asking patients about their health status before visiting, ensuring that dental staff wear masks during their work and monitoring air quality to help reduce the spread of bacteria.
In addition, the field needs to develop ways to screen patients for common diseases and conditions that can be diagnosed with simple chair-side tests. This includes using blood pressure monitors and glucometers to screen patients for high blood pressure and diabetes.
It’s also important that dental professionals are educated in the field of health promotion, which is about promoting wellness through preventive measures and helping people adopt healthy behaviors. It’s a great way to build relationships with patients and improve their overall health.
One dental specialty is oral surgery, which involves treating diseases of the Dentists Jobs teeth and jaws. Oral surgeons perform a range of surgical procedures on the mouth and jaw, from correcting bite problems to treating gum disease. They also work with dental hygienists to help patients maintain good oral hygiene and prevent cavities and other dental problems.
Other dental specialties include periodontists, who specialize in the treatment of gum disease; orthodontists, who are trained to straighten teeth by applying braces; and oral and maxillofacial surgeons, who treat jawbone abnormalities. These specialists can be difficult to find in many communities, but they are a crucial part of any community’s dental health system.
Another field of dental care is naturopathic medicine, which has recently gained interest from the pharmaceutical industry because of its potential to reduce the side effects of many drugs. In this area, naturopathic doctors can prescribe medications that are designed to work with the body’s natural processes rather than against them.
A growing number of doctors are experimenting with using saliva for non-invasive diagnoses, which could be particularly helpful in identifying biomarkers that indicate diseases. This has the potential to provide a quick and easy method for diagnosing conditions, including endocrine disorders and cancers.
In addition, the dental profession is now offering dental membership plans, which are designed to allow patients to pay a fixed fee for routine visits and treatment. These are aimed largely at the 65 million Americans without dental insurance. They offer a discount on office services and sometimes cover dental work like root canals and implants. However, the plans are often not regulated by states, so patients should be cautious about signing up for them.