Who We Are?

The question of whether or not dentists are doctors has been asked and answered ad nauseam, and the answer often varies depending on whom you ask. Some have said that dentists are nothing more than skilled craftsmen, while others assert that dentists are indeed doctors of the oral cavity. The answer to this debate might be found in a dentist’s educational training.

Typically, aspiring dentists are required to complete three or more years of undergraduate studies plus an additional four years of dental school in order to graduate as general dentists. Upon completion of their pre- and post-doctoral curriculum, dentists must pass two nationally administered standardization examinations as well as state or regional clinical licensure examinations in order to practice dentistry. Those who desire to practice in a specialized field of dentistry (e.g., orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, pediatric dentistry, and oral surgery) must complete additional training, ranging from two to six years. Upon graduation, all dentists are mandated, for the remainder of their careers, to meet continuing education requirements in order to stay current on advances in information and technology.

In some schools, dental and medical students are cohorts in the same preclinical courses, which means that their foundational knowledge is exactly the same. The divergence in paths usually occurs as dental and medical students enter their clinical tracks.

Dentists are trained to not only evaluate teeth and gums; they are also trained to understand the functionality of the entire body. In fact, several diseases first manifest in the oral cavity, and dentists are trained to recognize the presentation of these illnesses and conditions. Dentistry is more than the art of aesthetics. It’s also the science of health and wellness.

The Drill Fill Podcast Blog is a place where we discuss a variety of dental health and wellness topics. Although the information that we provide on this platform is merely informative (i.e., not diagnostic) and is not meant to replace a proper and thorough examination, we believe that by equipping our community with knowledge, we could heighten awareness of conditions that affect and impact the oral cavity. Our goal is to contribute to the efforts to reduce health disparities in underrepresented communities by providing information that will help to decrease the health information gap.