The dentist is the head of the dental team — responsible and accountable for everything that goes on in the dental office.

Primary role:

• Diagnose, plan treatment and prescribe medication
• Provide treatment for diseases and conditions of, and associated with, the mouth, jaws, and teeth

Skills and education:

• Bachelor’s degree plus 3-4 years at an accredited dental school
• Receives extensive training in diagnosis and treatment planning and in clinical restorative and surgical care
• Degree obtained: Doctor of dental surgery (DDS) or doctor of medicine in dentistry (DMD)

Specialties:

Dental specialists obtain additional post-doctoral education in one of 10 areas:

• Dental anesthesiology
• Dental public health
• Endodontics
• Oral and maxillofacial pathology
• Oral and maxillofacial radiology
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery
• Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics
• Pediatric dentistry
• Periodontics
• Prosthodontics

Dental programs and resources:

• Dental Board of California
• Loma Linda University (LLU) – School of Dentistry
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – School of Dentistry
• University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) – School of Dentistry
• University of the Pacific (UOP) – School of Dentistry
• University of Southern California (USC) – School of Dentistry
• Western University of Health Sciences – School of Dental Medicine

The role of a dental assistant ranges from providing office support, to providing basic supportive dental procedures, to working chairside to assist dentists in providing advanced restorative care.

Primary role:

• Collecting patient data, including taking and processing X-rays, for dentist diagnosis
• Assisting the dentist with the delivery of instruments and preparation of dental materials
• Counseling patients about dental disease prevention

Skills and education:

• On-the-job training
• Vocational or technical schools
• Regional Occupational programs
• Community college

License and permit categories:

• Dental assistants (DA) have no licensing requirements
• Registered dental assistants (RDA) are licensed professionals
• Registered dental assistants in extended functions (RDAEF) receive an additional license after advanced training
• Orthodontic assistants and dental sedation assistants receive permits after successfully completing specialized training

Dental assistant resources

• Dental Board of California, dental assisting licensing
• Dental Board of California, Dental Assisting Council
• American Dental Assistants Association
• Dental Assisting National Board
• California Dental Assistants Association

Dental hygienists work with dentists to provide comprehensive dental care to patients.

Primary role:

• Dental disease prevention, including fluoride applications and dental sealants
• Clean teeth and provide nonsurgical treatments for periodontal health
• Counsel patients in daily oral hygiene care

Skills and education:

• Minimum of two years of college education, which includes basic science and dental specific courses
• Longer programs can lead to a bachelor’s degree
• Additional, specialized education required for an alternative practice license or additional options for care, such as stabilizing teeth with active dental decay

License categories:

• Registered dental hygienist (RDH)
• Registered dental hygienist in extended functions (RDHEF)
• Registered dental hygienist in alternative practice (RDHAP)

Dental hygienist resources

• Dental Hygiene Board of California
• California Dental Hygienists Association
• American Dental Hygienists’ Association

A dental laboratory technician rarely works directly with patients, but receives instruction from dentists for making dental prostheses, which are replacements for natural teeth.

Primary role:

• Create full dentures, crowns, bridges, or orthodontic appliances
• Fabricates fixed bridges, partials, dentures, veneers and crowns
• Create orthodontic appliances and splints to help straighten and protect teeth

Skills and education:

• Community college/ course work
• Vocational/technical school/ education and training
• Apprenticeships and on-the-job training
• Aptitude for detailed and precise work
• Manual dexterity in using small hand instruments

Laboratory technician resources

• California Dental Laboratory Association
• California Dental Laboratory Owners’ Association
• National Association of Dental Laboratories