Dentists that focus on Oral Medicine and Oral Diagnosis will have the knowledge and understanding of some of the more unusual oral diseases. Other dentists may not be able to diagnose or treat these diseases, and the few dentists that choose to focus on this area tend to be employed by hospitals or dental schools.
Areas that dentists focusing on Oral Medicine and Oral Diagnosis tend to work on are:
– Diagnosing unusual oral diseases
– Non-surgical treatment of these diseases
A 2-year educational program in Oral Medicine or Oral Diagnosis is available to dentists who choose to focus in this area, and many who complete these programs become dental educators. Although this area of dentistry is not legally considered a specialization, many dentists believe it should be and are lobbying for its’ specialist status.