Are you wondering what a Periodontist Salary, Job Description, Training and Education would be like. A periodontist is a dentist who specialize in treating gum related disease, which is more commonly called periodontal disease. It is safe to say that a periodontist examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth.
Periodontist Job Description
The periodontist treats and prevents gum and gum related diseases, this might need surgical or non-surgical intervention. Skills required as a periodontist include attention to detail; manual dexterity; physical stamina; critical thinking; problem solving; leadership; organization.
Periodontists often treat more problematic periodontal cases, such as those with severe gum disease or a complex medical history. Periodontists offer a wide range of treatments, such as scaling and root planing (in which the infected surface of the root is cleaned) or root surface debridement (in which damaged tissue is removed). They can also treat patients with severe gum problems using a range of surgical procedures. In addition, periodontists are specially trained in the placement, maintenance, and repair of dental implants.
During the first visit, the periodontist usually reviews the patient’s complete medical and dental histories. It is extremely important for the periodontist to know if any medications are being taken or if the patient is being treated for any condition that can affect periodontal care, such as heart disease, diabetes, or pregnancy.
The periodontist examines the gums, checks to see if there is any gum line recession, assesses how the teeth fit together when biting, and checks the teeth to see if any are loose. The periodontist will also take a small measuring instrument called a probe and place it between the teeth and gums to determine the depth of those spaces, known as periodontal pockets; this helps the periodontist assess the health of the gums. X-rays may also be taken to observe the health of the bone below the gum line.
Periodontist Salary
The periodontist earn between $120,000 to $350,000, this vary due to skills, location, state, employer, reputation and level of education.
Periodontist salary in Canada, Australia, and UK
- Australia—the average yearly periodontist salary is AU$97,607
- UK—the average periodontist salary yearly is 27,500 but if you are a senior periodontist with 10-15 years of work experience their average yearly periodontist salary would be 50,000-70,000.
- Canada—the average yearly salary of a periodontist is CAD$2K-CAD$3K.
Periodontist Training and Education
To train as a periodontist you need to complete 4 years undergraduate study with science courses taken, some call it pre-med courses like physics, chemistry and biology. Then you can sit and pass the Dental Admissions Test to gain admission into the dental school.
The duration for a dental school is 4 years, where in the first two years general medical and clinical courses will be taken and the final two will be on dentistry, especially in the field you choose to specialize in. If you pass and do well with your coursework and clinicals you will be awarded a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine.
After graduation from med school, you can enroll into a residency program in periodontist for a period of 2 to 3 years where upon successful completion of the program, students are issued a certificate in periodontics and are qualified for examination by the American Board of Periodontology.
The residency program exposes students to all facets of clinical periodontics, including complex restorative treatment, periodontal prosthesis, tooth movement and adjunctive orthodontics, orthodontics for periodontically-involved cases, periodontal surgery, implant therapy, and integration of all facets of complex dentistry.
Like most health care profession, continuous education is a must, and to work you need to get a board license to practice as a periodontist. Exams are conducted by the National Board Dental Examinations in each state, to specialize and became a certified periodontist, you can sit for the board exam conducted by the American Board of Periodontology.
Board Certification requires: (1) Passing oral and written exams on all phases of periodontal disease and its treatment, including dental implants. (2) Presentation of detailed reports on a broad range of actual treatment. Once certified, Periodontists are required to take significant hours of continuing education on an annual basis and must be re-certified every 3 years to maintain Board Certification.
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