Should Cosmetic Dentistry Be Its Own Specialty?

In this poll, we asked dentists: Should cosmetic dentistry become its own board-certified specialty?

The clear majority of dentists don't think cosmetic dentistry should be a separate specialty. A full 89% of dentists responded, "No - The current system works, and cosmetic dentistry should not be board-certified." Only 11% replied, "Yes - It's time that cosmetic dentistry be recognized as its own specialty."

The most significant factor in determining a dentist's vote was geographic location. Urban dentists were far more likely then their rural colleagues to support board certification for cosmetic dentistry. This suggests that dentists in more urban areas are somewhat more likely to specialize in cosmetic dentistry. With a shortage of dentists in many rural areas, rural dentists sometimes have to fill more roles for their patients. For many of them, the idea of specializing in cosmetic dentistry just isn't relevant to their patients' needs.

Rural dentists were completely (100%) opposed to cosmetic dentistry as a separate specialty, an idea that's supported by one of every five urban dentists. Suburban dentists, not surprisingly, fell in between their rural and urban counterparts.

This difference may point to access-to-care issues in less populated areas. With fewer dentists meeting the needs of more patients, rural dentists don't always have the same opportunity for specialization. Rural dentists want to be able to perform cosmetic procedures on their patients, but their patients still need their general dentistry services as well. Urban areas, on the other hand, are seeing an increasing number of doctors who primarily or exclusively offer cosmetic procedures.

Urban centers are also likely to draw patients from farther away seeking cosmetic dental work. A few of these city dentists want to be cosmetic dentists, not general dentist - but most (81% of the urban doctors) would rather thing stay as they are.

Gender differences were minor, though female dentists were twice as likely to support cosmetic dentistry as a specialty than their male colleagues.

This may suggest that women are more likely than men to choose cosmetic dentistry as their area of specialty.

Sometimes specialists and general dentists can agree on something! Both groups were equally opposed to granting board certification to cosmetic dentists.

Most dentists already perform some cosmetic procedures. They don't want to lose their ability to perform these procedures, and they're not eager to jump through any administrative hoops in order to get board certification.

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