Dental specialists are general dentists who go on to study for an additional 2-3 years (in dental school) to specialize in a particular area of dentistry. Some examples include oral surgeons, pediatric dentists, endodontists (root canal dentists), periodontists (gum specialists), orthodontists, and a few others. Specialists are important because there are sometimes oral conditions that require additional technical resources and skills to complete.
For instance, if you have a tooth with curved roots or narrow canals but need endodontic treatment, we might refer you to an endodontist to have your root canal completed. Or, if there are multiple impacted wisdom teeth that need to be removed under general anesthesia, we may arrange for an oral surgeon to perform your treatment.