If you are moving to Raleigh, North Carolina or the Research Triangle area, this information can help you find the best dentist to provide the level of care most appropriate for you and your family.
How accessible are dentists in Raleigh?
In Raleigh, dental care is much more accessible than in many other parts of North Carolina. Raleigh is located in Wake County, which is one of the eight counties of North Carolina with a dentist-to-patient ratio that exceeded the national average. Unfortunately, North Carolina ranks 47th in the country in terms of the ratio of dentists to patients. While the state is low on the availability of dental care, residents of Raleigh have excellent access compared to the rest of the United States. By combining the data obtained in June 2009 from the Dental Council of North Carolina with the 2008 census data for Raleigh, one can extrapolate that there is a ratio of about one dentist per 1,350 inhabitants.
What quality can I expect?
The quality of care (and the number of dentists) in Raleigh is influenced by the nearby North Carolina School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Raleigh, the research area of Triangle Park, as well as neighboring cities and counties have exceptional access to dental care, largely due to the presence of graduates from this school.
Founded in 1954, UNC Dental School has a national reputation in both research and education. Each year, the school admits about 80 students to its DDS program (doctoral program in dental surgery), and about 80% of them are hospitalized. In the United States, schools of dentistry - unlike medical and law schools - do not have an official rating. However, UNC is usually the main contender for unofficial listings. A nationwide respect for the UNC School of Dentistry program helps to confirm the quality of dental services provided in the Role by graduates of this school.
The North Carolina Dental Board is the regulatory authority for dental care providers in North Carolina. His mission is to ensure that the dental profession is trustworthy and gains public trust and that only qualified individuals are allowed to practice dentistry and dental hygiene in North Carolina.
What are the types of dental providers?
Although the North Carolina Dental Commission is the regulatory authority, the North Carolina Dental Society is a professional organization that helps improve the health of the oral cavity, as well as the art and science of dentistry. He welcomes the maintenance of high standards of practice and competence and represents the interests of members of the dental profession and the public it serves. Although membership in a professional organization is not mandatory, the North Carolina Dental Society provides data that provide some insight into the distribution of different types of dental care providers in Raleigh. Members of Role include dentists in these commonly used categories: general practice (142), orthodontists (17), oral / maxillofacial surgery (11), endodontics (9), pediatrics (8), periodontologists (7). In June 2009, data from the North Carolina Dental Commission indicated that 264 dentists in Raleigh were licensed to practice general dentistry. The combination of these two sets of numbers should provide a rough extrapolation for the number of specialized suppliers.
What are the new trends in dental care?
In Raleigh, the provision of dental services is beginning to change thanks to the progressive thinking of some dentists. This change includes the provision of a wider range of dental care services available under the same roof. General dentists who want to invest in appropriate training can offer a wider range of dental care services, sometimes referred to as holistic dentistry. Some of them also include cosmetic dentistry. Services provided under one roof also eliminate the need to obtain consent and transfer dental records from one practice to another.
This new model of dental care in Raleigh has several advantages: one of them is that the dentist who is most familiar with dental care and patient preferences can provide most, if not all, of the necessary services in a familiar environment. A familiar environment can help reduce the anxiety that some patients experience when they have to contact a (new) specialist to get the services they need. (Be sure that general dentists who provide a wider range of dental services are very difficult cases for relevant dental care professionals who focus only on one very specific problem of dental care and what skills may be needed in these specific situations.)
Since specialists in Roles are not as widely available as general dentists (see above), general dentists offering a wider range of services can help provide more timely treatment for many “non-standard” dental needs (for example, wisdom tooth removal, periodontal treatment, orthodontics) . Ask any potential provider of dental care in Raleigh to explain the range of services provided to you, as well as specific credentials of the dentist (s). You can also ask if this practice is accredited by the state of North Carolina for sedative dentistry, since the state recently adopted guidelines and an accreditation process to ensure public safety during the administration of sedation in dental practice.
