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General Dentistry
General Dentistry in Minneapolis
Just like in medical fields, there are many different specialties in dentistry. Some specialists take care of patients who have gum disease, some repair dental tissue, and others place dental implants, do root canals, and remove impacted teeth. Specialists usually spend additional years at the university to become specialists.
The "general" in general dentistry
The dentist practicing general dentistry is very much like the family physician: the one whom a patient goes to first when there is a problem, the one who would refer the patient to a specialist if need be. The general dentist is the first line of defense in the world of dentistry, needing to have knowledge in all areas of specialty in order to diagnosis a problem, treat the problem in most cases, and to know how to correctly refer patients.
A dentist and dental office that is good with all age group and type of people is also called a family dentist.
Specialization
Unlike the family physician, however, as a dentist gains experience and continued education over the years, they too can become bonafide specialists in areas such as cosmetic and restorative dentistry.
Patient Familiarity
Just as importantly, the general dentist needs to know the patient. A relationship between doctor and patient needs to exist in order for the doctor to see changes from appointment to appointment that might indicate a health problem that might otherwise go undetected longer than it should.