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(November 2, 2010) The average dentist offers a range of dental treatments, but will refer patients out for certain types of dental care.
When it comes to referring dental patients out for treatments, dental implant surgery was at the top of the list, closely followed by braces, sedation dentistry, and root canals.
On the other hand, most dentists restore dental implants, offer cosmetic dentistry, and treat patients with dentures.
Dentists refer out many pediatric dentistry and periodontal patients, but also frequently treat these patients themselves.
Overall, the average dentist refers out less than 20% of patients.
Here are some comments from dentists:
"I think most dental implants should be placed by either oral surgeons or
periodontists because in my community, a lot of the dental implants placed by general dentists fail." (Alabama dentist)
"Impacted wisdom teeth and molar endodontics are referred out 100%. Everything else is decided case by case." (North Carolina dentist)
"Only refer out third molar extractions because I don’t want to deal with the pain and swelling. General anesthesia also refer out but most anxious patients do in office with oral sedation." (New York dentist)
"Some patients have such poor dental insurance for certain procedures, I’d rather let a specialist do the treatment." (Nevada dentist)
"An endodontist comes to our office." (New York dentist)
Note: Survey sample included 36 respondents. Posted 11/3/2010