Pediatric Dentist vs. Family Dentist: Training and How to Check Credentials
What extra training a pediatric dentist has, how that differs from a family dentist, and how to check a dental license and board certification yourself.
Parents often wonder whether a child needs a pediatric dentist or whether the family dentist is enough. Both are licensed dentists. A pediatric dentist has finished extra training focused on babies, children and teenagers. This guide explains that training, what it does and does not tell you, and how to check a license and board certification yourself in a few minutes.
Pediatric dentistry is a recognized specialty
The National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards (NCRDSCB) is an independent commission that reviews dental specialties and the boards that certify them. It currently recognizes 12 dental specialties, and pediatric dentistry is one of them. The commission describes it as a specialty defined by the patient's age. It covers everyday and comprehensive care, both preventive and treatment, for infants and children through the teen years, including children with special health care needs.
The training behind the title
Every dentist starts on the same path. The ADA's overview of dental licensure explains that licensing rules are set by each state's dental board. Nearly all states require a DDS or DMD degree from a dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Every licensing jurisdiction also requires the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE), and most add a clinical assessment.
A pediatric dentist then completes an advanced education program in pediatric dentistry, often called a residency. CODA writes the accreditation standards for these programs. Its standards for pediatric dentistry programs call for at least 24 months of full-time training. They also require residents to build skills in guiding children's behavior, both without medicines and with minimal and moderate sedation, and to care for children with special health care needs. You can confirm that a program is accredited with CODA's program search.
What a family or general dentist offers
Many families see a general or family dentist who treats children and adults. That can mean one office, one set of records and one appointment trip for the whole household. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) uses the term dental home for an ongoing relationship between a child and a dentist that covers checkups, prevention, urgent care and referrals to specialists when needed. AAPD says the dental home should be in place no later than 12 months of age. Whichever kind of office you pick, these questions can help:
- How many young children, toddlers or teens does the dentist see in a typical week?
- How does the office help a child who is scared or has trouble sitting still?
- Does the office see children with special health care needs similar to your child's?
- What happens if your child needs care the office does not provide? Who does it refer to?
- Who do you call after hours if your child has a dental injury?
- Can a parent stay in the room during the visit?
For what usually happens at the first appointments, see our guide on your child's first dental visit.
How to check a dental license
A state board of dentistry, sometimes called a board of dental examiners, is a state agency created by the legislature. The ADA's list of state dental boards explains that these boards set the qualifications to practice, issue licenses, set standards and take disciplinary action. The list links to each board's website. Most boards offer an online license lookup. When you search, look for:
- The dentist's full name and the license type.
- Whether the license is active, and its expiration date.
- Any public discipline, restrictions or probation, if the board shows them.
- Any special permits, such as permits for sedation or anesthesia, in states that list them.
As an example, California's Department of Consumer Affairs license search covers dentists licensed in that state. If a listing shows a license number, compare it with the number on the board's lookup. If they do not match, ask the office why.
How to check board certification in pediatric dentistry
A specialty residency and board certification are not the same thing. The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD) is the certifying board recognized by NCRDSCB for this specialty. ABPD describes certification as voluntary. Its certification process requires that a candidate complete, or be in the final year of, a pediatric dentistry residency accredited by CODA or by Canada's accrediting body, and hold an active dental license or another accepted license or permit. The candidate must then pass a written Qualifying Examination and an Oral Clinical Examination. ABPD also says that certified pediatric dentists must complete training every year to keep their certification.
To check, use ABPD's search for certified pediatric dentists. For a formal record, the board's verification page explains how to request written confirmation. A pediatric dentist who is not certified may still have completed a residency, so ask the office directly what training the dentist has and where.
What a listing on this site shows
Every listing on this site comes from the federal NPPES registry, where dentists and practices apply for a National Provider Identifier (NPI). On that application the provider picks a taxonomy code that describes its type and specialty, and marks one code as primary, as CMS explains on its taxonomy page. Listings here use the Pediatric Dentistry code, 1223P0221X. That means the dentist or practice chose that code. It is not a license check and it is not board certification, and this site does not verify it.
Each listing shows facts from the NPI record as the provider entered them:
- The registered specialty and the credentials the provider entered, such as DDS or DMD.
- The license number and state as entered. Check them on the state board's lookup.
- How many years have passed since the NPI was issued. This is not the same as years in practice.
- Other practice locations on the record.
- How many pediatric dentistry listings share the same address, which can show that several dentists are registered at one office.
You can place up to three listings side by side with Compare. The site has no reviews, ratings, prices, insurance lists or appointment booking, and it does not rank or endorse anyone. You can look up any record yourself in the federal NPI Registry. When you are ready, search the directory by location.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Pediatric Dentist Index is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor, nurse, discharge planner or other qualified professional. Do not use it to make decisions about diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.