Most of us have probably gone to a dentist at some point for dental cleaning, braces, wisdom teeth, etc. For a long time, I was under the impression that we only have “dentists”. Dentists will take care of all the teeth work, like building your dental models, diagnosing your teeth, installing your braces, etc.
But turns out that's not really how it works. Just like not every "software engineer" builds iPhones in their garage, not every dental professional does everything related to teeth.
Take it from someone who works in software: people assume we magically fix any device with a screen. I once told my mom I was debugging some backend endpoints, and five minutes later she handed me her frozen WeChat miniprogram and said, “It’s not working, can you fix this for me?” I tried to explain, but she just said, “Aren’t you in software engineering?” So yeah, same energy as assuming your dentist makes your teeth models, installs your braces, pulls your wisdom teeth, makes your night guard, and designs your dental X-rays from scratch.
In reality, the world of dentistry is full of specialists, just like tech, each with a specific focus and set of skills. Since I have made the same mistake as my mom, I wanted to write this blog as a way to clarify the different roles within dentistry and help others understand who really does what when it comes to oral health.
To start, there's a major distinction between dentists and denturists.
Dentists handle your diagnosis, treatment plans, and all the technical procedures like fillings, cleanings, or surgery. Denturists, on the other hand, specialize in making dentures. They specialize in crafting and fitting those whites when natural teeth are long gone.
The Difference Between A Denturist and a Dentist
When we think of dental professionals, most of us picture a dentist with a mask and gloves, working on a patient in a bright exam room. But not many people are familiar with the role of a denturist.
I first stumbled into this topic when a friend of mine told me he was starting a career in dentures. I initially assumed he was going to dental school to be a “dentist”, the kind that operates directly with teeth. But as he showed me the denture lab and some of the stuff he was working on for the first time, I realized that was not something I’d have imagined for a dentist. This was also part of the reason why I wanted to write this blog: to share the difference between a denturist and a dentist.
So, what exactly does a denturist do?
A denturist is a licensed oral healthcare professional who specializes in the design, construction, fitting, and repair of full and partial dentures. Their primary focus is on helping patients who have lost some or all of their natural teeth regain function and confidence through custom-made dental prosthetics.
Unlike general dentists, denturists often work independently or in collaboration with dentists but are not involved in diagnosing general oral health conditions or performing surgical procedures. Their expertise lies in: