What is An Associate Dentist?
Dental associates are dentists who are contracted as independent dentists at dental practices where they are not the owner.
Been browsing your local dentist’s website and noticed the mention of an associate dentist several times? Are you wondering what kind of a dentist this is? Well, you might not know that in the UK, most dentists in both cosmetic and general settings work as self-employed associates. It’s not a reflection of their experience, level or role but rather an indication that they do not own the practice.
Associate dentists will work at the practice regularly, but are not full-time employed and will often work at multiple dental practices at once and attend them when their speciality or area of dentistry is called upon.
For example, your local practice might offer advanced gum disease treatments with a periodontist. However, that periodontist will not be at the practice daily and will only be scheduled to work when one of the practice’s patients needs them. In this case, the associate will have a relationship with the practice owner, where the associate typically makes payments to the practice owner in return for the use of their premises, equipment, technology, materials and staff.
Defining the role of an associate dentist
Associate dentists, whether working in the dental practice as an employee or independent contractor, will perform routine dental procedures required to improve a patient’s oral health.
That said, you’ll often see the mention of the associate dentist more prominently in complex cases, or with advanced cosmetic procedures that exist to improve the appearance of teeth, gums or the patient’s bite.
An associate dentist’s role will typically not be confined to one area of dentistry but rather span across several treatments and procedures in which they have particular experience or a special interest.
Dental associates can carry out complete oral examinations, make diagnoses and treat multiple dental problems. Their title just means they’re not always tied to one dental practice but can be found in several, perhaps within a particular radius.
Specialist Associate Dentists
It’s quite common to find associate dentists who have trained in particular specialisms, making their services invaluable, so much so that you’ve likely been treated by an associate dentist if you’ve needed a root canal or specialist orthodontic care.
Expert fields of dentistry:
- Endodontics: Focuses on treating the internal tissues of the teeth, including procedures like root canals and re-root canals.
- Orthodontics: Specializes in aligning the jaw and teeth, often by fitting braces, and addressing issues related to bone misalignments in the mouth and jaw.
- Periodontics: Dentists (periodontists) who focus on the health of the gums and surrounding tissues, including the treatment of gum diseases.
- Prosthodontics: Prosthodontists focus on restoring teeth with artificial devices such as dentures, dental crowns, dental implants, and even dental veneers.
- Paediatric Dentistry: Dedicated to the care of children’s teeth and gums.
