Public health dentistry is quite a unique field of dentistry in that a patient in need of oral health care would not visit a public health dentist in that capacity. Most public health dentists maintain a clinical practice as a specialist or generalist in addition to their duties as public health specialists.
A patient can expect to schedule an office visit and is usually seen within a week to address their dental concern. As with any other specialist or generalist, the patient will be required to complete or update any forms, may have an x-ray taken (depending on the date of the last one), and will be examined by the dentist. Any necessary procedures or recommended treatments will be discussed with the patient following the examination.
