Anyone know how a medical doctor can get basic training for simple dental procedures?

This is an interesting question and my answer would say, "It depends." Your license to practice does not cover most dental procedures, but mine does not cover most medical procedures either. We both recognize that there is some room for overlap. Please either "Add Details" or post another question mentioning a few of the procedures that you have in mind and maybe we can help you.


~~~~~~~~~~


I like HM's idea about hooking up with a local dentist who might join your team. Between you and me and the trees, there are many extractions that probably can be accomplished with a piece of gauze and a little know-how. If they get beyond that, the last thing you want to do is find yourself involved with trying to remove a tooth that doesn't want to come out. Suppose you broke off the top part. What then? You are begging for a lawsuit from someone in that situation, as this is clearly not within the scope of your education of practice. Even with dentists, I have always said, "If you can't picture yourself recovering the last millimeter of the longest, most curved root tip on the tooth you are about to extract, don't even start." In your remote site, you will not likely have access to an x-ray and you will not know what you are up against. The worst case scenario is that you do a "gauze extraction" on a tooth that is sitting on top of a huge hematoma. This is like pulling the cork on a gusher of blood. The hematoma (or other tumor) could be the reason the tooth is so loose, but you'll never know without an x-ray. I'm only saying this because it's in the literature often enough.





IF - IF - IF you are hell bent on learning this, talk to your own dentist. You are not likely to find any sort of CE in this area. You are not interested in doing any form of dental residency. As an MD, you might qualify for admission to an oral surgery residency, but then you are giving up three years of your life and I gather that this is not what you are looking for.





I've taught an ENT/Facial plastic surgeon how to give a mandibular block and I don't feel bad about that. He was never taught in his training, but under certain circumstances, it would be useful in the scope of his practice. I could imagine you learning how to do some simple removals of what we call "third degree mobility or worse" teeth, but there is always that slight risk of encountering problems that you are not equipped to deal with in your clinic.





Again, talk to your own dentist and tell him what you have in mind and see how he reacts. I understand what your intentions are and I think your heart is in the right place, so I won't say simply not to bother, but be sure that you go into this with your eyes wide open.





Feel free to use the "Contact Member" feature and we can exchange e-maill addresses and discuss this further.

Anyone know how a medical doctor can get basic training for simple dental procedures?
Do you think that any of the local dentists would be willing to be "on call" or would be willing to take in emergencies that you refer to them as a professional courtesy? Its just an idea, but might be worth looking into.