Dental specialties are branches of dentistry for which provincial regulatory authorities deliver specialty certificates.
Canadian Dental Regulatory Authorities Federation (CDRAF) recognizes the branches of dentistry that qualify as specialties at the national level. The specialty recognition process of CDRAF is available here. CDRAF adopted graduation from a specialty education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) and the successful completion of the Certification examinations provided by the Royal College of Dentists of Canada as national requirements for licensure in a nationally recognized specialty.
As of March 2024, CDRAF has recognized ten specialties. These are
Dental Anaesthesia
Dental Public Health
Endodontics
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral Medicine and Pathology
Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Pediatric Dentistry
Periodontics
Prosthodontics
CDAC provides definitions for each of the nationally recognized specialties, except for dental anaesthesia which was recognized by CDRAF in 2023 and has not yet been formally defined by CDAC.
Dental Public Health
Dental public health is that branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with the diagnosis, prevention and control of dental diseases and the promotion of oral health through organized community efforts. Dental public health serves the community as the patient (rather than the individual) through research, health promotion, education and group dental care programs.
Endodontics
Endodontics is that branch and specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the morphology, physiology and pathology of the dental pulp and periradicular tissues. Its study and practice encompass the basic clinical sciences including biology of the normal pulp, and etiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the pulp and associated periradicular tissues.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is that branch and specialty of dentistry which is concerned with and includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of disorders, diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions and related structures.
Oral Medicine and Pathology
Oral medicine and oral pathology is the branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with the diagnosis, nature and primarily non-surgical management of oral, maxillofacial and temporomandibular diseases and disorders, including dental management of patients with medical complications. Oral medicine and oral pathology are two applied components of this specialty.
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
Oral and maxillofacial radiology is that branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with the prescription, production and interpretation of diagnostic images for the diagnosis and management of diseases and disorders of the craniofacial complex.
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics is that branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with the supervision, guidance and correction of the growing or mature dentofacial structures and the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of any abnormalities associated with these structures.
Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dentistry is that branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with providing primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health diagnosis, care and consultative expertise for infants and children through adolescence, including those of all ages with special care needs.
Periodontics
Periodontics is that branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth or their substitutes and the maintenance of the health, function and aesthetics of these structures and tissues.
Prosthodontics
Prosthodontics is that branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with the diagnosis, restoration and maintenance of oral function, comfort, appearance and health of the patient by the restoration of the natural teeth and/or the replacement of missing teeth and contiguous oral and maxillofacial tissues with artificial substitutes.
