Medicine and dentistry: Understanding the language of dentistry

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dental problems are common in general practice and are responsible for many avoidable hospitalisations. Medicine and dentistry are often practised in isolation, with little shared language or understanding. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to help general practitioners (GPs) maximise effective dental referral strategies by briefly outlining basic dental nomenclature and describing the roles of different types of oral healthcare providers. DISCUSSION: The oral cavity contains hard and soft tissues that are all prone to oral disease, which can lead to systemic disease. It is important for GPs to have some basic familiarity with dental nomenclature, anatomy and tooth eruption times. In Australia, there are seven different oral healthcare providers and 13 dental specialities. This article will summarise their distinct roles and explain some common dental procedures used to definitively treat oral health problems. This knowledge should encourage more efficient interprofessional communication and enable general practitioners to optimise referral pathways for patients with oral health problems.