My Specialty DentistMy Specialty Dentist

Experience you can verify

Specialized dental care,
without the runaround.

Verified credentials, real experience, and rank no one pays for. See the specialists near you, what they focus on, and the peers who refer patients to them.

50,000+

Verified specialists

12

ADA-recognized specialties

All 50

States covered

860+

Clinical resources

Credentials are the floor. Experience is the ceiling.

When you choose a specialist, a license on the wall is not enough. You deserve to see their work, their peers' endorsements, and their verified credentials. MSD makes the evidence visible.

See the work, not just the wall

Providers show what they focus on, the procedures they do most, and documented cases when available. You can review experience before the first appointment.

Credentials you can verify

Board certification, residency training, years in practice, and practice type. All visible. All verifiable. The floor, not the whole story.

Rank is never for sale

Providers cannot pay for a higher position in search results. Third-party display ads may appear on content pages, labeled as advertising. They do not affect who ranks where.

The 12 ADA-recognized dental specialties

Not sure which specialist you need? Review what each one treats and match to the right provider for your situation.

Orthodontics

Braces, aligners, and bite correction for straighter teeth.

Oral Surgery

Wisdom teeth removal, jaw surgery, and dental implant placement.

Periodontics

Gum disease treatment, dental implants, and soft tissue grafting.

Endodontics

Root canal therapy and treatment of tooth pain and infection.

Prosthodontics

Crowns, bridges, dentures, veneers, and full-mouth reconstruction.

Pediatric Dentistry

Specialized dental care for infants, children, and adolescents.

Orofacial Pain

TMJ disorders, facial pain, headache conditions, and sleep disorders.

Dental Anesthesiology

Sedation and pain management for complex dental procedures.

Oral Pathology

Diagnosis of oral diseases, lesions, and abnormal tissue.

Oral Radiology

Advanced dental imaging, 3D scans, and diagnostic interpretation.

Oral Medicine

Medical management of complex oral conditions and chronic pain.

Dental Public Health

Community oral health programs and preventive initiatives.

Understand your options before you walk in.

700+ evidence-based guides on dental conditions, treatments, procedures, and costs. Written at an 8th-grade reading level. Clinically sourced.

Root canals

Pain, cost, recovery, and what to expect from an endodontist.

Dental implants

Types, procedure timeline, cost by type, and provider selection.

Gum disease

Stages, treatment options, and when a periodontist is needed.

Braces and Invisalign

Side-by-side comparison, cost, timeline, and age considerations.

Wisdom teeth

Removal, recovery timeline, cost, and aftercare from an oral surgeon.

TMJ and jaw pain

Symptoms, exercises, treatment options, and which specialist to see.

Children's dental care

First visit, sealants, braces, and pediatric dental milestones.

Browse all 860+ resources

Evidence-based articles across every dental specialty.

When should you see a dental specialist?

Your general dentist handles routine care like cleanings, fillings, and checkups. Some dental problems need a specialist: a dentist with 2 to 6 extra years of residency training in a specific area of oral health.

A dental specialist completes advanced education beyond dental school and earns board certification in their field. An endodontist focuses on saving teeth through root canal treatment. A periodontist specializes in gum disease and dental implants. An orthodontist corrects bite alignment. Each specialty exists because these conditions require focused expertise.

You might need a specialist if your general dentist refers you, if you have a complex or recurring dental problem, or if you want a second opinion on a treatment plan. Common reasons include severe tooth pain, gum disease, wisdom teeth removal, braces, replacing missing teeth, and jaw disorders.

The American Dental Association recognizes 12 dental specialties. Each requires board certification and ongoing education. When you search for a dental specialist on My Specialty Dentist, you can verify credentials, compare providers, and review who you are trusting with your care.

For specialists

Patients are searching for specialists like you.

Make sure they can find you. MSD is the verified directory built for specialty dental practices. Your profile is already live with NPI-verified data. Claim it in five minutes to control what patients see. Publish documented cases, reviewed by you before they go live. Rank is never for sale.

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