Dummmy Veterinary dentistry Blog Title

Periodontal disease is considered the most common clinical disease affecting adult dogs and cats, with studies estimating it affects most pets over three years of age. With the high rate of oral diseases in animals, the demand for specialized veterinary dentists is increasing with time.

If you are wondering how to build a career in veterinary dentistry, you are looking at one of the most specialized fields in companion animal medicine, with room for veterinary students, general practice DVMs, and credentialed vet techs alike.

This guide walks through what the role actually looks like day to day, the education and certification path recognized by the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC), realistic salary ranges, and where to find free continuing education to get started.

What Does a Veterinary Dentist Do?

A veterinary dentist manages the full scope of oral health in animals, including periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, orthodontics, restorative work, and oral diagnostic imaging such as dental radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). That scope covers everything from routine dental cleanings and extractions to jaw fracture repair, root canals, and correcting dental abnormalities in animals.

Most board-certified veterinary dentists work in one of three settings:

• Specialty referral practice: Receiving referrals from GPs for more sophisticated procedures
• Routine duties of academia: Teaching veterinary students and residents as well as running a teaching hospital caseload.
• Research institutions and academic settings, where specialists conduct research, publish scientific literature, and help advance standards of veterinary dental care. 

A career in animal dentistry also includes equine work. Since 2014, AVDC has identified equine dentistry as a distinct specialty from the small animal specialty. This demonstrates that veterinary dentistry has come far from just caring for cats and dogs. 

Veterinary Dentistry Education Requirements

The education requirements for a veterinary dentist begin just like all veterinary jobs. Having a DVM degree is a must to become a veterinary dentist. Once veterinarians have obtained a DVM, they attend postgraduate programs in dentistry. 

Here’s the breakdown of the educational journey.

• High school: A strong foundation in biology, chemistry, and math
• Bachelor's degree: Most applicants complete a four-year undergraduate degree with pre-veterinary coursework, though some vet schools accept applicants after three years
• DVM from an AVMA-accredited College of Veterinary Medicine: Four years of veterinary school culminating in a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree
• Specialty training through an AVDC-registered residency: The residency and credentialing process described below, which typically adds another three to five years after graduation

Note that there is no shortcut around veterinary school. Every path to board certification in veterinary dentistry begins with a full DVM. 

How to Become a Veterinary Dentist: Step by Step

If you are thinking about how to become a vet dentist, here is the credentialing sequence set by the AVDC (the organization that governs veterinary dentist training in North America).

1. Earn your DVM. Graduate from an AVMA-accredited college of veterinary medicine and hold a license to practice in a US state, Canadian province, or another recognized jurisdiction.
2. Complete an internship or equivalent clinical experience. You need either a formal 12-month rotating internship covering a broad range of clinical services or a minimum of 18 months in general small animal practice that exposes you to a wide variety of case types.
3. Secure a residency registered with the AVDC. You will need a diplomate willing to serve as your residency supervisor, and your program (private practice, university, or specialty hospital) must be registered with AVDC before you start.
4. Complete residency. The minimum length of full-time residencies is 30 months, and most veterinary dental training programs typically take three to five years in total, including part-time schedules, case log requirements, and exam preparation. Residents must document supervised training in anesthesia, surgery, and diagnostic imaging as required by AVDC credentialing standards and submit full sets of full-mouth radiographs for review from time to time.
5. Meet credentialing requirements and pass the AVDC examinations. This includes an approved scholarly publication that satisfies AVDC credentialing requirements approved by the Credentials Committee, plus passing both phases of the board examination. Once you clear both phases, you become a Diplomate of the AVDC, or DAVDC.

Because specialty titles are protected under AVMA ethics guidelines, it is important to note that you cannot describe yourself as "board eligible" or a "veterinary dental specialist" at any point before your certification is formally awarded.

Veterinary Dentistry Certification (AVDC Board Certification)

AVDC board certification is the credential that turns a general practitioner into a recognized specialist. AVDC is recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties as the certification body for veterinary dentistry in North America, and it offers board certification in two tracks: Non-Species Specific Dentistry and Equine Dentistry. BLogs

• The original AVDC diploma is Small Animal / Non-Species Specific Dentistry.
• The formal recognition of the specialty of Equine Dentistry was in 2014 by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties. 

To be credentialed in either track, candidates submit case logs; full-mouth radiograph sets (dogs and cats for small animals and horses for equines); documentation of the 40-hour anesthesia, surgery, and radiology requirements under relevant diplomates; and at least one credentials committee-approved publication.

Once awarded, Diplomates may use the titles "Diplomate AVDC (DAVDC)," "Board Certified Veterinary Dentist," or "Veterinary Dental Specialist." Some dentists hold dual-track certification in both small animal and equine dentistry, which comes with its own recertification schedule.

Skills Every Veterinary Dentist Needs

Dentistry in the exam room is very different from what you learn in textbooks. Every patient presents unique challenges, and real-world experience makes a difference.

Beyond the formal credential, the day-to-day demands of the specialty call for a specific merge of veterinary dentistry skills:
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