What does it mean to be specialized in veterinary dentistry?
Specializing in veterinary dentistry means that, in addition to a regular veterinary degree, the veterinarian has completed an official specialization program called a residency, and after the residency completed a challenging 3-part examination that is held once a year. The governing body for the residencies and the examinations is the college of the specialty, for veterinary dentistry it is the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) in the US and the European Veterinary Dental College (EVDC) in Europe. Similar colleges exist for other narrow specialty fields, such as neurology, ophthalmology, and dermatology.
The title of a specialized veterinarian of a narrow field is Diplomate of so-and-so college, so for example a veterinary dental specialist is officially a Diplomate of European/American Veterinary Dental College. In contrast to the diplomats of narrow fields of specialization, in Finland a veterinarian can complete a Finnish specialization to small animal diseases. They thus receive the title “Pieneläinsairauksien erikoiseläinlääkäri” or “Specialist of small animal diseases,” which covers all small animal diseases but only touches on each diseases without going into further depth.
There are three veterinary dental specialists (Diplomate of American and European Veterinary Dental College) in Finland: Helena Kuntsi, Niina Luotonen, and Eva Sarkiala. In Europe there are about 30 Diplomates of the AVDC/EVDC and in the USA there are about 130.
In Europe, there are two clinics that offer a full-time residency training: one at Anident and the other in France at Philip Hennet’s veterinary clinic. Niina Luotonen, who completed her residency at Anident, is the first Finnish veterinarian that has been able to complete the residency in her homeland. Currently, Anident is running another residency program. The resident is veterinarian Senni Vesterinen, supervised by Helena Kuntsi and Niina Luotonen. Helena Kuntsi is also the director of the program.Interesting and useful reading (in Finnish):
1. Video: how to brush my dog's teeth
2. Tietopaketti koirien ja kissojen hammashoidosta
3. Lemmikin hammashygienia
4. Koira ja kissa parodontiittipotilaana
5. Hammasvammat
6. Koiran purentavioista
7. Puhkeamattoman hampaan aiheuttama leukaluukysta
Patient cases (in Finnish):
1. Puhkeamaton hammas ja kysta leukaluussa
2. Purentavika: kapea alaleuka ja alakulmahampaiden aiheuttama trauma yläikeniin
3. Pikkupennun leukamurtuma
The article may only be copied and used with the permission of the author.
Hammashoito tehdään yleisanestesiassa: potilas on ”tipassa”, intuboituna ja pakattuna lämpimästi sekä sekä huolellisesti valvottuna.
