EQUINE DENTISTY –
BEWARE OF UNLICENSED EQUINE DENTAL CARE PROVIDERS
Most of us are aware of the importance of proper dental care for our equine companions and that numerous advances in the field have been made over the last decade. What is often confusing for the equine owner is who to trust with this important task. Out of this decade of advanced dental awareness has evolved a group of individuals collectively known as Non-Veterinary Dental Care Providers (NVDCP).
These individuals are not veterinarians, have varying degrees of education and experience and are not governed or sanctioned by Consumer Affairs or the American Veterinary Medical Association. No requirements or prerequisites exist to call one-self an Equine Dentist. Many of these individuals claim certifications and professional titles such as “Certified Equine Dentist” or “Equine Dental Technician” based on the completion of a non-AVMA sanctioned dental school. Some of these schools include the American School of Equine Dentistry, Academy of Equine Dentistry or the Texas Institute of Equine Dentistry. Others claim membership in organizations such as the National Association of Equine Dentists or the International Association of Equine Dentists. While this group of individuals has done a great job marketing themselves as competent dental care providers (and a percentage of them may very well be competent) no extensive training is required, no governing body exists and no internship period or under-study program is in place to assure your equine companion will receive proper dental care. All of this summates to no accountability and no guarantee for you and your equine companion.
Dental care for your horse does not begin and end with the teeth. Some metabolic conditions can lead to significant changes in the oral cavity of the horse, such as osteoporosis secondary to cushings disease. In contrast, conditions in the oral cavity can give indications of other conditions going on in the horse. A example of this is kidney disease. Oral conditions can be the cause of other disease conditions such as bacterial endocarditis. The individual you should trust with every aspect of your equine companion’s health is your veterinarian. While veterinarians vary in the degree of expertise they possess with regards to dental care, all have had extensive training in veterinary medicine as a whole. They have a broad base of knowledge that comes from many years of higher education in all aspects of equine care including and not limited to the oral cavity. A good dental care provider needs expertise in anesthesia, surgery, anatomy, physiology and metabolism. Often oral and dental issues require advanced diagnostic modalities such as radiology, scintigraphy, MRI or CT scans. Veterinarians are well governed and have to pass rigorous certification and licensing tests and are required to perform continued education to remain licensed.
California state law requires that a NVDCP must work under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. This means a veterinarian on the premises at the time the dental procedure is being performed. The veterinarian is to administer the necessary sedation and follow up medication if required. The veterinarian is to oversee the dental procedure and approve all aspects of the treatment. NVDCP cannot prescribe or administer sedation, anesthesia or medications. We have been amazed by the number of people that are unaware of these facts and have allowed dental care to be provided by a NVDCP.
Dental care is a very important aspect of equine health care. We recommend yearly examinations and will advise you on the necessary procedures your horse may require. Feel free to contact the office regarding you horse’s dental care needs.