No. The Hillsborough County Dental Association (HCDA) is not a dental office, but a local professional organization that dentists may choose to join, similar to what the Hillsborough County Medical Association is for physicians. If you are looking for dental care, contact your insurance company to request a list of providers. If you are in need of low-cost dental care, you can contact the West Coast District Dental Association at 813.654.2500.

Dentists may receive a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. Dentists who complete required training in recognized specialty fields receive post-graduate certificates. DDS and DMD are equal; it is what the particular dental school awards their graduates.

Visit the Access to Care Resource Guide to find dental clinics in your area.

Call your local Medicaid office and ask for a list of providers. You can also inquire about what dental services are covered for you. If you want to search on the web, visit www.dentaquest.com to find providers in your state.

Emergency rooms as a rule usually do not have a dentist on staff. You will be seen by a physician who will most likely prescribe antibiotics to get the infection under control until you can be seen by a dentist. You will be responsible for emergency room fee.

Please visit the Florida Board of Dentistry for help. You can call them directly or live chat.

We encourage you to contact the West Coast District Dental Association (WCDDA) office at 813.654.2500 to see if you are eligible for the WCDDA Peer Review Mediation Program. The dentist must be a member of American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association and the West Coast District Dental Association, and your complaint must be about dental work/procedure started or completed within the last 24 months. For more information on this process, visit www.wcdental.org. If your case is ineligible for the Peer Review Mediation Program, the West Coast District Dental Association will provide you with additional resources.

Visit the West Coast District Dental Association’s website, www.wcdental.org, to search for a specific dentist. If your dentist is listed, this means he/she is a member in good standing with the American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association and the West Coast District Dental Association. You can also contact the WCDDA directly at 813.654.2500. To check on a dentist’s professional license, visit the Florida Board of Dentistry.

Many times dentists are unaware if a situation has occurred. It is suggested that you compose a letter to the dentist detailing your concerns. Address the letter to the dentist directly (keep a copy for yourself) and send it certified, return receipt mail. This will assure the letter was indeed delivered and signed for.

Fees in the state of Florida are not regulated. Fees from one dental office to the next will vary. It is best to have open lines of communication and have a complete understanding of the dental work to be done, including costs involved.

For renewal of dental licenses, a total of 30 hours of continuing education is required. To receive credit, all courses must be taken with board approved providers. Dentists must complete the following:

• A course in HIV/AIDS prior to their first license renewal
• A course on Domestic Violence as part of every third licensure renewal
• A CPR course at the basic life support level, which includes training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the basic support level, including one-rescuer and two-rescuer CPR for adults, children, and infants; the relief of foreign body airway obstructions for adults, children and infants; the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED); and the use of ambubags resulting in certification or recertification by the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross or an entity with equivalent requirements
• A course in the Prevention of Medical Errors
• A course in the Safe and Effective Prescribing of Controlled Substances
• A course in Human Trafficking

University of Florida, College of Dentistry (352) 392-2911
Nova Southeastern, College of Dental Medicine (954) 262-7500
LECOM School of Dental Medicine (941) 405-1500

No. The HCDA does not have a list of all the different insurance dentists accept in their office. Your insurance provider will able to provide you with a list of accepted dental providers.

The following dental specialties are approved by the Council on Dental Education and Licensure, American Dental Association:

Dental public health is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts. It is that form of dental practice which serves the community as a patient rather than the individual. It is concerned with the dental health education of the public, with applied dental research, and with the administration of group dental care programs as well as the prevention and control of dental diseases on a community basis.

Endodontics is the branch of dentistry which is concerned with the morphology, physiology and pathology of the human dental pulp and periradicular tissues. Its study and practice encompass the basic and clinical sciences including biology of the normal pulp, the etiology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the pulp and associated periradicular conditions.

Oral pathology is the specialty of dentistry and discipline of pathology that deals with the nature, identification, and management of diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions. It is a science that investigates the causes, processes, and effects of these diseases. The practice of oral pathology includes research and diagnosis of diseases using clinical, radiographic, microscopic, biochemical, or other examinations.

Oral and maxillofacial radiology is the specialty of dentistry and discipline of radiology concerned with the production and interpretation of images and data produced by all modalities of radiant energy that are used for the diagnosis and management of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral and maxillofacial region.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the specialty of dentistry which includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.

Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics is the dental specialty that includes the diagnosis, prevention, interception, and correction of malocclusion, as well as neuromuscular and skeletal abnormalities of the developing or mature orofacial structures.

Pediatric Dentistry is an age-defined specialty that provides both primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special health care needs.

Periodontics is that specialty of dentistry which encompasses the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth or their substitutes and the maintenance of the health, function and esthetics of these structures and tissues.

Prosthodontics is the dental specialty pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation and maintenance of the oral function, comfort, appearance and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth and/or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes.

There are four choices: Dentist, Dental Hygienist, Dental Assistant, and Dental Laboratory Technician.

For more information on each career, visit the American Dental Association at www.ada.org.