Dentists should be licensed medical practitioners who have earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree.

A state license is then granted after passing national and state board examinations. Dentists who wish to have a specialty must spend 2 or more years in advanced training in dental college.

They then must become board-certified in their specialty. The American Dental Association recognizes the following eight specialties.

* Dental public health: Prevention and control of dental disease and promotion of community dental health

* Endodontics: Prevention and treatment of diseases of the root pulp and related structures (root canal therapy)

* Oral and maxillofacial pathology: Diagnosis of tumors, other diseases, and injuries of the head and neck

* Oral and maxillofacial surgery: Tooth extractions; surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects of the mouth, jaw, and face

* Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics: Diagnosis and correction of tooth irregularities and facial deformities

* Pediatric dentistry: Dental care of infants and children

* Periodontics: Treatment of diseases of the gums and related structures

* Prosthodontics: Treatment of oral dysfunction through the use of prosthetic devices such as crowns, bridges, and dentures

Make sure that your dentist is keeping detailed charts on the findings of your dental examinations. Regularly scheduled check-ups should find problems early. Frequent enough teeth cleanings and dental evaluations, including early interventions helps you escape costly fixes. Your best dentist will have you come in depending on how often you need to visit based on how fast your dental health changes over time. (Ideally, you will be put on a regular schedule and called each time your next check-up is due.)

The financial charge for excellent dental work is not the best way to judge quality. Pay attention to how long the dentist takes to do the work. High-quality dentistry takes time and careful attention to detail. Furthermore, high-quality dental work lasts years longer than does low-quality dental work. Before embarking on treatment, make sure you have a clear idea of what your dentist recommends and what to expect from it. Get every possible option, because there may be more than one way to get what you want. (There are several ways to replace a missing tooth, for example, including a fixed bridge, a removable bridge, or an implant.) Each treatment has different advantages, disadvantages, and costs.

Dentists whose ads emphasize one-visit comprehensive treatment or cosmetic dentistry may not provide long-term maintenance care that does not generate high income.

Routine use of general anesthetic is another bad sign. It means that patients are exposed to unnecessary dangers. The vast majority of patients do not need it for regular dentistry.

Be cautious about dentists who recommend complicated treatment plans. In 1996, a reporter for Readers Digest visited 50 dentists in 28 states and found a wide range of fees and recommendations. His visits cost from $20 to $141. He also brought in his own x-ray films and mentioned to each dentist that he was well-covered by insurance. All he needed when he began was repair for one molar. Only 12 out of the 50 dentists made this same recommendation. One dentist told the reporter that he needed to get all of his teeth crowned, at a cost of $13,340. The lowest estimate among all the dentists was $500 and the highest was almost $30,000. This and similar investigations underscore the importance of getting a second opinion when extensive work is recommended. Ideally, this would be by a dentist who is affiliated with a dental school. Fortunately, the Phoenix area now has two dental schools.

* How does your bite feel?
* Is any of the dental work irritating your gum?
* Does the treated tooth look like a tooth?
* Does dental floss or your tongue catch on the tooth?
* Did the dentist take time to polish your fillings?
* Do you feel pain when drinking hot or cold liquids?
* Was any debris left in your mouth after treatment?
* Does the dentist use a water spray to cool your teeth while drilling?

Use your own observations to decide whether you received top treatment.