Dental science deals with all health problems afflicting the mouth, the teeth, the gums and the other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity. It is a rapidly changing field creating many opportunities and challenges. It also includes cosmetology where the dentists try to improve the patients’ appearance by using a wide variety of cosmetic dental procedures. Some of the specialization areas of dentistry are as follows:

• Orthodontics deals with straightening and aligning teeth and jaws

• Periodontics specializes in the care of gums and the diseases that might afflict them

• Operative Dentistry or Endodontics for root canal jobs, fillings and cosmetic surgery

• Prosthodontics involves the making of artificial teeth

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery deals specifically with operations on the mouth and jaw

• Pediatric Dentistry for treating children

• Oral Pathology provides the diagnosis for diseases that affect the mouth.