Veterinarians Increasing Focus on Dentistry

In this video, Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, ABVP, from All Pets Dental, discusses why there is a growing awareness of veterinary dentistry with more veterinarians entering the field.

Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC, ABVP: I find that because vaccines are now every three years or more, and dermatology is being taken care of by wonderful injections, and antibiotics are being taken care of by very long injections, that dentistry is a frontier that a lot of veterinarians are entering now, because they need something to do really well and to really help their patient; and dentistry is something that if they learn how to do it well they can help their patient to help their practice. Unfortunately, in veterinary schools there is very little dental education, in most schools, some schools do have their veterinary dentists on board, but very few.

So, the veterinarian really has to take it amongst herself or himself to say, "okay I want to learn about dentistry" and just immerse themselves in VIN, in all of the major meetings have dental wet labs, get all the books that you can get. Very wonderful way to get involved is through the foundation of veterinary dentistry, which publishes a journal four times a year, which is very high-quality dentistry, and it's real inexpensive, it's like $150 a year to join. And probably the best CE you can get in dentistry is at the veterinary dental forum, which this year is going to be on November 15th through 18th in Phoenix.