Equestrian Network Magazine



	Vet Tech's, Veterinarian or Dentist... who do I use?

	Q. I just moved to the U.S from Canada where there are strict laws governing who can work on equine teeth.Can you tell me the difference between a dental tech and an equine dentist? Is there a big difference in their qualifications? What can I expect different than from a regular vet "floating" my horses teeth.


	A. Dear Reader, First we must address the laws, most of them based on the fact that veterinarians are skilled in dentistry. This is not the case as most veterinary educations, including mine, included no training in dentistry. But law makers wish to tax and license and make everyone responsible for everything, so why not place equine dentistry under the realm of the veterinarian. If you came from Ontario, that might be very strict; if from Alberta, you would find litigation going on that has favored the technician in the past. The terminology is also indistinct. Veterinary associations claim that "dentist" refers to human only. As of this point, there are no Board Certified Equine Dentists, however there is a Veterinary Academy of Equine Dentistry that has qualified the first "fellow". But not to complicate the issue but to clarify. My personal dentist is of course a DDS. He is also a world renowned equine dentist but when working on the equine species, he refers to himself as an equine dental technician and observes all state laws which regulate who can diagnose and administer medications and surgery.

	Your current veterinarian could possibly be quite skilled in dentistry, or she/he could also be quite skilled in reproduction, lameness or radiology, but it is unlikely that they could do all things well. Of the 125 certified dental practitioners on the planet, 27 are vets but most of them spendmost of there time doing dentistry. So, the health of your horse depends on you being reasonably knowledgeable about health issues. Whether you seek dental services or any other modality, it behooves you to ask questions of the practitioner, be it veterinarian or technician, regarding their experience and training. Technicians, however, must have a relationship with a veterinarian for sedation and monitering of general health issues. Qualified/certified technicians respect this rule even though my dentist is legally qualified to give me drugs, he would not do it for my horse. But keep in mind, if a veterinarian is not highly skilled in dentistry, but is still responsive to your dental needs, she/he will already have a solid association with a dental technician. You should dismiss anyone who claims they have bought the equipment and have taken a two week course.


	If you would like to have a question answered by Dr. Miller, send it to info@equestmagazine.com with "Dr. Miller" in the subject line. In the message include your question and your email address. Dr. Miller may send you a longer answer than what is published. He may want to ask you additional questions, in order to better answer your question.


	Dr. Miller graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington State University, receiving his undergraduate degree in 1957 and his DVM in 1961. He spent the next fifteen years in private practice in Lexington, Kentucky, principally in reproduction and pediatrics but his involvement as a polo player and fox hunter gave him an appreciation for dental needs. From 1976 to 1987 he practiced on the southern Ca. racetracks. Again dentistry was a significant part of practice but the level of knowledge was still very minimal. In an effort to change this, Dr. Miller left general practice in 1987, to devote his full attention to the advancement of the art and science of equine dentistry. After collaborating with the few technicians in the U.S. that had been successful in rejuvenating equine dentistry, he helped found the International Association of Equine Dentistry in 1998 and has been an officer/director ever since. He is also certified with this organization at the Advanced/Examiner level, and 15 of the certified members of the organization have been trained by Dr. Miller. His practice area is San Diego to northern California and he operates out of a state of the art mobile clinic which has been carefully designed to keep the safety and comfort of the patient in mind. This facility can be seen at www.richdent.com.


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