Guide
Korea's dental specialties, and how to read the eleven
Dentistry has recognised specialties much as medicine does. Knowing what each of the eleven covers makes clinic records far easier to read.
A dental specialty is a legally defined qualification
After qualifying as a dentist, a specialist completes an internship and residency and passes a board examination. Which specialties are represented at a clinic, and by how many people, is filed with and published by HIRA. It is a verifiable value, not an advertising claim.
There are eleven specialties: oral and maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, conservative dentistry (endodontics), oral medicine, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral pathology, preventive dentistry, and advanced general dentistry.
Which specialty relates to which treatment
For implants, the placement stage relates to oral and maxillofacial surgery and the restoration on top of it to prosthodontics; poor gum condition brings periodontics in as well. Orthodontics handles braces, conservative dentistry handles root canals, pediatric dentistry treats children, and oral medicine covers the jaw joint and grinding.
Advanced general dentistry was added in 2019. Rather than one field, it certifies broad training across general dental practice, and registrations in it have grown quickly.
Reading registrations carefully
A registration means that a specialist in that field is affiliated with the clinic. It is not a guarantee that the specialist will treat you personally, so ask for the treating dentist by name at the consultation.
Equally, the absence of a registration does not mean a clinic cannot perform the treatment — a dental licence carries no scope restriction. Registrations are a reference point; read them alongside how specific the diagnosis and the explanation are, and the picture balances out.
FAQ
Frequently asked
How many dental specialties are there?
Eleven: oral and maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, conservative dentistry, oral medicine, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral pathology, preventive dentistry, and advanced general dentistry.
Which specialties relate to implants?
Oral and maxillofacial surgery for the placement stage, prosthodontics for the restoration. A clinic with both registered is a configuration worth noting.
What is advanced general dentistry?
A specialty introduced in 2019 covering broad training across general dental practice rather than one field. It tends to be wide-ranging, which suits situations where several treatments run at one clinic.
Should I avoid a clinic with no registered specialists?
No. A dental licence permits all treatment, and there are many experienced general dentists. Treat registrations as one reference point and weigh them against how specific the records and explanations are.
Where can I check a clinic's registrations?
In HIRA open data. The area comparison pages on this site print each clinic's registered specialties exactly as filed.
Does a sign reading "specialist clinic" mean a board-certified specialist?
Not necessarily. The word "specialist" on a sign or in an advertisement and the legal qualification are separate things. The HIRA record is the reliable one.
Is a clinic with more specialists a better clinic?
It can signal scale and a division of labour, but it guarantees nothing by itself. Establishing who your treating dentist is and how the diagnosis is made is far more direct.
What does oral and maxillofacial surgery cover?
Surgical work — extractions, particularly impacted wisdom teeth, implant placement, and jaw surgery. It is the relevant field when a difficult extraction or extensive grafting is expected.
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