Gum/Periodontal
A periodontist is a specialist dentist who has additional training and qualifications needed to diagnose and treat gum problems. In the UK the specialist training pathway in Periodontics involves 2 to 3 years of basic professional training which occurs after the dentist initially graduates followed by a four-year specialist course which consists both of formal teaching and hands-on training.
The bulk of the work of a periodontist is the management of gum disease but may also include periodontal plastic surgery (surgery to change the appearance of the gums) and the surgical placement of dental implants. Increasingly, periodontists are now being called upon to manage gum problems around implants.