All Equine Dentists are NOT the Same!

Who Can You Trust To Keep Your Horse's Mouth Pain-free?

It is a fact of life that there are both good and bad equine dental practitioners - irrelevant of whether they are veterinarians or are non-veterinarians.   The title "equine dentist" (although slightly descriptive in that they do work on horses' teeth) is misleading and not recognised by any regulatory body in this country. This has connotations that the "equine dentist" is formally trained in a proper 4-5 year university course - as happens with human dentists. After all, horses' teeth are just as complicated as human teeth. But sadly the university training is usually not the case. And so the consumer is very exposed to shonky operators. One of the most common questions horse owners have is, "who can I trust to take care of my horse's mouth?"   Below is a check list of qualities to look for.

Reputation - you need to know their reputation and thus can trust them

Holistic approach - they need to practice a holistic approach to investigating problems in your horse. Remember that many problems are multifactorial.

Dental charts used - this is a medical record, and is often useful in the future eg. selling the horse, future dental problems.

Scientific Background - as with any veterinary or medical practice, dentistry requires a sound scientific background in equine anatomy, physiology, medicine, diseases etc. Beware of someone who has previously worked as a mechanic, backyard farrier or fencing contractor, and sees equine dentistry as a lucrative profession, and so does a 2 week course and suddenly calls themselves an "equine dentist".

Economical - they must represent value for money - and be transparent in their methods. They should be prepared to show and explain to you the dental problems.

Accountability - they should work under a governing body to which they are accountable to. eg the Vet Surgeon's Boards.

Contributes to society and issues a tax invoice - this means they are an honest taxpayer who is willing to contribute to our hospitals, schools, roads etc and so not just profiting for themselves.

Examines the mouth properly - so uses a full mouth speculum, flushes the feed out of the mouth, uses a light, mirror, probe etc to both feel and look inside the mouth. detection and prevention is the key to a healthy mouth.

Doesn't put the horse or owner at risk of injury:

Able to refer - able to refer complicated cases to a colleague who is better trained and equipped in equine dentistry.

Biosecurity & cleanliness - in their equipment and methods.

Insurance - is necessary to cover for unforeseen serious accidents, injuries and professional errors in judgment, bad outcomes etc.

Sedation - they should be able to perform or arrange for your horse to be legally sedated (i.e. by a vet) if necessary. 

Call for more information