Home > Blog > Learn the Difference Between a Dental Clinic and a Dental Office

At first glance, it may seem like there is no difference between a dental clinic and a dental office. Most people use both terms interchangeably and think they are the same. However, there is a subtle difference between the two. If you visit a dental office, then it will contain a dental clinic, but you can visit dental clinics in places that are not dental offices.

What Are the Key Distinctions Between the Two?

A dental office is a business, so it’s a place where there is a dentist and supporting staff who carry out clerical and administrative matters. The staff handles matters like Accounts Payable and receivables. They ensure patient records are kept up-to-date and can handle insurance claims or offer patients advice on how to claim through their insurance policy. Because dental offices are run like a business, you can expect them to make a profit.

A dental clinic, which is in a dental office or in other locations, is a place that can be as simple as a single room. It is where the dentist carries out dental procedures, including checkups and other oral health treatments, and contains all the necessary equipment and tools required. Without a dental clinic, it’s impossible to carry out dental examinations or provide treatments.

However, you can find dental clinics in other areas besides a dental office. You can find them in health-related environments like hospitals and dental schools. These dental schools have clinics where dental students treat patients while under their instructors’ supervision, and these treatments form part of their studies and training before they become qualified as a dentist. Other dental clinics are set up especially to provide services to low-income patients who otherwise could not access dental care, and these clinics may be temporary, only operating on certain days each month or year, and are staffed by volunteers.

Which Charges Less for Their Dental Services?

Cost is frequently an important part of deciding where to go for dental care, and dental clinics typically charge less than a dental office, which is a private practice. However, dental clinics are typically set up in areas where people have less or no access to a dental office, such as rural or low-income areas. Clinics set up in these areas often provide more affordable, low-cost dental services; sometimes, they are even offered for free.

Even though the services offered by a dental clinic can cost less compared with a dental office, this doesn’t mean they are inferior. Often, the prices are lower because the dental clinics are in educational environments such as dental schools. Therefore, treatment may take longer to complete because the student dentist is under the supervision of an experienced dental practitioner, but it should be of a high standard. It’s an excellent way for people to access affordable dental care and to know they are contributing to the educational system by ensuring student dentists gain valuable experience in treating real patients.

Which Treatments Are Typically Offered at a Dental Clinic?

Because many dental clinics are located in educational settings, they typically offer preventative treatments or help patients maintain good oral care. The range of treatments offered is quite broad and includes specializations. You can expect to access treatments such as general dentistry, including dental checkups and hygiene services, fillings, tooth removals, and wisdom tooth extractions.

Preventive dental care treatments offered may include fluoride treatments and dental sealants. Pediatric dentistry services include checkups and hygiene treatments for children, including checks to ensure that teeth are developing as expected. Other pediatric dental services include routine fillings, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and tooth extractions if needed. Both general and pediatric dental care will focus on preventing oral health problems in the future, and you will find that dentists and hygienists can help patients develop proper oral care routines between dental checkups and offer advice on maintaining good oral health more easily.

Some dental clinics offer more specialized treatments, including endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics. Endodontics treats structures inside a tooth and includes carrying out root canals, which are necessary when a tooth is severely infected or inflamed. A root canal removes the innermost part of the tooth, called the dental pulp, eliminating the infection and toothache and protecting and preserving the tooth.

Orthodontics is the practice of realigning teeth and jaws and may be necessary if teeth are misaligned and cannot bite together properly. Orthodontic treatment can begin as early as age six or seven and sometimes eliminate the need for further orthodontic treatment during adolescence and the teenage years. Periodontics is a specialization that treats conditions affecting the gums and other structures surrounding teeth, especially gum disease. Periodontists are also experts in placing dental implants. Prosthodontics provides restorative services like crowns, bridges, dentures, and dental implants to repair and restore teeth or replace them entirely.

How Does This Differ From Treatments Offered in a Dental Office?

If you visit a dental office, they will most likely offer all these treatments as well, and some larger dental offices have several dentists who may specialize in certain areas of dentistry. For example, you may find an endodontist, a periodontist, and a prosthodontist under the same roof, so you can receive all the treatment you likely need in the same location. However, a dental office will also offer cosmetic dentistry that typically isn’t provided in a dental clinic, especially one attached to a dental school.

What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?

Unlike general dental care, cosmetic dentistry encompasses a range of treatments designed to improve the appearance of your teeth but which won’t necessarily improve your oral health. However, many of the treatments found in cosmetic dentistry do offer some significant oral health benefits. The one exception is probably teeth whitening, which is purely designed to improve the overall appearance of teeth without improving dental health.

Typical treatments found in cosmetic dentistry include crowns, bridges, veneers, and dental implant treatment. It can also cover orthodontics, as some orthodontic systems are cosmetically oriented and only improve the alignment of teeth visible when you smile. A dental office can also carry out more advanced treatments like a smile makeover, combining two or more cosmetic dental treatments to improve the appearance of your teeth significantly.

Which Is Best to Visit?

A dental clinic and a dental office will offer good quality preventive dental care and restorative services. In both situations, the main priority of dentists and the dental team is to help patients gain and maintain optimal oral health and enjoy healthy teeth and all the benefits these bring. Each will offer customized treatments to cater to the patient’s unique oral health needs. However, a dental office is your best bet if you wish to have more sophisticated or elective treatments like cosmetic dentistry. They will be able to use the most up-to-date techniques and materials, and the dentists will have a deep interest in cosmetic dentistry as it takes a combination of technical skill and artistry to create beautiful, custom smiles.

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