question: Why are dentists separate practices when radiologists etc aren't?
comment: Part of it is Dentists have less government oversight than other specialists, and bringing them into hospitals means a lot more paperwork. Another reason is that dentistry is such an old specialization of medicine that dentists were already established with techniques and practices before modern hospitals became common.
passages: In the dental office, the dentist and the dental hygienist work together to meet the oral health needs of patients. Since each country has its own specific regulations regarding their responsibilities, the range of services performed by hygienists varies. Some of the services provided by dental hygienists may include:
  
  BULLET::::- patient screening procedures; such as assessment of oral health conditions, review of the health history, oral cancer screening, head and neck inspection, dental charting and taking blood pressure and pulse
  
  BULLET::::- taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays)
   Some teleradiologists are fellowship trained and have a wide variety of subspecialty expertise including such difficult-to-find areas as Neuroradiology, Pediatric Neuroradiology, Thoracic Imaging, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Mammography, and Nuclear Cardiology.
  
  There are also various medical practitioners who are not radiologists that take on studies in radiology to become sub specialists in their respected fields, an example of this is dentistry where oral and maxillofacial radiology (Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology) allows those in dentistry to specialize in the acquisition and interpretation of radiographic imaging studies performed for diagnosis of treatment guidance for conditions affecting the maxillofacial region.
  
  Section::::Regulations.
   Currently in Australia, dental assistants are not required to be registered under the Dental Board of Australia. However, dental assistants who have attained their certificate IV in dental assisting – Dental Radiography must hold a current license with the relative state or territory radiation authority. Dental assistants that decide to take on further study into their certificate IV in dental assisting - dental radiography, have an advantage of exposing patients to radiation also known as an x-ray, with regards to oral health care. The dental assistant will take training to further their practical and theoretical skills relevant to the role of the dental radiographer. 
   Any general dentist may perform those procedures designated within the enumerated specialties if they deem themselves competent. Many general dentists train in certain aspects of the above specialties such as the placement and restoration of dental implants, advanced prosthodontics and endodontics, and have limited or heavily focused their practices to these areas. When a general dentist performs any procedure that falls within the realm of a specialty, they are expected to perform with the same level of expertise as a certified specialist and are legally held to such standards with respect to any issues of malpractice.
  
  Section::::See also.
   Section::::Regulations.
  
  In several countries oral and maxillofacial surgery is a speciality recognized by a professional association, as is the case with the Dental Council of India, American Dental Association, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and Brazilian Federal Council of Odontology (CFO).
  
  In other countries oral and maxillofacial surgery as a specialty exists but under different forms, as the work is sometimes performed by a single or dual qualified specialist depending on each country's regulations and training opportunities available.
  
  Section::::Summary.
   Oral and maxillofacial radiology
  
  Oral and maxillofacial radiology, also known as dental and maxillofacial radiology, is that specialty of dentistry concerned with performance and interpretation of diagnostic imaging used for examining the craniofacial, dental and adjacent structures. OMFR or DMFR is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.
   The National Law requires the same level of professional responsibility from dental hygienists, oral health therapists and dental therapists as it does from dentists, dental specialists and dental prosthetists in that all practitioners must have their own professional indemnity insurance and radiation licences. They are also required to complete 60 hours of mandatory continuing professional development in a three-year cycle.
   Under IRR17, training of staff is paramount to complying with the regulation. It is the Legal Person’s duty to ensure this standard is met. This training includes but is not limited to:
  
  BULLET::::- Ensuring staff are trained appropriated to commensurate their duties, knowing risks of exposures, precautions to be taken and importance to comply with regulations.
  
  BULLET::::- Other members accompanying the patient (example a daughter for her elderly parent) and aware of the information regarding their own health and safety.
  
  BULLET::::- Protocol for female operators who may be pregnant
   Some Radiographers in Nigeria are also keen on setting up a "Department of Radiography" in the government owned hospitals which will not be under the Head of the Radiology Department. Some hospitals however have an understanding between the Radiology head (a Radiologist) and the Chief Radiographer where all radiographers are directly answerable to their Chief, and not the HOD.
  
  Section::::Education and role variation.:Saudi Arabia.
   To become an Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologist (OMFR) one must first complete a dental degree and then apply for and complete a postgraduate course of training (usually between 2–4 years in length). Training includes all aspects of radiation physics, radiation biology, radiation safety, radiologic technique, the patho-physiology of disease and interpretation of diagnostic images. Training includes hospital rotations in Neuroradiology or Head & Neck Radiology Departments using all imaging modalities.
  
  Section::::Training.:US.
   Indian programs are accredited by the Dental Council of India (DCI).Oral Medicine is in conjunction with oral radiology in India and it is taught in both graduate and post graduate levels as Oral Medicine and Radiology.They are three years in length and culminate with a master's degree (MDS) in Oral Medicine and Radiology.
  
  Section::::Training and practice.:New Zealand.
   Diagnostic Radiographers are able to become supplementary prescribers which allows them the capacity to prescribe medications in partnership with an independent prescriber (a doctor or a dentist); the supplementary prescriber is to implement an agreed Clinical Management Plan for an individual patient with that patient’s agreement. An accredited university course must be undertaken before this role extension is annotated onto a HCPC registrant's record. It is thought that in the future Diagnostic Radiographers in will gain independent prescribing rights, however this is currently limited by their restricted and varied scope of practice. In 2016, the introduction of independent prescribing right was agreed for Therapeutic Radiographers after a consultation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 
   The regional chamber of physicians and dentists registers as its members those physicians and dentists who hold a right to practice the profession and intend to practice as a physician or dentist within the jurisdiction of the given chamber.
   The Faculty of General Dental Practice of the Royal College of Surgeons of England publication Selection Criteria in Dental Radiography holds that given current evidence full mouth series are to be discouraged due to the large numbers of radiographs involved, many of which will not be necessary for the patient's treatment. An alternative approach using bitewing screening with selected periapical views is suggested as a method of minimising radiation dose to the patient while maximizing diagnostic yield. Contrary to advice that emphasises only conducting radiographs when in the patient's interest, recent evidence suggests that they are used more frequently when dentists are paid under fee-for-service 
   All DDS and DMD degree holders are legally qualified to perform a number of more complex procedures such as gingival grafts, bone grafting, sinus lifts, and implants, as well as a range of more invasive oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures, though many choose to pursue residencies or other post-doctoral education to augment their abilities. A few select procedures, such as the administration of General anesthesia, legally require postdoctoral training in the US. While many oral diseases are unique and self-limiting, poor conditions in the oral cavity can lead to poor general health and vice versa; notably, there is a significant link between periodontal and cardiovascular disease. Conditions in the oral cavity may also be indicative of other systemic diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, AIDS, and various blood diseases, including malignancies and lymphoma.
   Apart from monetary issues, these professional bodies are also in loggerheads over non-doctors requesting to be given top administrative roles in government owned hospitals. Many radiographers, however, do not particularly involve themselves in these movements as working in a private establishment is more lucrative.
   Studies show that dentists that graduated from different countries, or even from different dental schools in one country, may make different clinical decisions for the same clinical condition. For example, dentists that graduated from Israeli dental schools may recommend the removal of asymptomatic impacted third molar (wisdom teeth) more often than dentists that graduated from Latin American or Eastern European dental schools.
   The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited programs are a minimum of two years in length. Several CODA accredited programs in OMFR require the resident to complete a graduate degree (MS), whereas others allow the option of pursuing a concurrent PhD or MS degree. Following successful completion of this training the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologist becomes Board eligible to challenge the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology examination. Successful completion of board certification results in Diplomat status in the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.
  
  Section::::Training.:Australia.
   New Zealand has traditionally followed the UK system of dual training (dentistry and medicine) as a requisite for specialty practice; the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry currently offers a 5-year intercalated clinical doctorate/medical degree (DClinDent/MBChB) program. On 9 July 2013, the dental council of New Zealand proposed that the prescribed qualifications for oral medicine be changed to include the new DClinDent in addition to a medical degree, with no requirement for a standard dental degree.
  
  Section::::Training and practice.:UK.
   One of their main concerns is tooth decay prevention. Not only do they work with the teeth, pediatric dentists also look at the gums, throat muscles and nervous system of the head, neck and jaw, the tongue, and salivary glands. They do this to check for lumps, swellings, ulcers, discolorations, and other anomalies. Another duty of theirs is to test for oral cancer and perform biopsies, if needed.
  
  Section::::Career Outlook.
   Section::::Education and role variation.:Nepal.
  
  As a developing country, the health care sector in Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal has very limited resources meaning radiological services are rather limited.
   GPR residents may also become familiar with performing dental/oral surgical procedures in the operating room and managing the patient's stay while in the hospital. Rotation through the dental specialties increases the resident's ability to handle situations in private practice without referral to a specialist.
   They can also work independently in their own clinic with patients providing appropriate management and treatment of dentures and other oral appliances. Denturists are well educated in clinical and technical knowledge of denture care, as well as completing many hours of practical skills in producing dentures. They ultimately receive more comprehensive study in oral prosthetics than any other health professional including the general dentist. Therefore, the collaborative role of denturists provides an important model of re-allocating dental services to alleviate stresses from the general dentists, reserving valuable time for restorative, cosmetic, hygiene, and emergency dental procedures. 
   IRMER18 defines an operator as a registered medical, dental or other healthcare practitioner who is entitled according to the legal person’s procedures to carry out the practical aspects associated with radiographic examination, from patient identification, the X-ray process, to clinical evaluation of the radiographs. It is possible and appropriate for one person to carry out the roles of a referrer, practitioner and operator.
  
  External appointments are also a legal obligation to comply with the regulations, these are the Radiation Protection Advisor and Medical Physics Expert.
   Section::::Education and role variation.:United States.
  
raw_presuppositions: Dentists should just be a part of the hospital.
raw_corrections: Dentists are an older practice that is seperate from the hospital field.