Bacteria live in your mouth and may cause cavities and gingivitis, which can lead to gum disease. The condition of your mouth is closely linked to your health in general. It is important to keep your teeth, gums, and tongue healthy by brushing and flossing your teeth daily, limiting sugar in your diet, not smoking or chewing tobacco, and visiting your dentist regularly. See the NC Health Info page on Dental Health for more information.
There are different kinds of medical providers that can treat or help you manage your dental health. These providers often work together as a team to help you develop a personalized dental health care plan.
You can use your dental insurance plan’s directory to find a dentist in your network. Or you can use the Medicaid Dental Providers directory from the North Carolina Health and Human Services. Directories for specific types of providers are listed below.
General Dentists
General dentists are the primary dental care providers for patients of all ages. They can treat you and your entire family, as well as care for your overall oral health. Your general dentist takes responsibility for the diagnosis, treatment and overall coordination of services to meet your dental health needs. If you need a specialized dental procedure performed, your general dentist may work with other dentists in order to make sure you get the care you need. To locate a general dentist near you, use this directory from the North Carolina Dental Society. Enter your address or zip code and select “General Practice” from the drop-down menu.
Pediatric Dentists
Pediatric dentists provide primary and comprehensive preventive oral health care to infants and teens, including those with special health care needs. To locate a pediatric dentist near you, use this directory from the North Carolina Dental Society. Enter your address or zip code and select “Pediatric Dentistry” from the drop-down menu.
Endodontics Dentists
Endodontists perform a variety of procedures including root canal therapy, surgery, treating cracked teeth, and treating dental trauma. To locate a endodontics dentist near you, use this directory from the North Carolina Dental Society. Enter your address or zip code and select “Endodontics” from the drop-down menu.
Oral and Maxillofacial Dentists
Oral and maxillofacial dentists treat injuries of the head, neck, face, jaws and face, as well as the hard and soft tissues in the mouth. To locate an oral and maxillofacial dentist near you, use this directory from the North Carolina Dental Society. Enter your address or zip code and select “Oral and Maxillofacial Dentists” from the drop-down menu.
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics primarily handle the diagnosis, prevention and correction of the position of the teeth and the jaws. To locate a orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics dentist near you, use this directory from the North Carolina Dental Society. Enter your address or zip code and select “Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics” from the drop-down menu.
Note: To locate dentist with additional specialties, like periodontics or prosthodontics, use this directory from the American Dental Association. Enter your address or zip code and select your desired field of specialty from the drop-down menu.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that examine whether a medical treatment or device is safe and effective for human beings. Many of the drugs and therapies available today are the result of clinical trials. To learn more, and to decide whether participating in a clinical trial is right for you, visit ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Financial Assistance
Dental Supplies: Information about financial assistance with dental supplies and related health care items and services can be found at the Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT.org).
Free and Reduced Cost Clinics: Use this directory to search over 300 free and reduced cost clinics across North Carolina by location, hours of operation, insurance accepted (private, Medicaid, uninsured etc.) and type of service provided. In the “Services” section, check “Dental Care.”
NC Local Safety Net Dental Clinics: Use this directory from the NC Department of Health and Human Services to find dentists who accept Medicaid.
Need More Information?
Do you have a health related question? You are welcome to use the Health Sciences Library’s Ask a Librarian service.
Our librarians are happy to help you with questions such as “How is diabetes diagnosed?” or “What is heart disease?”. We can not answer questions about an individual’s medical case or care. Please contact your doctor for specific medical advice.
Page authored by UNC Health Sciences Library Staff.