Dental Cosmetix: Thu-Nga Ortega, DDS, MAGD
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Have you ever seen the acronyms FAGD or MAGD after a dentist’s name? These acronyms aren’t just a few meaningless letters, but labels of great distinction. A dentist who has a title of FAGD is a “Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.” A dentist who has the title of MAGD is a “Master of the Academy of General Dentistry.” Both are awarded by participating in one of the most rigorous dental education programs today. Although both titles are awarded through hours upon hours of post graduate dental education, there are some differences between FAGD and MAGD. To earn a FAGD, a dentist must participate in at least 500 hours of post graduate dental education, pass a comprehensive exam, and must be a member of the Academy of General Dentistry for at least three years. Only about 6 percent of dentists in the U.S. and Canada are Fellows of the Academy of General Dentistry. I was awarded my FAGD in 2007. Very few dentists have the dedication to participate in this postgraduate dental education, hence I am very proud to be an AGD Fellow. Dentists who are AGD Fellows are some of the best practitioners in the field of dentistry. As an AGD Fellow, I am trained in all aspects of dental specialties which allows me to provide a multitude of treatment for patients from one practice. On the other hand, many other dentists have to refer their patients to another dentist who can perform certain treatments. To become a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, a dentist must already be a Fellow of the AGD. A dentist then must participate in at least 600 hours of post graduate dental education which includes 400 hours of hands-on courses in addition to the 500 hours of post graduate education required to be a Fellow of the AGD. A dentist must also pass an exam equal in difficulty to board certification exams. Less than 2% of dentists in the U.S. and Canada have earned mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry. After working persistently for several years to further my knowledge of dentistry, I was awarded my MAGD in 2017. As a result of my years of commitment, I have mastered the entire spectrum of dental treatment. I can perform oral surgery, periodontal treatment, cosmetic treatment, orthodontic treatment, root canals, geriatric dentistry, prosthodontics, and general dentistry, all from one facility. Having a dentist who is an AGD Master allows for close monitoring of patient’s treatment and makes their visits convenient and conservative. If you have the choice between a dentist who is a FAGD or MAGD and a dentist who is neither, choose the dentist who is an AGD Fellow or Master. A dentist with that type of distinction is one of the best and most qualified dentists in their field. When you see a dentist with FAGD or MAGD after their name, you can rest assured that they invest their time into learning the latest techniques and best practices in dentistry.
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