Policy on the Role of Pediatric Dentists as Both Primary and Specialty Dental Care Providers

Policy statement

The AAPD recognizes that infants, children, adolescents, and individuals with special health care needs have the right to quality oral health care. The AAPD encourages third-party payors to recognize pediatric dentists as both primary and specialty oral health care providers and to refrain from agerelated restrictions when a parent or referring clinician desires to utilize the services and expertise of a pediatric dentist to establish a dental home or for limited specialized care.