Dentists are healthcare professionals qualified to practice dentistry after graduating with a degree of either Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). In most western countries, to become a qualified dentist one must usually complete at least 4 years of postgraduate study. Generally, 2 years of clinical experience working with patients in an educational setting are required. While in most countries, dentists neither earn a Doctorate degree, or medical degree, they are afforded the honorary title "Doctor." Contrary to popular belief, most dentists do not regularly clean teeth, and instead delegate this task to their support staff (e.g. dental hygienists).
General practitioners of dentistry prevent, evaluate, diagnose, and treat diseases of the oral cavity and associated structures, as well as maintain the functionality and esthetics of the teeth and associated tissues and structures. Dentists can further their training in one or more speciality areas - such as surgery, endodontics, and orthodontics. Hence, there can be a great deal of variation between the level of skill in different disciplines from dentist to dentist, however all dentists must achieve a certain degree of skill in various disciplines in order to graduate from dental school and earn licensure. It is important to note that most dentists in general practice perform restorative, prosthetic, routine endodontic therapy, routine periodontal therapy, and simple exodontia, as well as performing dental examinations of a patient's teeth and gums.
The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the first dental school in the world, opened in Baltimore, Maryland in 1840, and in 1867 Harvard Dental School became the first dental school affiliated with a university. To become a specialist requires one to train in a residency or advanced graduate training program. Other dental education exists where no post-graduate formal university training is required: cosmetic dentistry, dental implant, temporo-mandibular joint therapy. Specialists in these fields are designated registrable and warrant exclusive titles such as orthodontist, pediatric dentist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, endodontist, periodontist, and prosthodontist.
Irvine is an incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the 69.7 square mile (180.5 km²) city has a population of 202,079 as of 2007. Irvine is home to the University of California, Irvine (UCI), the Orange County Center of University of Southern California, and the Irvine Campus of Alliant International University, Concordia University, California State University Fullerton, Pepperdine University and Irvine Valley College.
The layout of Irvine was designed by Los Angeles architect William Pereira and Irvine Company employee Raymond Watson, and is nominally divided into townships called villages. Commercial districts are checker-boarded in a periphery around the central townships. Most of Irvine is located in the Irvine Unified School District. The four high schools in the city are University High School, Irvine High School, Northwood High School, and Woodbridge High School. All four are recognized as some of the most distinguished public high schools in the United States.
Irvine is home to University of California, Irvine, which is the second-newest campus (established 1965) in the UC system after University of California, Merced. Concordia University and Irvine Valley College are also in Irvine, while Chapman University and Soka University of America are in adjacent cities. Irvine has two libraries - Heritage Park Regional Library and University Park Library.