The unsafe, unethical and uneducated performance of equine dentistry by practitioners (equine dentists/veterinarians) who are not certified to be practicing still thrive in areas where complete, accurate information is not made available to both the general public and those who seek to protect them. To reduce the risk of unsafe and harmful dental procedures being performed on your horse by an unqualified practitioner, the horse owner must first select the right equine dental practitioner.

One who:

•  Has acquired the proper training through an accredited/reputable equine dentistry school, and has continually updated their education. The College of Equine Dentistry Australia insists their Certified Equine Dentists and above must complete 50 hours of continuing education every eighteen months. Make sure the equine dental practitioner is skilled, experienced, clean and professional

• Practices safe, sterile techniques and is up-to-date on the most recent changes in the industry 
• Uses appropriate instruments
• Works in a safe, clean environment that provides optimum safety for your horse and the practitioner
• Follows the Code of Ethics established by their certifying body
• Has obtained all applicable certifications from an equine dental association or body
• Takes the time to properly complete a full examination and dental chart, verbally explain all findings during the exam and addresses all performance, nutrition, attitude and or health issues pertaining to the condition of the horse's mouth, verbally instructs in proper aftercare instructions and provides written instructions
• Is available for follow-up care and questions

  Other information horse owner's must know is:    What equine dental school the practitioner graduated from - Whether the practitioner is a CEqD (non-vet) or Vet he/she must have attended an equine dentistry school in order to receive the proper knowledge and training in order to practice competently in the field of equine dentistry. Most horse owners are under the assumption that their veterinarian is knowledgeable, educated and experienced in equine dentistry since they went to veterinary school. In reality, this is simply not true. Since the inception of veterinary colleges, equine dentistry has never been a part of the professional curriculums that veterinary students must take in order to graduate. Some veterinary colleges do offer a elective course on the horse's dentition for students who are going to practice in equine medicine but most do not. A horse's dentition can also be covered in veterinary anatomy classes. However, this does not compare to the 400+ hours a equine dentistry student must take before being able to sit for their ceritification exams. Equine dentistry has always been a separate practice away from veterinary medicine with it's own schools, regulations, associations and certification programs and is mainly practiced by non-vets. Much like human dentistry is a separate practice away for human medicine.

  What equine dental association/body is the practitioner registered with and certified through - There are four main equine dental bodies throughout the world that provide a certification test.These bodies foster "Whole of Mouth" equine dental equilibration, which promotes understanding of the important relationship between the incisors and the molars, and proper function in the equine mouth. The practitioner may carry a current certification card and offer to show it to the horse owner or provide it upon request. 1. The College of Equine Dentistry Australia Pty Ltd  2. The International Association of Equine Dentists, USA   3. Academy of Equine Dentistry, USA   4.The Texas Association of Equine Dentists and Allied Professionals     Never assume that just because a person says they are an equine dentist, that they are !    The dental care of your horses should only be provided by a certified equine dentist and it is up to the horse owner to ask questions about the dentist's qualifications and beware of practitioners who say "I went to a 3 day seminar or continued education class or apprenticed under another dentist"   We hope this may help all horse-owners in their pursuit of finding an equine dentist who is of a high enough standard to give appropriate care to your equine friends.