What the role does
Specialist dentists in South Florida practice endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, or pediatric dentistry after finishing a general dental degree plus an accredited residency in that specialty. In a Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach office, the work centers on referred cases: root canals and retreatments for an endodontist, braces and aligners for an orthodontist, gum surgery and implant placement for a periodontist, crowns, bridges, and dentures for a prosthodontist, extractions and jaw surgery for an oral surgeon, and comprehensive care for children for a pediatric dentist. Most specialists see patients sent over by general dentists, review the referring office's notes, plan the treatment, and report back once care is done. Many split time between a home office and satellite days at partner practices across the three counties, since not every specialty has a full patient base at one location.
Ideal qualifications
- DDS or DMD from a CODA-accredited dental school
- Completion of a CODA-accredited postdoctoral residency in the specialty, typically two to six years depending on the field
- Active Florida dental license
- Board certification or eligibility with the relevant American specialty board, preferred by many offices though not required to practice
- Working knowledge of the imaging and case-planning software common to that specialty
- Spanish or Haitian Creole ability, a real advantage given the patient mix across Miami-Dade and Broward
Licensing and certification in Florida
A dentist practicing any specialty in Florida must hold an active license issued under Fla. Stat. Chapter 466 and meet the requirements the Board of Dentistry sets under Chapter 64B5, Florida Administrative Code. Florida does not issue a separate state license for a dental specialty; the specialty credential comes from completing an accredited residency, and dentists who want to announce themselves as a specialist to the public must follow the Board's rules on how that announcement is made. Dentists licensed in another state can apply for licensure by credential under the same chapter if they meet the exam and experience conditions the Board sets. This is general orientation, not legal advice — confirm current license and advertising requirements directly with the Florida Board of Dentistry before applying for a role or advertising a specialty.
Pay in the Miami metro
Pay varies; the posts below show current offers.
Schedule and setting
Most specialist roles are full time, and a four-day clinical week is common once a specialist has an established schedule. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons often carry some on-call responsibility for post-operative or trauma cases. Pediatric dentists frequently work occasional Saturdays to fit school-age patients. Settings range from a single-specialty office that takes referrals from several general practices, to a group practice that houses two or three specialties under one roof, to hospital-affiliated oral surgery work. Associate roles are common for the first several years before ownership or partnership becomes realistic.
Interview questions
- Walk me through a referred case where the treatment plan turned out to be different from what the referring dentist expected, and how you handled that conversation.
- What is your experience with the core procedures in this specialty, and roughly how many do you perform in a typical month?
- How do you report back to referring general dentists once a patient's treatment is finished?
- What imaging or case-planning systems have you used, and how quickly could you get up to speed on ours?
- How do you handle a patient who is anxious about a long or surgical appointment?
- What does your ideal weekly schedule look like, and how do you handle after-hours or on-call emergencies?
Career path
Most specialists start as an associate in an existing practice, building a referral base and procedure volume for several years. From there, the common paths are buying into or founding a specialty practice, joining or building a multi-specialty group, or moving toward part-time teaching or residency supervision at an academic program. Some oral surgeons and periodontists add hospital privileges as their case complexity grows.
Where to train locally
Pre-dental coursework and prerequisites are widely available at Miami Dade College, Broward College, and FIU. For the dental degree and specialty residency itself, Nova Southeastern University's College of Dental Medicine offers postdoctoral programs in several of these specialties, and the University of Florida College of Dentistry offers postdoctoral training as well. Confirm current accreditation and program availability directly with each school before applying.
Working through Miami Dentist
If you're hiring for a specialist role, post a job and describe the referral base, the equipment, and the schedule plainly — specialist candidates read those details closely. If you're looking for a specialist position, search openings or go straight to the county page that fits your commute: Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach.