--- title: "Can a general dentist place implants? What the rules say" description: "Implant dentistry is not one of the 12 ADA-recognized specialties. See what Missouri law, dental school standards and the ADA Code of Ethics say." url: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/can-a-general-dentist-place-implants publisher: Copeland Consulting Services email: drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com contact: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact --- # Can a general dentist place implants? What the rules say The sources reviewed here do not create a separate license for implants. Missouri defines the practice of dentistry broadly. Implant dentistry is not among the 12 specialties the ADA's national commission recognizes. Dental school standards name implant prosthodontic therapy as a graduate competency. Each dentist still answers for their own training and competence. Clinical and technologyPublished October 26, 20264 min read Patients and dentists both ask whether a general dentist can place implants. This post lays out what four official sources say and where they stop. It is education and not legal advice, and it says nothing about any one dentist’s training or practice. For a specific situation, ask the Missouri Dental Board or an attorney. ## What does Missouri law say about who can do this work? The Missouri statute defines “practicing dentistry” in broad terms and does not name implants. Section 332.071 says a person practices dentistry who “undertakes to do or perform dental work or dental services or dental operations or oral surgery, by any means or methods.” It also covers anyone who “attempts to or does replace or restore a part or portion of a human tooth.” A search of that section’s text finds no mention of implants. That is a finding about one section, not about all Missouri rules. The Missouri Dental Board publishes the full set of rules and statutes on its [Dental Board](https://pr.mo.gov/dental.asp) site. Question What the statute text says Does the section define the practice of dentistry? Yes, in broad terms, including oral surgery and replacing tooth parts Does the section mention implants by name? No Where are the full rules? On the Missouri Dental Board site, under Rules and Statutes ## Is implant dentistry a recognized specialty? No. The National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards says: “Currently there are 12 dental specialties recognized by the National Commission.” The list includes prosthodontics, periodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. Implant dentistry is not on it. The commission also notes that not every area of dentistry becomes a specialty. It says “the public and profession benefit substantially when non-specialty groups develop areas of interest through education, practice and research.” Implant dentistry is an example of an area of interest that many dentists study through [continuing education](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/continuing-education), but it is not a specialty title. This matters for wording. A general dentist who offers implant services is a general dentist. The title “specialist” is for the recognized specialties. ## What do dental school standards say? The accreditation standards name implant prosthodontic therapy as a competency. The Commission on Dental Accreditation requires that graduates be competent in a list of areas “within the scope of general dentistry, as defined by the school.” One item on that list is “replacement of teeth including fixed, removable and dental implant prosthodontic therapies.” Read this carefully. The standard names implant _prosthodontic_ therapy. That is the restorative side. The standard also says the scope is “as defined by the school,” and the same list includes “recognizing the complexity of patient treatment and identifying when referral is indicated.” The standards do not say that every graduate places implants. They do not say graduates cannot. ## What does the ADA Code of Ethics say about announcing implant services? The Code of Ethics allows a general dentist to announce services, with limits. Section 5.I says general dentists “are permitted to announce the availability of those services so long as they avoid any communications that express or imply specialization.” It adds that “General dentists shall also state that the services are being provided by general dentists.” Section 5.E adds a second rule about training: “Dentists should not misrepresent their training and competence in any way that would be false or misleading in any material respect.” In short, the Code asks general dentists to be honest about who provides a service and what training stands behind it. ## What do the sources leave open? The sources leave the key question to each dentist and to the board. None of them lists the training a general dentist needs before placing implants. None of them sets a number of courses or cases. Here is what a reader can take from the four sources together. 1. Missouri law defines dentistry broadly, and the section reviewed does not name implants. 2. Implant dentistry is not a recognized specialty. 3. Dental school standards name implant prosthodontic therapy, within a scope each school defines. 4. The ADA Code asks general dentists to announce services honestly and not imply specialization. 5. Competence and training stay with the individual dentist. For a study club, the open question is a good discussion topic. Members can ask how they would document training, how they decide when referral is the right call, and how they describe services to patients. The Missouri Dental Board also requires continuing education reporting through its official system, so the board’s rules are a natural starting point for any plan. ## How can a study club turn this into a session? A club can treat the four sources as a short reading packet. Each member reads one source and reports what it says and what it leaves out. That keeps the talk on documents and not on opinion. Source What a member reports Missouri statute 332.071 How the law defines dentistry, and what it does not name Specialty commission list Which 12 areas are recognized, and which are not Dental school standards The wording of the competency list and the phrase “as defined by the school” ADA Code of Ethics 5.E and 5.I What honest announcement of services requires Members should not use the session to decide who may place implants. That decision belongs to each dentist’s training, the board and, where needed, an attorney. ## Where can a reader learn more? Start with the guide to [implants in general practice](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/implants-in-general-practice), then read the literature summary on [immediate implant placement](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/immediate-implant-provisionalization-studies). The guide to [dental study clubs](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/dental-study-clubs) covers how clubs organize reading and discussion. The glossary explains [scope of practice](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/scope-of-practice), the [dental implant](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-implant) and the [Missouri Dental Board](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/missouri-dental-board). ## Next step Read the [implants in general practice](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/implants-in-general-practice) guide for the wider picture. To ask about a study club session, [contact Dr. Copeland about a study club](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact?topic=study-club). ## Frequently asked questions ### Can a general dentist do implants? The Missouri statute reviewed here defines the practice of dentistry broadly and does not name implants. The ADA's national commission does not list implant dentistry as a specialty. Whether a given dentist should place implants depends on training, competence and the rules of the state board. ### Is implant dentistry an ADA-recognized specialty? No. The National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards lists 12 recognized specialties, and implant dentistry is not among them. Prosthodontics, periodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery are on the list. ### Where do dentists check what is allowed in Missouri? Start with the Missouri Dental Board and the statutes and rules it publishes. This post is general education and not legal advice. A licensed attorney or the board can answer questions about a specific situation. ## Terms on this page - [Immediate implant placement](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/immediate-implant-placement) - [Missouri Dental Board](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/missouri-dental-board) - [Continuing education](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/continuing-education) - [Scope of practice](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/scope-of-practice) - [Code of ethics](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/code-of-ethics) - [Dental implant](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-implant) - [Study club](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/study-club) - [ADA](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/ada) ## Sources 1. [Missouri Revisor of Statutes: RSMo Section 332.071, Practice of dentistry defined](https://revisor.mo.gov/main/PageSelect.aspx?section=332.071&bid=17654) 2. [NCRDSCB (ADA): Recognized Dental Specialties](https://ncrdscb.ada.org/recognized-dental-specialties) 3. [CODA: Accreditation Standards for Dental Education Programs](https://coda.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/coda/files/predoc_standards.pdf) 4. [ADA: Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (2026)](https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/about/principles/2026_code_of_ethics_complete.pdf) 5. [Missouri Division of Professional Registration: Dental Board](https://pr.mo.gov/dental.asp) Written by Copeland Consulting Services and checked against the sources above on October 26, 2026. Rules, data and guidance change, so check the linked page before you act on it. ## Keep reading - [Implant dentistry in general practice: training paths and what the literature saysGeneral dentists who want implant training can look at continuing education, society credentials and accredited residencies. Each path has its own published requirements, and a credential is not a license. This guide summarizes those paths from their official pages and two published studies. It gives no clinical advice.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/implants-in-general-practice) - [Dental study clubs: what they are, how to join one and how to start oneA dental study club is a group of dental professionals who meet regularly to discuss real cases and learn together. Some are run by national education networks, some are organized locally by alumni of a course, and some are informal. Credit for fellowship or mastership requires an approved provider.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/dental-study-clubs) - [Immediate implant placement with provisionalization: studiesImmediate implant placement means placing the implant in a fresh extraction socket. Immediate provisionalization means fitting a temporary crown the same day. A 2023 meta-analysis of eight randomized trials found less midfacial mucosal change with immediate loading. A 2025 case series reported 90% implant survival at one year.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/blog/immediate-implant-provisionalization-studies) - [Dental leadership: team skills, training programs and where to learn themDental leadership is the work of guiding a dental team, a practice or a part of the profession. Core skills include clear communication, delegation, feedback and hiring. Learn them through team routines, mentors, organized dentistry such as the ADA and state societies, and formal programs like the ADEA Leadership Institute.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/dental-leadership) - [DSOs and private practice: models, data and questions to askA dental support organization (DSO) manages some or all of a practice's nonclinical work, such as billing, marketing and human resources. ADA data show 16.1% of U.S. dentists were DSO-affiliated in 2024, and 27% of those under 10 years out of school. Each model has trade-offs.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/dso-vs-private-practice-guide) - [Dental practice compliance checklist: OSHA, HIPAA and infection controlA dental compliance checklist covers three federal areas: OSHA workplace safety, HIPAA privacy and security, and CDC infection control. OSHA has no dentistry-specific standard but applies general industry standards such as bloodborne pathogens. HIPAA covers patient information. Use the checklist to organize questions, then confirm requirements with your own advisers.](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/guides/dental-compliance-checklist) ## Talk with Dr. Copeland [Contact Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact)[Email](mailto:drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com)