Oral medicine has been recognized as the 11th dental specialty, according to the American Dental Association.
The 11th specialty was recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards after it adopted a resolution based on an application from the American Academy of Oral Medicine.
Dental specialties are meant "to protect the public, nurture the art and science of dentistry and improve the quality of care."
The other dental specialties are dental anesthesiology, dental public health, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and prosthodontics.