What is a cosmetic dentist?
Besides this, there is a very different temperament and a different approach to dentistry by a true cosmetic dentist. Here are some of the differences:
Cosmetic dentists are very attuned to the patient's perception of the work. Cosmetic dentistry, however, is the art of addressing the self-perception of the patient. A cosmetic dentist knows that if the patient is not pleased with the appearance of the work, the case is a failure. This goes directly against the grain of dental school training.
Cosmetic dentists are trained to create things. General dentists tend to have the mind of a technician - giving their attention only to detail and to function. Cosmetic dentists, to be successful, also must have that great attention to detail, but must have that added spark of creativity and attention to beauty. It's like the difference between a building contractor and an architect—it takes a completely different personality type to succeed with each dimension.

The white materials that cosmetic dentists work with have properties that are very different from the materials generally promoted in dental schools. There are complex bonding agents, luting agents, various porcelains, opaquers, tints, etc., that require a great deal of training to master. There is a chemistry of bonding that they have to thoroughly understand. Different materials have different properties of texture, color, translucency, strength, and polishability, and these all have to be manipulated to produce a beautiful and natural result.
But cosmetic dentists learn this art, the elements of beauty in a face and in the shapes and alignment of the teeth. It is difficult to teach this subject to someone that doesn't have the aptitude.

It takes more than attending lectures to learn the many aspects of color that a cosmetic dentist needs to know—he or she needs some hands-on training in this subject. Tooth color is very complex. Not only are there multiple colors in one tooth, but there are many variations in depth of the color. Some tooth colors are on the surface, some are just beneath the surface, and some are deep within the tooth. Color is influenced by reflectivity and texture—how shiny a surface is changes the color perception of that surface. Even contours can alter color perception by creating lines and spots of reflection. But the most difficult issue for general dentists is translucency and opacity. Teeth transmit light besides reflecting light—and to make a tooth look natural. There are differences in translucency between one tooth and another, and even within the same tooth there are great differences, and the way tooth translucency interacts with tooth color is very complicated and

Finally, there is a great art of communication in great cosmetic dentistry. The dentist has to take all of this artistic and scientific knowledge and apply it to the perceptions of the patient. General dentistry is a matter of diagnosing what is wrong with the tooth: decay, infection, cracks, or other structural problems, and then simply fixing them. However, a cosmetic dentist diagnoses the self-perception of the patient and then addresses that. If a patient is satisfied with his or her smile, then there is no cosmetic dental problem. If a patient is not satisfied, then the dentist has to determine what to do to create that satisfaction and meet the patient's needs. It's a different level of communication, and it requires considerable training and experience to master.