1.3. Professional fields

The mouth and ENT are not the subjects of a single profession. Many professionals with various backgrounds and interests deal with aspects of oral biology. It is important for them not to work in isolation but to learn about all the main aspects of oral biology. Several challenges in oral biology present multidisciplinary problems that take discussion and collaboration among professionals in multiple fields to produce appropriate solutions. Some of the main professions that deal with the mouth are:

Paleontologist and archeologist, biologist

Paleontologists study life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene Epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). They mostly rely on fossils to determine an organism's evolution and interactions with other organisms and their environments (their paleoecology). Vertebrates have evolved powerful biting which requires highly compact structures for teeth, jaws and other parts of the skull associated with mastication. These structures not only fossilize well but they reveal several aspects of the feeding ecology of the animal. Oral biology therefore makes a disproportionately large part of the material studied in paleontology.

Archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material remains, including human fossils, food remains, the ruins of buildings, and human artifacts—items such as tools, pottery, and jewelry. As described above, remains of jaws and teeth provide rich material for recovery of the human past, including information on age, diet and health condition of the subject.

A biologist is a scientist who studies life, specifically organisms and their relationship to their environment. Several branches of biology focus on the mouth. Questions about the evolution of the mouth are answered through comparative analysis, phylogenetic analysis and experimentation. As an example, a series of studies have shown how Darwin's finches (subfamily Geospizinae) have colonized the Galápagos Islands and diversified into various species with different beak morphologies. These endemic species occupy different dietary niches, specializing on different seed sizes and textures that have driven the divergent evolution of their beak morphologies. Other branches of biology conduct most of the non-clinical medical research associated with the mouth. This includes the study of genetic and developmental issues, infections, occupational issues, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Health professionals

Clinical practice and research on heath issues affecting the mouth and ENT is also conducted by various professionals. Dentists deal not only with teeth, but also with gum disease, and issues of the temporomandibular joint. Otorhynolaringologists focus on conditions of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck. Both professionals can specialize in maxillofacial surgery.

Audiologists help treat and prevent hearing loss and balance disorders, and rehabilitate individuals with tinnitus, auditory processing disorders, cochlear implant users and/or hearing aid users. They employ various testing strategies to determine whether someone can hear within the normal range, and if not, which portions of hearing (high, middle, or low frequencies) are affected, to what degree, and where the lesion causing the hearing loss is found (outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, auditory nerve and/or central nervous system).

Speech pathologists specialize in the evaluation and treatment of communication disorders, cognition, voice disorders, and swallowing disorders. Speech services begin with initial screening for communication and swallowing disorders and continue with assessment and diagnosis, consultation for the provision of advice regarding management, intervention and treatment, and provision counseling and other follow up services for these disorders.

A veterinary will offer most of the services described above but for non-human patients. Veterinary dentistry is a veterinary specialty that offers services in the fields of endodontics, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral medicine, orthodontics, pedodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics. Similar to human dentists, they treat conditions such as jaw fractures, malocclusions, oral cancer, periodontal disease, and stomatitis and other conditions unique to veterinary medicine (e.g. feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions). Some animals have specialist dental workers, such as equine dental technicians who conduct routine work on horses.

Other professions

Many other professions exist that provide direct support to the services described above. And many other professions not directly related to the ones listed above can also have jobs dedicated to the mouth+ENT. These could include, for example, graphical design, marketing or biochemistry. Oral+ENT biology is a subject that permeates our physiology, behavior, culture, and economy, and therefore is naturally present in a great variety of occupations.

Summary

The structures of the mouth+ENT are the focus of many professions, dealing with biology and health in animals and humans. They are also part of the job in many other professions because these structures are present in some many aspects of our daily lives.

Key terms

Paleontologist, archeologist, biologist, dentist, otorhinolaryngologist, audiologist, speech pathologist, veterinary.

Figure credits

Figure 1 by 120 - own picture worked with photoshop, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1818607

Figure 2 by Jackie malvin - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40655181

Figure 3 by Jenlarrine - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30590650

Figure 4 by Flávia Costa - http://www.agenciaminas.mg.gov.br/admin/fotos/25112008061145imagem%2001%20009.jpg, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5610368

Figure 5 by Stefan Isaacs from Seattle, USA - Horse dentistry, 2003, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2940435