Is it within the dentist's scope of practice to provide dental care to animals?

The scope of practice for dentists primarily focuses on providing care to human patients. In California, as well as in most other jurisdictions, the practice of veterinary medicine is distinctly regulated and requires specific training and licensing separate from dental practice. Dentists are not authorized to provide dental care to animals unless they are also licensed veterinarians.

Therefore, since providing dental care to animals falls outside the legal scope of practice for dentists, and they lack the necessary training specific to the anatomy and dental care of animals, the correct position is that it is not permitted. Options suggesting exceptions or allowances do not align with the regulations governing both dental and veterinary practices, reinforcing that the response is unequivocally that dentists cannot legally treat animals.