Hi, my name is Jen and I became an Equine Dental technician in Spring 2012. I am currently studying a lot and absorbing as much as I can while meeting some great horse owners. I attended the American School of Equine Dentistry in April/May of 2012 in Brunswick, MD. Under the guidance of Dr. Raymond Hyde DVM and other qualified instructors at the school, I quickly learned to bring comfort and balance back to the horse’s mouth. I spent about 150 hours in the field putting all of the learned techniques from the course to use in real working conditions on a wide variety of horses. I have successfully worked on un-sedated horses using hand tools and sedated horses using both hand and motorized tools. My main focus when it comes to dentistry is on using hand tools and will only use motorized tools when absolutely necessary. I will always continue to pursue continuing education in the field of equine dentistry as it is where I truly belong. I fully believe in the whole horse approach as it takes a team to keep them at their best; even if they are a “pasture ornament”. This includes nutrition, teeth, body work and proper farrier work. My main focus towards the whole horse goal right now is learning more about the body and what my job as a dental technician does to help those issues. So, I will always be adding additional studies that will contribute to the overall health and happiness of the equine. Some of the ASED Syllabus :
Head, Neck and Tooth Anatomy
Aging the horse
Mastication (chewing)
Performing a dental exam
Eruption and development of the teeth
Using and filling out dental charts
The reason for equine dentistry
Identifying dental problems or malocclusions
Dental Equipment, including proper use and repair
Performing corrections, bit seats, wolf tooth removal, floating and incisor work
Restraint techniques
Identifying Caps, Cap Removal & Tooth Extraction Techniques
Proper disinfection for control of diseases
Bits and Bridles
An understanding of sedation and anesthesia
TMJ issues and discomfort
Nutritional Disorders
