Proficient

Many years ago when I would go to SUNY/Buffalo, I would work with Senior dental students as well as graduate dental students. I was asked to rate students at the end of the semester on the basis of whether they were competent or proficient. Competent meant that a student could perform a certain treatment at a minimally acceptable standard. Proficient meant that they could perform treatment at a high level (but obviously not the master level.)
When a dentist goes on to study an area of dentistry and attains specialty status, both the University and the New York State Board of Regents grants that dentist a Certificate of Proficiency in that area of treatment. There are nine areas of specialty dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association and there are two other areas that are University recognized which are implants and esthetic dentistry.
I am one of fewer than 40 Dentists in the United States that has attained a Certificate of Proficiency in Eshetic Dentistry. This permits me to say to my patients that I am a general dentist with a specialty in esthetic dentistry. Since there is no American Board of Esthetic Dentistry, I hold the highest degree level attainable by someone who has studied esthetic dentistry.
No other dentist within a 100 miles of the Capital District has attained Proficiency in the area of esthetic or cosmetic dentistry.NO ONE. Since esthetic dentistry is really just restorative dentistry done correctly, a highly proficient esthetic dentist is really just a fine regular dentist doing general dentistry
Proficiency + Passion= Excellence