Why does it seem that general dentists i have seen want to do all my gum grafts, root canals and ridge augmentation when they are not dually licensed?

No licence required: A general dentist is just that - a generalist. We are trained in all the disciplines of dentistry and we don't need a specialty licence to do root canals, etc. It's just what the dentist is comfortable doing and has adequate training that is important.

General dentistry: When a general dentist does root canal treatment, gum surgery, bone grafting, implants, even botox, they don't need a special liscense to perform the procedure. Although there are specialists who obtain additional training in their specific feild, and are liscensed as 'specialists', the work can be done by any dentist so long as they hold themselves to the same standards as the specialist.

Informed consent...: Every general dentist should ethically offer these procedures be done by a specialist and let you decide. This is at the heart of your dentist putting what is best for you at the top of his priority list. You can then make the choice of who you think would best provide your care. It is true that general dentists can do whatever they want in the realm to dentistry... But what do you want?