Becoming an orthodontic expert is no easy feat. It requires a great deal of education, study, and hard work to become a specialist in oral health and orthodontic services. This is not a profession that can be achieved overnight. If your child has had a positive experience with orthodontic care, you may be wondering what it would take to become an orthodontist one day.
Or perhaps you have always been interested in starting a new career in dentistry. Only 6 percent of dentists successfully pursue this advanced specialty, which requires two to three years of training after dental school. If you are considering this path, be prepared for at least a decade of undergraduate and graduate study. While the journey to becoming an orthodontist can be intimidating and difficult, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Every state has different restrictions, so it is important to research the requirements for your area. However, I would advise my children not to consider becoming orthodontists until they have worked in an orthodontic office for some time.
I tell everyone who is interested in becoming an orthodontist that they must first and foremost be excellent students. With 13 offices and 6 orthodontists on staff, Orthodontic Associates is a leading provider of orthodontic solutions in the Baltimore area. That is why I tell everyone that if they want to become an orthodontist but cannot get good grades, they should be prepared to remain a general dentist or other type of specialist for the rest of their career. In short, an orthodontist is a dentist who has received additional training to become an expert in aligning teeth and jaws. The most wonderful thing about being an orthodontist is working with children and adolescents and having the opportunity to make a personal impact on them, as well as changing their smiles.
Your dentist will usually refer you to an orthodontist if you have alignment or bite abnormalities, like many people do. If you are thinking about straightening your teeth or improving your bite, you will need the help of an orthodontist.
