Becoming an orthodontist is no easy feat. It requires more than just four years of college and hard work. But it's also a great opportunity for young, bright minds to learn and explore an accelerated career with infinite benefits. To become an orthodontist, the first step is to complete a bachelor's degree.
Generally, you should be in the top 10% of your class in dental school, which is more challenging than you may think. The best part about being an orthodontist is working with children and adolescents and having the chance to impact them personally, as well as changing their smiles. You can't just sit back and enjoy the fact that you've entered dental school (with a bunch of other high-performing students). Everyone in your class had to work hard to get good grades to be admitted to dental school, so it's necessary to have university grades that are good enough to enter dental school.
Every state has different restrictions, so check online for more information. I would advise my children not to consider becoming orthodontists until they have worked in an orthodontic office for a while. That's why I tell everyone that if you want to be an orthodontist and you can't get good grades, you should be prepared to be a general dentist or other type of specialist for the rest of your career. I tell everyone who is interested in becoming an orthodontist that, first and foremost, you must be an excellent student.
