How to Become an Orthodontist in Canada
Becoming an orthodontist may take up to 12 years or more after completing high school, but it gives you a rewarding and fulfilling career. The orthodontist is a specialized dentist who mainly deals with irregularities in teeth and jaw, and does the required reconstruction. It might seem that this profession mainly deals with improving the appearance of a person, but this is not entirely true. Irregularities in teeth, prevents a person from properly brushing and taking care of their teeth, and they will not be able to bite into food properly. This can cause tooth decay and many other severe oral problems, which hinder eating. Jaw abnormalities can cause a host of breathing problems, snoring and even sleep apnea. The orthodontist specializes in all kinds of dental reconstructions that help in correcting all these problems.
Orthodontics is a postgraduate training program, as it requires a fair amount of specialization and skill. You first need to be a licensed dentist to gain admission into this training program. The following points will give you a clear idea of the steps required to become an orthodontist in Canada.
Finish High School and Two Years of College
You need to clear your high school education and then two years in college, as this is the minimum requirement for getting into a dental school in Canada. Pay special attention to science subjects like physics, biology and chemistry, and try to score good marks in them. Getting admission in Canadian dental school is quite competitive, and a good score in these subjects will be a distinct advantage.
Getting Admission in a Dental School
Before applying to a dental school in Canada, you will first need to clear the Dental Admission Test (DAT), which is conducted by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA). You can register online with the official CDA website. Before preparing for this exam, study all literature that is recommended by the CDA and the dental school. Apart from clearing the DAT, each school has a specific admission criteria and process, hence, you need to be clear about them before you apply to a particular college.
As mentioned earlier the admission process is highly competitive, and you need an impressive GPA from your high school education, and a good score in the DAT. The competition level is pushed further up by the fact that there are only a few dental schools in Canada. The popular universities offering dental education include the University of Western Ontario, the University of Toronto, the University of Montreal, and the University of British Columbia.
Successfully Completing the Course in Dental School
After gaining admission into a solid dental school, you will have to complete the degree course successfully. On successful completion of this course, which lasts four years, you will be awarded a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine, as per the program you had chosen. Now you are ready to apply for an orthodontic postgraduate course, but it is advisable to first complete a small residency in general dentistry to gather the required experience.
Entering an Orthodontic Program
After you have gathered some experience as a dentist, you are eligible to apply for a postgraduate orthodontics program through one of the universities mentioned earlier. The best place would be the University of Toronto, which is also a world-renowned research center in dentistry. Only the best students are accepted, and admission is highly competitive. The orthodontic postgraduate program can last anywhere between a couple of years to five years, as it will depend on the university, and the type of specialization you plan to do.
Becoming an Orthodontist
After completing the postgraduate course, like the orthodontics Master of Science, it is recommended to pursue a CDA-approved residency program, to practice your skills and gather experience. Residency programs last between two to five years, and are available in hospitals and universities across Canada, and they are quite challenging. After that, you can apply for a license to practice as an orthodontist, and the documentation and tests required for this procedure are given on the official CDA website.
A Fulfilling and Rewarding Career
The career of an orthodontist is quite fulfilling, as you will be directly responsible for improving the quality of life of so many of your patients. Restructuring dental procedures not only improves appearance, but also prevents oral complications and diseases, as mentioned earlier.
Becoming an orthodontist is also quite rewarding, as you will be drawing one of the best salaries available in the field of dentistry. You have the option of starting your own clinic, or working under an established dental organization. The starting salary for orthodontists in Canada will be in the range of $55,000 to $115,000 annually. The differences will be based on the place and the organization for which the orthodontist is working. An experienced orthodontist having their own practice can earn anywhere between $150,000 to over $350,000 annually.