How to Become an Orthodontist in New York

Orthodontists are dental doctors who specialize in diagnosing and correcting irregular dental conditions. These professionals are trained to identify and correct conditions like teeth crowding, over bites and under bites as well as irregularly aligned dental bones. Becoming an orthodontist requires that you undergo additional rigorous training once you are through with your dental schooling training. In fact, most orthodontic programs require two to three years of advanced training as well as on campus residency training. Some of the courses that you will take during your orthodontic training include research, clinical training and a coursework in biomedicine among others.

As an orthodontist, you will use devices such as braces that apply pressure to the teeth in order to gently realign their position to the gums. It takes several years of training to become a certified orthodontist in New York. Generally, you will need 2-4 years for an undergraduate program, four years in dental school and additional 2-3 years pursuing your orthodontist program. Here is a step-by-step guide to becoming an orthodontist in New York.

1. Complete your undergraduate requirement

Before getting an admission into the dental school, you must first join the undergraduate school for pre-dental training. Most dental programs would only admit you with a bachelor’s degree. However, you can also receive admission into some schools with at least two years of undergraduate education. Some of the compulsory pre-dental courses that you will need to take at the undergraduate school include biology, chemistry, physics and other science courses. You may choose to major in any subject; however, since science courses are mandatory, most pre-dental students opt to major in biology and chemistry. When applying to join a dental school, you will be required to first sit and pass the Dental Admission Test (DAT). This test is administered by the American Dental Association (ADA).

2. Graduating from dental school

It will take you up to four years to pursue a dental program and graduate with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM) degree. During your study, you will spend the first two years taking basic science courses such as anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology and psychology. The final year of study will expose you to different dental specialties such as periodontics, orthodontics, maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics and pediatric dentistry.

3. Post graduate orthodontics program

Once you are through with the dental program, you will need to apply for an orthodontic specialty program in one of the New York dental schools. One way of applying for this program is through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service that is offered by the American Dental Education Association. Through this service, you will have a standard format that will enable you to submit just one application for multiple programs. Most New York orthodontic programs take three years to complete. During this program, you will learn about surgical orthodontics, dentofacial orthopedics and general orthodontics. You may also be trained in research methodology and teaching, complete your research project, attend several conferences and workshops and prepare your case reports. Once you are through with your program, you will graduate as a qualified orthodontist.

4. Board certification

Upon completing your training requirements, you need to earn the board’s certification as a way of demonstrating your skills and competencies. You can sit a written clinical exam that is administered by the American Board of Orthodontics. In addition, you need to be certified by the New York State Society of Orthodontists. You may also need periodic examinations to refresh your skills.

5. Get licensed

In order to practice as an orthodontist in New York, you have to licensed. Once you are licensed, you will be able to practice both orthodontics and general dentistry.

Top Orthodontist Schools in New York

Several institutions offer on both campus and online orthodontics programs in New York. Here are some of these institutions.

1. New York University College of Dentistry

This university offers a four-year program in orthodontics. In addition, you need to complete a research project in any of the orthodontics fields. The school also offers a one-year continuing learning program for international students.

2. Tufts University

This is an accredited private dental school that offers orthodontic program among other dental programs. The program is structured to include pre-clinical orthodontics, clinical rotation and several case based seminars.

Average Salary in New York

According to a nationwide survey, orthodontists in New York are the highest paid in the country with an average annual income of $356,000. This is 25% above average in the rest of the nation.

Becoming an orthodontist can be a very rewarding and exciting venture. One of the greatest rewards is the ability to impart a smile on your clients. With the right choice of school and dedication, you can train and start a career in this lucrative industry.