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Graduate Level Orthodontist Schooling

Orthodontist SalaryOrthodontist schooling is a graduate level program designed to prepare practitioners for specialty orthodontic practice. Orthodontics was the very first recognized and the largest dental specialty field in the world today. Orthodontic professionals specialize on the management and treatment of crooked teeth, dental displacement, and other causes of facial misalignment. Although orthodontic intervention can be done for purely aesthetic reasons, it can be done to correct injury damage or to modify facial growth. This is accomplished using a variety of specialized tools, which includes braces and orthodontic headgear.

Orthodontist training  is a long and difficult process, requiring between two to three additional years of training after getting a degree in dental medicine. The orthodontics schooling postgraduate program is designed to prepare candidates for the specialty clinical practice as well as the certifying examination from the American Board of Orthodontics.

Undergraduate Program

Orthodontist schooling begins with acquiring a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college. There is no specific degree required, but a candidate preparing for a healthcare postgraduate program should intentionally focus on science and health related courses. Admission requirements will vary from college to college, but an application for any graduate level dentistry program requires a minimum number of courses in physics, chemistry, and biology.

Dentistry Program

The second step in orthodontist schooling is acquiring a doctor of dental medicine (DMD) or doctor of dental surgery (DDS) degree from a reputable university. This can take anywhere from three to four years and is meant to prepare students for a general dentistry practice. The course combines emphasis on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental diseases. The initial part of the program typically consists of courses on preclinical techniques and biological sciences. The last two years are allotted to acquiring two years of clinical experience in the context of an American Dental Association approved residency program.

Orthodontics Program

Specialized orthodontist schooling is a postgraduate program leading to a master’s of science degree. It can take anywhere from two to three years and consists of intensive coursework in basic sciences, orthodontic theory and practice, laboratory, research and clinical experience. Completing the coursework will lead to a master’s of science degree in orthodontics, but certification is a separate process. The certification American Board of Orthodontics administers the certification process and includes a written examination and a presentation of treatment cases as the practical, clinical component. The certification is time-limited and diplomats are required to pursue continuing education and to re-examine periodically to retain their certification status.

Orthodontist schooling can prove to be quite expensive with the bachelor’s degree, dental schooling, specialized orthodontist training, and board certification taking up to 12 years to complete. Despite this, a good number of candidates successfully complete the program, with current practitioners making up about 6% of all dentists in the US today. Preparing to become an orthodontist can be long and tough, but with orthodontists earning an average of $180,000 – $200,000 a year, many find that the investment in time, money, and effort is well worth it.

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