Do you want to know how to become an orthodontist? There are many benefits to learning how to become an orthodontist.
In order to become an orthodontist, one must take certain steps regardless of one’s prior experience or education background.
To become an orthodontist, you’ll need to put in a lot of time and effort in your studies. Here, we’ll explain what an orthodontist does and how you can go about becoming one.
Continue reading to learn more on how to become an orthodontist.
A Dentist is an Orthodontist, but What Exactly is One?
Orthodontists are dentists who specialize in correcting and preventing misaligned teeth and jaws.
Misaligned teeth are their primary focus, but other issues like excessive teeth, misaligned bites, and esthetic problems that affect the jaw are also addressed.
orthodontists use a wide range of treatments, including:
1.Individual brackets for each tooth and an archwire that connects them all are used in dental braces to gradually realign the teeth. Metal, ceramic, or transparent materials are the most common choices.
2. Maintaining the teeth’s new position after using dental braces, retainers prevent them from reverting back to their original position.
3. To help correct developmental issues, such as overbites and underbites, facemasks and headgear are commonly used.
Orthodontists Need to Have the Following Abilities and Characteristics
1.The ability to interact and work well with children and teenagers, who make up the bulk of orthodontics patients.
2. To be able to convey complex ideas in terms understood by the general public.
3. The ability to listen with empathy, patience, and a calm demeanor.
4. Ability to effectively convey and delegate tasks to dental assistants.
4. Ability and desire to stay up to date on the latest industry developments and apply them to patient care.
How to Become a Dentist Orthodontist?
To become an orthodontist, follow these steps:
1.High School
In order to become an orthodontist, it is recommended that high school students take biology, anatomy, organic and inorganic chemistry, physics, and math.
2. A Four-Year College Degree
A student must complete pre-dentistry requirements as an undergraduate before applying to dental school and becoming an orthodontist.
Although a bachelor’s degree is required for admission to most programs, some accept students with a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite.
Most dental students follow a science-based curriculum that prepares them for the Dental Acceptance Test (DAT), which is required for admission to dental school.
Biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, and physics are typically taught in both the classroom and the laboratory.
A strong background in anatomy, biochemistry, psychology, and mathematics is also a plus for dental school admissions committees when evaluating potential candidates.
Non-business courses like business, foreign language and humanities can help applicants stand out from the competition.
A Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences or a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing are the two most popular undergraduate degrees for aspiring orthodontists.
3. The Dental Admissions Test is Required.
A minimum score on the Dental Admission Test, also known as the Dental Aptitude Test or the Dental Acceptance Test, is required by each accredited dental school and is administered by the American Dental Association. There are a total of four sections in this exam:
It includes 40 biology questions, 30 general chemistry questions, and 30 organic chemistry questions.
Six sets of problems are used to test your spatial reasoning and your ability to perceive three-dimensional spaces.
In order to demonstrate their ability to comprehend basic scientific information, applicants are required to answer 50 questions based on the content of three academic essays, which are typically one or two pages long.
Mathematical reasoning: This includes trigonometry, algebra, roots, and fractions as well as critical thinking and problem solving abilities
4. The Dental Program
An orthodontist must first be a dentist in order to begin their career.
The American Dental Education Association website is used by most dental schools for the application process.
After their junior year of undergraduate study, students usually submit their applications in the summer, when they have received their final DAT scores, for graduate school.
The following factors are taken into account by dental school admissions committees:
The DAT result
GPA
Letters of support
A statement of one’s own
Interview
Observe a dentist’s office as a volunteer.
It takes four years of full-time study to earn a dental degree from a reputable university. First and second year students focus on scientific courses that will help them prepare for clinical work in the third and fourth.
In these courses, students are forced to learn about the human body systems that may be affected by their future work as a dentist in great depth and detail.
During the clinical portion of dental school, students are closely supervised by an instructor who is also a licensed dentist.
Patients and procedures will be the focus of their questions and answers, as well as their feedback from observers.
Depending on which dental school you attend, you’ll receive either a DDS or a DMD when you graduate (DMD). Degrees in dental surgery (DDS) and dental medicine (DMD) are virtually identical.
5. Become a Licensed Dentist.
Next, you’ll need to pass the National Board Dental Examination and a local clinical exam administered by a testing agency in your area in order to get your dental license.
Three days are required for the National Board Dental Examination, which is a two-part exam. To begin, there are 400 questions in the first section, with topics like:
Anatomy, embryology, and histology of the human body
Pathology and microbiology
Anatomy and occlusion of the teeth
Biological and psychological aspects
The second part, which lasts for two days, is devoted to dental-specific topics like:
Dentistry in action
Pain management and oral and maxillofacial surgery
Endodontics
Periodontics
Prosthodontics
Taking Care of Patients
Diagnosis by means of oral examination
Pharmacology
6. Complete a Residency in Orthodontics
Once you have obtained your dental license, the next step is to complete an accredited orthodontic residency in order to become an orthodontist.
Dentists who complete this training are better equipped to deal with and resolve issues related to facial misalignment and tooth movement, which takes two or three years to complete.
Despite the fact that a two-year program allows students to graduate more quickly, a three-year program allows them to gain a deeper understanding of more complex orthodontic problems. Master’s degree programs in orthodontics are more common in three-year programs.
7. License for Orthodontists
State-by-state licensing requirements for orthodontists vary. If you have a dental license in the majority of states, you can practice general dentistry as well as orthodontics under the same license.
Specialty practices require their own licenses, which are issued by other jurisdictions. Obtain the necessary licenses from your state’s dental board before beginning your practice.
8. Make Sure you’re Properly Trained
The American Board of Orthodontics offers certification for orthodontists who want to demonstrate their expertise to patients and colleagues.
Written and clinical exams must be passed in order to receive certification, which must be renewed every ten years.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to learning how to become an orthodontist. In order to become an orthodontist, one must take certain steps regardless of one’s prior experience or education background.
To become an orthodontist, you’ll need to put in a lot of time and effort in your studies. Here, we’ll explain what an orthodontist does and how you can go about becoming one.
