Orthodontics requires years of study and specialized training. High school students interested in the field should excel in math and science and plan to major in a related field in college. After completing a bachelor’s degree, dental school takes 3-5 years, followed by 2-3 years of specialized training and practice to become a certified orthodontist. Good orthodontists are skilled with people, especially children and adolescents.
Orthodontics is a demanding field that requires many years of study. People who are orthodontists specialize in various corrective measures for the teeth and jaws. This includes things like getting braces to treat crooked or sticking out teeth, but it can also mean widening the palate or using special equipment and techniques to treat defects in the palate and jaw.
In most countries, people must complete a bachelor’s degree before attending dental school, where they will still not be specialists in orthodontics, but dentists. High school students studying this field may wonder which areas they should study before college. It can help to work hard on math and science and plan to major in a college field that focuses on those areas. Some people study pre-med or nursing to earn a bachelor’s degree, but this is not always necessary. Others are science majors or liberal arts graduates with a strong holding in multiple sciences. Classes or extracurricular activities that emphasize interacting with people can also be valuable areas to excel.
Once a person has finished their bachelor’s degree, they can apply to the dental school and the time the school takes can depend on the country’s requirements. In the UK, for example, dental school takes four to five years. In the US, some dental school programs take three years and others four. Once this training is completed, many countries have licensing exams that people must take before proceeding to a school that specializes in teaching orthodontics.
Those who practice orthodontics can be considered specialist dentists. They will need an additional two to three years of specialized training and practice before earning certification. Certification is given by completing training with an accredited or certified school and taking exams in orthodontics. In total, training for an orthodontist from the beginning of college can take 10 to 15 years, depending on the country in which the certification is held. Some people can study further and obtain a PhD in this field, which will extend the time spent studying.
Along the way and while studying, specialists should have many opportunities to work with people and determine that this is the career they really want. Good orthodontists tend to build their practice by being good at their jobs and skilled with people. Special attention must be given to how to interact successfully with children and adolescents, as these usually constitute the majority of the orthodontist’s patients.
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