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Orthodontist

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JOB OUTLOOK

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What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Health Science cluster Therapeutic Services pathway.

Beyond High School

Here's a list of programs that you should consider if you're interested in this career:

Education Level

Education training and experience are required at different levels for success in different occupations.

First professional degree

Dentists typically need a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry/Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from an accredited dental program and pass written and clinical exams. Dentists who practice in a specialty area must complete postdoctoral training.

Insider Info

Additional Information

You have to like school. It's a long process to get through dentistry and an orthodontics program. You have to be dedicated to learning and earn top grades through high school and university.

An orthodontist is a specialized dentist who is required to take an additional two years of training.

In the U.S., dental schools require students to complete three to four years of college-level education before being admitted to dental school. Most have completed at least an undergraduate degree.

Many dental programs last four years, although some are condensed to three or stretched to five years.

After dental school, you can follow one of two routes. You can get a master's degree in science in orthodontics or a clinical certificate, depending on which school you go to.

Most of the master's programs are three years in length, while most certificate programs are two. However, Dr. Robert Keim estimates that within five years, both options will take three years to complete. Keim is the program director in the department of orthodontics at the University of Southern California.

"There's a big trend throughout the country to make all of them three-year programs, whether they're master's or a certificate," says Keim.

In the U.S., a dentist must be licensed to practice. In order to obtain this license, the student must graduate from a university approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and pass written and oral exams.

Most state licenses permit dentists to work in general or specialized practices. But some require specialists like orthodontists to obtain a second license.

Extra Requirements

Dentists must be licensed in the state in which they work. All states require dentists to be licensed; requirements vary by state. Most states require a dentist to have a DDS or DMD degree from an accredited dental program, pass the written National Board Dental Examination, and pass a state or regional clinical examination. In addition, a dentist who wants to practice in a dental specialty must have a license in that specialty. Licensure requires the completion of a residency after dental school and, in some cases, the completion of a special state exam.

For additional information, visit these websites:

Contact

  • Email Support
  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

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