What does it take to become an Orthodontist?

[Cofo]

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What does it take to be an orthodontist? How many years? Please explain this to me as if I didn't know anything about dentistry. ( I don't ) 😀 But, I am very interested. Thanks.

 

[BuckeyeDent]

Finish in the top 2-3 of your class, score upper nineties on boards, do research, etc. Be ready to compete if you're gunning for ortho.

 

[OceanDMD]

About $300,000 in student loans.

 

[dr.rex]

you have to get into dental school first

 

[toothfairy85]

Although being in the top 2-3 is best, I would imagine top 10-15 could put you somewhere in an ortho residency assuming not everyone in the top 10-15 wants to go the ortho route. Some will even choose not to specialize.

 

[Bifid Uvula]

And if all that fails.... you can still do all the Orthodontics your little heart desires. You just spend some money and take a ton of continuing education in orthodontics.

 

[BuckeyeDent]

I dunno toothfairy, all the residents that I know of at OSU were top 3 in their class. From what I hear, its more like you need to be top 2.

 

[INFNITE]

considering 6 people matched to an ortho program from Columbia this year...it means that you don't necessarily need to be top 2 or 3.

 

[BuckeyeDent]

Thank you for that Ivy League stat donut boy. More people match at Columbia, Harvard, and Penn than places like nebraska, pacific, etc. So if you go to a non-ivy league school, you'd want to be in the top 3.

 

[Empty pockets]

What does it take to be an orthodontist? How many years? Please explain this to me as if I didn't know anything about dentistry. ( I don't ) 😀 But, I am very interested. Thanks.

at our school we were told it take a stellar research topic to be started in the summer of year 1, and a 4.0 and at least 98% on the boards by the chairman of orthodontics himself.

 

[armorshell]

Thank you for that Ivy League stat donut boy. More people match at Columbia, Harvard, and Penn than places like nebraska, pacific, etc. So if you go to a non-ivy league school, you'd want to be in the top 3.

From what I understand, 8 people matched into ortho programs from Pacific this year so...

 

[BuckeyeDent]

That's impressive if true. Show me some official stats and I will humbly stand corrected.

 

[armorshell]

That's impressive if true. Show me some official stats and I will humbly stand corrected.

That's just some second hand info I picked up from a current student, but I don't see why it would be impossible in such a big class, especially if those students represent a good chunk of the top 10%

And of course assuming they all had wicked board scores, research, etc... 😉

 

[PlanB21]

Who has time for research when they are in dental school? Seems really tough to do..I mean, how in depth is the research we're talking about? The school I am attending in the fall has a summer research program and I do not know if it is worth doing..

 

[UNCWDentist]

I was also wondering how to go about starting research in Dental School? Do you just contact professors to see if they have any openings in their lab???

 

[MaxAnn]

Either one or a combination of two or more will suffice:

1) Have good grades
2) Have good board scores
3) A parent who is an orthodontist
4) A parent who is an orthodontist who can contribute money to the school where you want to attend
5) Suck Up as much as possible
6) Join the military and wait your turn for one of their ortho residency spots
7) Do research
8) Breast implants

 

[toofache32]

Either one or a combination of two or more will suffice:

1) Have good grades
2) Have good board scores
3) A parent who is an orthodontist
4) A parent who is an orthodontist who can contribute money to the school where you want to attend
5) Suck Up as much as possible
6) Join the military and wait your turn for one of their ortho residency spots
7) Do research
8) Breast implants

Especially for females.

 

[vaio]

And if all that fails.... you can still do all the Orthodontics your little heart desires. You just spend some money and take a ton of continuing education in orthodontics.

where do you get this continuing education from? is it in a regular university setting or like seminarss or what

 

[Sprgrover]

where do you get this continuing education from? is it in a regular university setting or like seminarss or what

Seminars, conferences, special meetings - even going to an ADA conference can count towards your CE credits. Chances are you'll have to do some traveling, especially if you want to learn how to do ortho via this route (e.g. traveling to attend a course taught by a particular individual whom is regarded as an expert, etc.). As a professional you're required to continue your education in your field of practice so as to keep your skills and knowledge update. The amount of continuing education credits you'll need varies from state board to state board. I hope this helps.

 

[Holy Thursday]

What does it take to be an orthodontist? How many years? Please explain this to me as if I didn't know anything about dentistry. ( I don't ) 😀 But, I am very interested. Thanks.

You need to be at least 21, but you can act like you're 11 (see my posts below).

 

[Holy Thursday]

Especially for females.

ESPECIALLY for females?! Does that mean it works for guys, but not as well?

 

[Holy Thursday]

Breast implants

Mmm hmmm! You said "breast."

[I'm a married doctor and I still giggle when I hear the word "breast." Toofache32 would agree.]

 

[ou_jay]

I've heard that to get into ortho you have to graduate #0 in you class; you actually have to do better than yourself. You also have to get a 100 on boards, and you have to bring in at least $1 million in NIH grant money to your school doing summer research. Also every single week that you have out of school at Christmas and in the summer must be spent on externship. Needless to say very few people accomplish this; that is why only about 1 ortho resident is trained every 2 to 3 years in the US.