Dentists have eight years of education to complete: four years as an undergrad and four years in dental school. They learn to diagnose many oral and dental problems and how to treat them. So then the question remains: what makes a dentist an orthodontist and not just simply a dentist? You may think that an orthodontist is a type of specialist whose education exceeds that of a dentist, but you would only be partially correct.
Beyond Dental School
Dentists are technically doctors of dentistry, hence the D.D.S. following their names on their degrees. To become an orthodontist, they continue their schooling for an additional two years after they have graduated as dentists. The additional schooling is not certification or training to become an orthodontist, but a Masters in Science degree.
It would be the same or similar thing if someone went to school for a bachelor's and then a master's and finally decided to pursue a doctorate as well. In the case of an orthodontist, it is a little backwards in that he or she receives a doctorate in dentistry first and a master's in orthodontics second.
What It Means for Their Careers
A dentist can be a dentist but not an orthodontist without the extra two years and the master's degree. Yet, an orthodontist can be an orthodontist and/or a dentist, operating as one or both of these dental professionals.
Orthodontists make more money than dentists, which may be a motivating factor for some, but they are also able to provide more than routine dental care to their patients, which often motivates the rest of the dentists to become orthodontists.
In addition to the routine dental care, an orthodontist can:
Having both the M.S. in orthodontia and the D.D.S. degree means that they are excellent additions to a practice and/or good choices as clinic partners as well.
When You Want a One-Stop Dental Shop
If you currently see both a dentist and an orthodontist, you now know that you could see just an orthodontist for everything. Ask your orthodontist if his office also functions as a dental office, and then you can make the switch. Your entire family could all see the same orthodontist in a one-stop dental and orthodontia shop, which may be the whole point to your orthodontist choosing his or her career path in the first place.
Share