Last Updated on May 26, 2019 by Gio Greenard

“All orthodontists are dentists, but only 6 percent of dentists are orthodontists.”
https://www.aaoinfo.org/

Who is an orthodontist?

An easy answer for this question is that orthodontists are specialists who work at aligning jaws and moving teeth into accurate position so that patients can achieve their ideal smile. The process of explaining orthodontic qualifications as well as telling the difference between orthodontists and the various other dental specializations is however a little bit more complicated of an answer.

Orthodontic professionals are fairly rare commodity. All orthodontists begin their career as dentists first and foremost, only 6/100 dental school graduates however will go on and pursue a career in orthodontics. This specialization can take years of extra education and the programs only accept the best and brightest applicants. It can usually takes 10 or more years of post-secondary education to eventually become a full-fledged orthodontist.

The Journey to Become an orthodontist

Stage 1:

The first step in the journey to become an orthodontist is to get a college diploma in an applicable study to dentistry. This diploma could be in the medical or science field and it’s important that students should keep their marks high so that they can eventually qualify for the dental school.

Stage 2:

The next stage is to complete dental school and graduate with high marks so that the future orthodontist can then qualify for orthodontic school.

Stage 3:

After the student has qualified for an orthodontic program with an accredited orthodontic residency he or she needs to complete at least two extra years after dental school which involves hands-on practice through the orthodontic residency program. During this time orthodontic students will learn all that he or she needs to know about guiding facial development as well as managing the movement of teeth to produce better smiles.

Only after all of this education, someone becomes a practicing orthodontist. Generally, when students complete one of these programs they will limit their work to orthodontic work only to the various treatments for orthodontic problems.

Responsibilities

An orthodontist is specially equipped to create beautiful smiles as well as diagnose and prevent a number of problems that can occur. Some orthodontists will specialize in treatments for conditions like sleep apnea. Orthodontists dedicate their entire professional careers to helping people create their dream smiles as well as allowing patients to chew and speak without any discomfort.

Orthodontists also need to continuously educate themselves as new appliances keep on coming. Using tools like braces, aligners, retainers and advanced imaging tools, orthodontist can improve their practice and deliver better results to their patients. This is why continuous education is very important for them. By joining in to associations like the American Association of orthodontists, or by demonstrating a high quality of service and becoming a Platinum Provider of certain orthodontic appliances, an orthodontist can get access to a new technology as it is released as well as work as an advisor for the development of the orthodontic appliances.

If you are interested in seeing a qualified orthodontist in Manhattan Beach area please call Beach Braces today for a free consultation appointment.

Dr Patricia Panucci

Dr Patti Panucci attended the University of Louisville School of Dentistry for four years, where she graduated with a DMD degree (May 2000) among the Top 10 in her class. Following that, she headed west to Los Angeles to complete her three-year residency at one of the top-ranked orthodontic programs in the country – the University of Southern California.

Along with her certificate in orthodontics, Dr. Panucci earned a master’s degree in craniofacial biology. During those three years, she fell in love with Southern California beach life and decided that this was where her future lay.