Doctors who treat the entire oral health spectrum include dentists and orthodontists. Both want to maintain their patients' mouths healthy and clean, but their approaches are different. Dentistry is a branch of medicine that treats issues relating to the entire oral cavity, including the teeth, gums, nerves, palate, and jaw. Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on treating over- and underbites, occlusion, and crowded and misaligned teeth.
It might be helpful for you to understand about the distinctions between these two specializations if you are thinking about a career in dentistry. Learn more about dentists and orthodontists in this article, including who they are, what they do, how they vary, and how to choose the career path that's best for you.
What is an orthodontist?
Orthodontists are dental specialists that provide treatment and care regarding the position of the teeth and jaw. Orthodontists may work with patients to correct misalignments, occlusion (overbite or underbite), drastic spacing between teeth and overcrowding of teeth. Additionally, orthodontists commonly prescribe braces and other tooth alignment treatment plans to help patients fix the appearance of their teeth.
While orthodontists work to fix a patient's overall appearance, they focus on treating these issues as part of overall oral healthcare, as problems with the jaw or teeth alignment can cause adverse health issues in severe cases. Furthermore, orthodontists provide patient care that encompasses overall jaw and bone health.
Primary responsibilities of an orthodontist
Orthodontists can perform a variety of tasks throughout their careers. While these tasks may vary between practices, the following responsibilities may typically be applied to the role of the orthodontist.
- Examining and assessing patients for abnormalities in the jaw and teeth
- Utilizing diagnostics like X-rays and molds of the alignment of the teeth
- Performing corrective procedures like prescribing braces, retainers or other alignment services
- Diagnosing and providing treatment for problems located in the mouth, jaw and face
- Assessing problems with oral communication that may relate to a patient's occlusion and jaw alignment
What is a dentist?
Dentists are oral healthcare providers that help their patients care for their overall oral health. Typically, a dentist may provide family dental services, regular check-ups, treatment options for dental issues and provide education on adequate oral hygiene.
Dentists may generally work to diagnose and treat dental health problems such as cavities, gum disease, tooth decay and other common dental issues. Additionally, dentists may work with various specialists in referring patients to provide effective patient care.
Primary responsibilities of a dentist
Dentists may work in private practices, government health agencies and in for-profit centers. A dentist's responsibilities can include the following primary duties in serving their patients:
- Providing regular screenings, check-ups and cleaning procedures to their patients
- Diagnosing and treating dental problems like mild gum disease, tooth decay, enamel problems and other dental issues
- Taking patient X-rays and interpreting the results to apply dental treatment plans
- Managing and working with a team of colleagues, dental assistants and hygienists to provide effective patient care
- Monitoring the growth and development of juvenile teeth and jaws to ensure adequate patient care
- Referring patients to specialists in the event of complex and complicated dental problems
- Performing dental procedures such as fillings, extractions, fitting crowns and bridges and root canals
A dentist's responsibilities can vary from day to day, but these primary tasks are common among the daily schedules of a dentist.
Differences between an orthodontist and a dentist
While both dentists and orthodontists evaluate and assess oral health, there are some key differences between the two professions. Additionally, these differences can mean continuing education, performing specific procedures or providing specific treatment options.
Education
One of the major differences between an orthodontist and a dentist is the education level each requires. Dentists typically complete a dental school education program, where they graduate with either a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) degree. They can then take their certification exams and obtain licensure to practice dentistry.
An orthodontist, however, completes an additional two to three years of education, specializing in orthodontics. They may also complete a residency training through their specialty program, where they apply their classroom knowledge to work as an orthodontist.
Certification
After a dental student obtains their DDS or DMD degree, they may sit for the National Board Dental Examination to obtain their license to practice. Dentists may usually start working in their field after obtaining their dental certification. Conversely, an orthodontist may be required to obtain both their dentistry certification and their certification in orthodontics.
Focus on dental care
General dentists work to establish a routine dental care plan with patients, which can include services such as dental cleanings, regular check-ups and diagnostics or X-rays. Additionally, dentists can perform extractions, root canals and other treatment procedures to ensure overall patient oral health.
Orthodontists typically focus solely on the health of the jawbone, the alignment of the teeth and treatment of abnormalities in the mouth and face. Furthermore, an orthodontist may only perform procedures and treatments that involve occlusion, misalignment and abnormalities of the teeth.
Choosing between an orthodontist and dentist career path
When looking at both orthodontics and general dentistry, it can be tough to determine which career path is the best fit for you. You might start by considering your education and how long you can commit to a program, as well as your financial options for both fields. Additionally, you might consider your interest level for each field as well as how you think you will meet the demands of each role.
- Consider your education.
- Think about your interests.
- Consider the demands of each job.
- Think about your salary requirements.
- Speak with an academic advisor.
Consider your education
You might first determine the length of time you feel that you can commit to your education. To become a general dentist, you may have to spend a considerable amount of time studying and training for your career. Likewise, you might consider your education should you pursue a career in orthodontics, as these specialists can typically spend additional years studying their field after completing dentistry school.
You might also think about your financial approach to your education, as each degree program on your path toward your career may have its own cost.
Think about your interests
You might also consider which field you would be more interested in pursuing, as the focus for general dentistry and orthodontics can differ. If you find yourself inclined toward educating patients, providing general treatment and performing basic dental procedures, you might consider a career path in general dentistry.
However, if you find yourself highly interested in providing care and treatment for patients with occlusion issues, jaw problems and diagnosing symptoms related to irregularities in the teeth, jaw, mouth and face, you might look into orthodontics as a career path.
Consider the demands for each job
While both career paths can be equally demanding, working as an orthodontist may provide you with a steady atmosphere where general dentistry may have you working with all kinds of patients from a variety of different backgrounds. General dentistry may also mean working in a social service capacity, especially if you take a job in a government healthcare facility. Orthodontists typically work in private- or franchise-owned practices, where they may typically only work with patients with alignment or other structural irregularities.
Think about your salary requirements
Both of these medical professions can offer substantial salaries; however, an orthodontist may earn significantly more than a dentist. You might consider your desired salary as a means for helping you choose between these two career paths.
Speak with an academic advisor
You may also choose to speak with an advisor at the college or university you hope to attend. You can gain more information on the educational program requirements, your career outlook and whether the dentistry programs offered also help with job placement once you have obtained your license. Additionally, you might check with an advisor to make sure the school offers specialty programs in orthodontics if you decide to pursue that career path.
When choosing between a career path as an orthodontist or as a dentist, you can also request more resources from your college of choice on the duties and state requirements for each field. Depending on where you live, your state may have different requirements for each field, and this can further help you choose the career path that is best for you.
More from
Medical
category
