This article is dedicated to the students who are fascinated by the dental field and are willing to pursue this career path. This publication is useful to read since it provides all the necessary information to guide the students concerned throughout their journey. I am motivated to write it considering that I am a student myself who also needs to be enlightened.
Being an orthodontist is a rewarding experience since it means boosting people's self-confidence by improving their smiles. An orthodontist is a qualified, patient, and dedicated professional who develops personalized treatment plans and provides good care to their patients.
The role of orthodontists is to diagnose and treat improperly positioned teeth and jaws. They prescribe and install braces and clear aligners to adjust spaces, straighten teeth and correct bites alignment. Orthodontists keep track of their patient's progress throughout their treatment process.
On a typical day, orthodontists examine patients, go over dental X-rays, and asses how well their treatments are working. They also discuss treatment plans with their patients, adjust braces and other orthodontic instruments, and give instructions on maintaining proper oral hygiene.
Most orthodontists work in private dental clinics or orthodontist offices. Others may work at hospitals, laboratories, or dental schools as researchers, educators, or to offer other dental services.
To become an orthodontist, students must attend a college program focusing on science. They will then attend a university degree focused on dentistry during four or five years. Students will go through a residency to specialize in orthodontic, which takes two or three years. Finally, students will need to pass the required exams and receive a license to practice as orthodontic specialists.
Orthodontists make around $110 000 per year in Canada and $106 000 in Quebec. These salaries differ based on their experience, location, and whether they own their own clinics.
Orthodontists are required to complete advanced orthodontic and dentofacial orthopedic training. In their specialized residency, they learn topics like human growth and development, biophysics, genetics, and embryology. They also receive clinical training.
The risks orthodontists might face are biological exposure, dental X-ray radiation, and injury from tools.
It is unlikely that orthodontists will be fully replaced by robots soon because they need to interact with patients, use their judgment, and manual abilities. This profession will have very good prospects in Quebec according to Government of Canada's Job Bank.
In 2023, profession of dentist including orthodontist have a median retirement age of 63 years old.
In conclusion, orthodontics is a satisfying career that demands dedication, patience, and technical skills to improve patients' smiles and confidence. The years spent on study may be long, but the end result can be rewarding as orthodontists earn a high salary. They get to pursue their passion on a daily basis while changing people's live by enhancing their smiles!