A Career as an Orthodontist

A Career as an Orthodontist

            The difference between a dentist and an orthodontist is not clear among many people. People sometimes confuse the two to be the same profession. However, an orthodontist can be said to be a specialist dentist. A valid claim is that all orthodontists are dentists but claiming that all dentists are orthodontists is wrong. The work of an orthodontist is more specific than that of a dentist as they specifically deal with the teeth, jaws, gum problems, and even nerve issues. The general duties of an orthodontist include correcting issues found in the mouth that include overcrowding of teeth, diastema, or jaws that require proper alignment.

Tooth misalignment is a problem that can be corrected by visiting a trained professional in the field. An orthodontist is trained to repair such misalignments. A dentist’s referral to an orthodontist means that the problem with an individual’s teeth needs the services of a specialized dentist. Under normal circumstances, a dentist is involved in treating and controlling tooth diseases but malformations such as misaligned teeth require the services of an orthodontist (Godfrey, 2017). Also, an orthodontist is capable of identifying defects in the client’s mouth and takes the necessary steps to correct the problems. For example, gums that are not tightly aligned could require the intervention of an orthodontist to be fixed. Additionally, an orthodontist can correct the diastema problem that has the problem of growing to a significant problem if left untreated. The orthodontist always has several options to go by when correcting such malformations and the patient’s preferences affect the choice significantly. The most popular method of correction is the use of braces to correct tooth malformations since it is the most affordable. The work context of an orthodox, skills and education requirements for an orthodontist’s career revolve around a hospital setting.

The work of an orthodontist is set at a dentist’s clinic as a special service. The reason for the setting is that an orthodontist can still work as a dentist where no special services are required. Tooth problems that require orthodontist’s services are not common, and thus an orthodontist has to undertake other responsibilities when no services are needed. The education requirements for an individual to become a qualified orthodontist proceed as an ordinary dentist in the first years of study. After completing the dentistry classes, the decision is made by the individual to either stop at that point as a dentist or to proceed with studies to become an orthodontist. An orthodontist is more trained than a dentist and can still undertake all the duties of a dentist. The operation of an orthodontist can, therefore, be in line with the operation terms of a dentist. The license given for service as an orthodontist can only be obtained after the successful completion of the extra classes on top of the regular dentist classes. An appointment with an orthodontist is similar to that with a dentist. However, orthodontists will deal with clients who have been referred to them by a licensed dentist. The main reason for the referral requirement is to ensure that orthodontists only attend to issues that cannot be dealt with by the dentist. Orthodontists always deal with return clients and thus they are busy individuals who will see clients who have been referred to them. Most tooth problems are not corrected after the first visit and therefore might require several return visits so that the orthodontist can monitor the progress of the treatment plan and see if better treatment should be undertaken. An orthodontist is related to several other careers, but the most common are the optometrists and physicians.

The choice of a career is always influenced by several factors that surround the individual in question. One of the most common factors affecting career choice is the motivation to earn a living after successful completion of studies concerning the career. Other factors such as the pursuit of prestige, influence by successful people, and lack of another option to choose for a career affect the final choice of a career. The choice to become an orthodontist is not exempted in the factors that affect its choice as a career pursued by an individual. However, two factors stand to affect the choice to become an orthodontist as a profession, and individuals influenced by such factors tend to succeed in their careers. The combination of passion and the desire to earn lucrative salaries as an orthodontist has led individuals into becoming orthodontists more than any other factor (Behrents, 2016). Individuals who chose to pursue the profession tend to be overwhelmed by the commitment required for qualification as an orthodontist and most of them end up leaving their studies at the dentist level instead. Typically, the salary for an orthodontist ranges between 113 000 dollars and 167 000 dollars as the base salary. Such lucrative salaries have led several individuals into putting up with the commitment required to qualify as an orthodontist. The challenges faced in the journey to becoming an orthodontist as well as during the job practice are well covered by the compensations provided in terms of salary and allowances.

The orthodontist career field is expected to grow and create more job openings. The current living standards of the people have been exposing them to risk factors that cause more tooth problems. With the current number of orthodontists being proportional to the affected individuals, an increase in the number of tooth problem cases will undoubtedly increase the demand for more orthodontists. The prevalence of tooth problems has been uniform in the various states, and thus the state of residence does not necessarily affect the career opportunity growth rate. The commitments and duties tasked with an orthodontist may make one to reconsider the career choice, but the salary and allowances are a motivating factor.

In sum, an orthodontist is a specialist dentist who has received further training concerning specific tooth problems. An orthodontist is trained to correct such misalignments, which is done after a dentist’s referral to an orthodontist. The referral by a dentist means that the problem with an individual’s teeth needs the services of a specialized dentist. Tooth problems that require orthodontist’s services are not common, and thus an orthodontist has to undertake other responsibilities when no services are required, and therefore the setting of an orthodontist’s job is in a dentist’s clinic. The combination of passion and the desire to earn lucrative salaries as an orthodontist has played a significant role in leading individuals into becoming orthodontists more than any other factor. Generally, the career field of orthodontists is expected to grow with time owing to the growing change in lifestyles.