How an Orthodontist Differs from a Dentist
Understanding the difference is important for treatment outcomes.
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics is one of the nine specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.
An orthodontist is a dental specialist who has both graduated from dental school and completed a two to three-year post-doctorate master’s program and residency in orthodontics. Only graduates from such residencies may refer to themselves as orthodontists in the United States.
Orthodontists focus solely on the diagnosis, treatment planning, and correction of misaligned teeth and jaws using appliances such as braces, aligners (Invisalign), or invisible lingual treatments (Brava).
Orthodontists are uniquely trained to assess the facial formation of the growing child and the ongoing facial change of an adult (dentofacial orthopedics) and provide treatment designed to influence that formation and improve appearance, occlusion, and oral health.
General dentists are trained to perform preventive, restorative, and static cosmetic work.
General dentists are not trained to diagnose or plan treatments for orthodontic cases.
General dentists are unqualified to modify aligner/Invisalign treatment for correct movement sequence and occlusion.
Invisalign treatments require extensive modification in over 95% of cases, and determining which cases require modification, and of what type, is not in a dentist’s skill set.
The importance of classroom and clinical experience in graduate orthodontic training cannot be overstated because the education of general dentists in the United States does not include orthodontic education or clinical experience.
While attending the School of Dentistry at the University of Michigan (a leading program with a comprehensive curriculum), I was unable to even observe an active orthodontic patient during my four years of general dental training. The reason for this is the sheer amount of other clinical training necessary to prepare a student to function as a primary care dentist.
Through the clinical training of an orthodontic residency and private practice experience of completing over 8,000 orthodontic cases, I have not only gained an understanding of numerous orthodontic and dentofacial orthopedic approaches and appliances, but, more importantly, I have established a personal philosophy of diagnosis and treatment—a philosophy I share with you in the next section.