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Becoming An Orthodontist

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Science has proven that a simple act of smiling can lift your mood, lower stress, boost your immune system, and could possibly even prolong your life. A smile induces a chemical reaction in your brain that releases certain chemicals, including dopamine, which is known to make you happy. Becoming a licensed Orthodontist takes a lot of work and requires specific education. Overall an orthodontist make sure you have that extraordinary smile. Their primary job is to properly align the teeth and ensure that the patient’s facial structure properly grows. The benefits of Orthodontics can drastically improve someone’s appearance, increase confidence, and aids in food chewing and digestion. It can take up to ten or more years of education after …show more content…

Once admitted, students usually complete the program in four years, after which, they receive an additional three years of specialized orthodontic training. “The majority of states require orthodontists to be licensed. The licensure process involves getting a degree from an accredited dental school and passing the National Board Dental Examinations” (Orthodontist Job Description) An Orthodontist can start out by working as an associate of an established dentist, but with experience they may establish their own Orthodontic practices. According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics, employment of an orthodontist is expected to grow by 20% between 2010 and 2020 which is an increase of approximately 1,800 jobs in a ten-year span of time. “ According to the American Association of Orthodontists, out of 100 dental school graduates, only six go on to become orthodontists”(Santiago). As of May 2012 the states with the highest concentration of orthodontist jobs in the occupation were in Indiana, Illinois, and New Jersey. “an orthodontist’s salary can range anywhere from $65,000 to $650,000 annually, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the mean annual wage of an orthodontist is roughly $186,000”

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