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Orthodontists

Under the title Orthodontists, workers examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. O*NET rates it as extensive preparation, which usually means graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. It leans on speaking, monitoring, and critical thinking. A regular part of the work is to diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities. With a code of IRC, this is mostly a job for people drawn to research, analysis and working through hard problems. Realistic interests also help, rated 5.6 out of 7. One core duty is to examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures. If you want research, analysis and working through hard problems, keep it on your list. If you need leading, persuading and making business decisions, it may feel thin.

What they do

Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.

Main tasks

  • Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
  • Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
  • Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.
  • Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
  • Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
  • Provide patients with proposed treatment plans and cost estimates.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Active Listening
  • Social Perceptiveness

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and monitoring.

May not suit you if

  • You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.5 out of 7 here.
  • You want to be working in the field within the next few years.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code IRC takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.

Preparation

Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Post-Doctoral Training. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Board Certified Orthodontist
  • Orthodontic Dentist
  • Orthodontic Specialist
  • Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Specialist
  • Orthodontics Doctor

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.