Apart from standard dental care that corrects problems like cavities and gum diseases, there is another field that concentrates on rectifying a poor bite. This is the specialization of orthodontics. A bad bite my result from teeth that are do not grow evenly or jaws that do not lock appropriately.
Another sub branch in this field is dentofacial orthopedics that is concerned with correcting the facial structure around the mouth. There are also orthodontists who undertake full face reconstructing as well as work on teeth. The entry to all these options is successfully taking orthodontic courses.
In every country, there are stipulations about the training an orthodontist must have in order to get a license and be registered. Broadly speaking, a first or basic prerequisite is a bachelor dentistry degree before being allowed to specialize. Post graduate studies that last for 2 or 3 years can then be taken that lead one to the specialist qualifications.
When these credentials are attained, the next step is submitting an application to the body that is charged with overseeing dental training. For instance, in the US, the Commission on Dental Accreditation has this mandate.
In the UK, the post graduate course takes 3 years after obtaining the first degree. Completing this gets one membership at the Royal College. Study continues for another 2 years where training is offered to consultancy level. A fellowship examination is then taken at the same college for the consultancy credentials.
In Asia, India is recognized as a leading orthodontics training center. It is offered in a master of dental surgery course. This has to be preceded by qualifying for a bachelor of dental surgery degree. It takes a total of 10 years to take both these courses in all the dental training colleges in India. Dental training is overseen by the Dental Council of India.
In addition to training that gives one credentials that allow them to practice, there are continuous education programs for those in the practice. Some are organized by non profit bodies whose mission is to uphold and improve the standards of orthodontics. One such body is the Academy of GP Orthodontics of US. They bring members together to share their experiences and to discuss anything new in the field.
This and other bodies also organize courses for their members where they get to attend to real patients in a setting akin to that of a standard clinic. They take care of patients from diagnosing the problem, coming up with a treatment plan and carrying out the plan. In the US, courses are held in various states including to neighbor countries like Canada.
Courses are also offered in the form of seminars. This will usually be concerned with bringing attendees advancements in the field as they come up such as new techniques and treatment methods. As medical research is always ongoing in every field, there is always something new. An example is the recent University of Minnesota development of software the greatly cuts down on the need for human input in forming a treatment plan. Typically, a seminar to showcase this will be organized with a short course into how the program works. As is the case in every field of medicine, continuous education is vital. The same goes for orthodontist courses.
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