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What is a board certified orthodontist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

Board-certified orthodontists are responsible for maintaining the smiles of the world. They make crooked teeth, overbites, and other teeth and jaw irregularities disappear, helping patients not only become more confident in their appearance but improve their dental health.

Of course, the board-certified orthodontist doesn't use a magic wand to make dental and jaw irregularities disappear. They use various orthodontic tools such as braces, retainers, and Invisalign to adjust patients' teeth. They make sure to communicate clearly with patients about treatment plans and at-home care, adapting treatment plans to the needs of each patient.

A board-certified orthodontist is different from a regular orthodontist because they receive additional certification from the American Board of Orthodontics. This is on top of the degree from a dental school and residency program that they had to complete to become an orthodontist. A board-certified orthodontist is someone who really, really cares about teeth.

ScoreBoard Certified OrthodontistUS Average
Salary
10.0

Avg. Salary $217,108

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.8

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 17.66%

Black or African American 3.04%

Hispanic or Latino 8.96%

Unknown 3.23%

White 66.88%

Gender

female 59.42%

male 40.58%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
8.8

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
9.4

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Board certified orthodontist career paths

Key steps to become a board certified orthodontist

  1. Explore board certified orthodontist education requirements

    Most common board certified orthodontist degrees

    Bachelor's

    41.4 %

    Doctorate

    20.2 %

    Master's

    14.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific board certified orthodontist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients53.82%
    Rehabilitation17.85%
    EMR6.09%
    Patient Care5.75%
    Internal Medicine4.71%
  3. Research board certified orthodontist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage Invisalign treatments and procedures.
    • Implement various techniques, including EMDR and the MBTI, to help clients resolve issues
    • Provide pastoral/spiritual care to patients and/or families under direction of mentoring chaplains during training.
    • Work alongside physicians to provide a holistic care to patients and participates in various interdisciplinary meetings.
  4. Prepare your board certified orthodontist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your board certified orthodontist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a board certified orthodontist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable board certified orthodontist resume templates

    Build a professional board certified orthodontist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your board certified orthodontist resume.
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
    Board Certified Orthodontist Resume
  5. Apply for board certified orthodontist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a board certified orthodontist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first board certified orthodontist job

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Average board certified orthodontist salary

The average board certified orthodontist salary in the United States is $217,108 per year or $104 per hour. Board certified orthodontist salaries range between $131,000 and $357,000 per year.

Average board certified orthodontist salary
$217,108 Yearly
$104.38 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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