Admission and Completion

• You can only apply for a specialist orthodontic degree after completing your DDS or DMD degree as a general dentist. Orthodontic coursework can take two or three additional years of study. At the end of the schooling, you must take and pass a board exam set by the College of Dentists before you can become a practicing orthodontist.
  
  

Dental Degree Coursework

• If you know during your DDS or DMD that you may be interested in orthodontics later, you should opt for preparatory orthodontic coursework, which is available to you from year two of your course. Courses vary by school, but may include patient simulation workshops and orthodontic case presentations. You will also have the opportunity during your third and fourth years to complete orthodontic rotations during the clinical portion of your studies.
  
  

Post-Graduate Coursework

• Coursework in your two to three-year postgraduate period will include education on how to manage tooth movement and on how to guide facial development. You will take courses in craniofacial anatomy and orthodontic theory. Orthodontic courses are intensely clinical, and you will observe and assist in a wide variety of orthodontic procedures. You will also be expected to be able to diagnose and classify orthodontic patients and take part in long-term treatment planning. The coursework leads to an MS degree.
  
  

Places of Study

• In order to complete coursework for an orthodontic specialty degree, you should choose a school that's accredited by the American Association of Orthodontists. There's at least one in each state, and some states have multiple accredited schools. The AAO has a list of accredited schools on its website.
  
  

Certification

• You can further enhance your career prospects by taking a voluntary certification exam from the American Board of Orthodontics. This involves a written exam, followed by a presentation of treated cases to be evaluated by the examiners. You must retake this certification exam at set intervals to maintain your board certified status. Employment for orthodontists is projected to increase by 20 percent by 2018, one of the fastest rates of growth of any dental specialty.