All of our Orthodontists started life as high street dentists after graduating with a 5 year degree in Dentistry.
Orthodontics is separated from general Dentistry due to its sheer complexity and difficulty to learn. Use of the title “Orthodontist” is protected by the General Dental Council in the UK and consequently the road to qualification is long and very difficult.
Becoming an Orthodontist involves leaving high street Dentistry behind completely and moving into Hospital Dentistry to gain a breadth of experience in more complex treatments and disciplines such as Maxillofacial Surgery. Eligibility for application onto an Orthodontic training course is possible after a minimum of two years working in hospital, but entry is fiercely competitive and it often takes a few attempts to get through the entry process. When successful, candidates undertake another 3 years of full time training, combined with a Masters Degree completed at a nearby Dental School. At this point gruelling exams are taken, which when passed allow the individual to use the term ‘Orthodontist’ and enter onto the General Dental Council specialist list.
The quickest it is possible to become an orthodontist is ten years in total, however some orthodontists go on to undertake even more further training to become a Consultant in Orthodontics working with extremely complex problems in Hospital departments locally.
As a result, at Newport Orthodontic Centre we don’t believe that a high street dentist learning tooth straightening in a weekend course is good enough. Come and see the specialists.