Orthodontist Schooling Requirements

Orthodontics requires more education and training than general dentistry.

An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in correcting crooked teeth and treating facial alignment using methods such as braces, retainers and headgear. The position requires further education and training than general dentistry, and according to PayScale.com, it pays from $90,000 to $164,848 per year in the United States, as of 2009.

High School

In order to pursue graduate and post-graduate studies in dentistry and orthodontics, you must receive a high school diploma.

Undergraduate

You must complete an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. Although there are no specific requirements on the exact degree you must achieve in order to apply for a graduate degree in dentistry, you must take a certain number of classes in biology, chemistry and physics.

Graduate

You must complete a three- to four-year graduate degree at a dental school in order to achieve either a DDS (doctor of dental surgery) or a DMD (doctor of dental medicine).

Residency

You must complete at least a two-year residency program accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA). These programs are intensely competitive and will provide the specialty training required to be an orthodontist.

Continuing Education

Once you have become an orthodontist, you will need to take a certain number of continuing education courses every year in order to maintain your license. These courses will keep you up to date on new treatments and diseases in the field.