About orthodontists
What is an orthodontist?
Every orthodontist is a dentist, but only a dentist who has completed specialist postgraduate training can call themselves an orthodontist.
The teaching of orthodontics for dentists focuses mainly on recognising orthodontic problems and simple interceptive treatments with removable braces.
The General Dental Council document 'The First Five Years' focuses the intended learning outcomes for dentists on gatekeeper skills.
Comprehensive orthodontic diagnosis, treatment planning and fixed appliance mechanics are only taught at postgraduate level, on recognised teaching programmes supervised by universities and the Royal College of Surgeons.
Entry to these courses is by national recruitment and is competitive, with approximately 30 places available each year in the UK. Successful completion of the course, after a minimum of three years, leads to the award of an MSc (University) and MOrth (Royal College of Surgeons) in orthodontics, and entry onto the orthodontic specialist list. Only then can a practitioner call themself an orthodontist.
See a specialist in the Borders.
Borders Orthodontics is led by a specialist orthodontist on the GDC Specialist List. Request a consultation or call the practice.