Orthodontist

Orthodontist

Duties and responsibilities: Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.

Salary: $208,000 median annual wage

Education: In order to become an orthodontist, students need to complete four years of dental school. Coursework in dental school includes anatomy, physiology and microbiology, as well as classes that apply more specifically to orthodontics, such as dental anatomy and occlusion, pediatric dentistry and dental materials.

Demand for profession: According to BLS, employment is expected to grow by 21% in a 10 year period(1800 new jobs).

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Reflection: I would not like to follow this career pathways because the oral cavity offers nothing that peaks my interest. Some people might have some really nasty teeth as well, and I wouldn’t want to deal with a patient who doesn’t ever brush their teeth. Lot’s of the times, the doctor has to deal with the patient looking at them for long periods of time, which can be very awkward at times. Other than that, they have a pretty nice salary, which can be tempting for many individuals(Not Me).