Determining the Right Orthodontics Courses for Dental Practice Growth

As a dental professional interested in providing exceptional care and service, learning new information and skills is critical to your success and that of your patients. Orthodontic courses can help you enhance your skills and expand your dental services, resulting in more satisfying work, happier patients, and higher revenue.

Still, with so many courses available, how do you know which one will best suit your current needs? In Part 1 of our three-part series on orthodontic courses for general dental practitioners, our educational experts will explain how.

Understanding Different Types of Orthodontics Courses

Your professional journey should be unlike that of your colleagues. Based on your specific practice goals, you will likely have different educational needs when learning about orthodontics. Consequently, courses are often split into different levels in order to cater to beginners, intermediate learners, or advanced practitioners.

Basic orthodontic courses usually focus on teaching you what you need to know to offer straight wire orthodontics, which will allow you to treat 70%-80% of orthodontic cases that come through your doors. You’ll learn how to diagnose and treat malocclusions, band and bracket teeth, incorporate orthodontics into your practice, and more.

The American Orthodontic Society also offers a Digital Aligner Bootcamp for busy professionals. In one weekend, you’ll learn how to diagnose, treat, and manage basic cases. You’ll walk away with the knowledge you need to expand your practice and move full speed ahead with adding orthodontics to your service selection.

There are also plenty of courses to choose from if you’ve completed a basic course and want to learn to treat more cases. This is a great way to check off yearly continuing education requirements at the same time.

An intermediate straight wire course, for example, will teach you all about how to treat Class III malocclusions, close spaces for extractions, torque and bend archwires, and reposition, distalize, or extract permanent molars.

Advanced courses cover adjunctive orthodontic procedures, such as orthognathic surgery principles, laser and electrosurgical techniques, and temporary anchorage devices. Additionally, some practitioners may be interested in specialty courses on pediatric care, clear aligners, and fixing patient issues related to DIY orthodontics.

Factors To Consider When Choosing a Course

The first factor to consider when choosing a course is your skill level. If you’re a beginner, plan on taking the foundational courses first to gain a basic understanding of orthodontics that will set you up for success later.

Once you’ve found the right course level, here are a few other things to think about when choosing orthodontic courses for general dentists.

Course Accreditation

Taking an accredited course will make sure you receive the continuing education credits you need to satisfy state licensing requirements. What’s more, accredited courses are usually synonymous with quality, which ensures that you’re well prepared to offer exceptional service and get amazing results for your patients.

Instructor Expertise

Orthodontics involves complex procedures, especially when you become an advanced practitioner. As such, it’s important to work with instructors who are experts in their fields. They should have extensive experience with diverse cases and be able to provide in-depth education and insightful feedback.

Course Curriculum

Take some time to review the curriculum and determine whether you’ll get all the information you need to start offering orthodontics in your practice or dive in with advanced techniques. Make sure the curriculum offers hands-on opportunities so you can gain confidence in your treatment practices.

Career Goals

A good rule of thumb is to take the courses that are most aligned with your career goals. Once you get to the advanced level, you’ll be able to sign up for specialty courses on a wide range of topics, such as clear aligners and transverse correction. Think about the services you want to offer most and select your courses accordingly.

Resources for Finding Courses

With so many courses available, finding reputable providers can be a challenge. Use the following credible resources to start your search:

• Professional associations: Professional organizations often offer in-person conferences and digital continuing educational content on a variety of topics.
• Dental schools: Some higher learning institutions with dental degrees and programs offer CE credits for attending their conferences and events.
• Continuing education platforms: Platforms like the American Orthodontic Society are dedicated to providing CE in various formats to meet your needs.

Remember to ask for information about accreditation before signing up for a course to make sure you’ll get your CE credits and learn from trustworthy experts.

Quality courses can help you achieve your professional goals.

High-quality general dentist orthodontics courses are of the highest importance if you want to add orthodontics to your practice, and they can double as continuing education for license maintenance. 

So take stock of your goals, assess the quality of the instruction you’re receiving, and confirm that you’re taking an accredited course. Once you’re sure you’ve chosen a solid course, check out the next piece in our series, which is intended to help you prepare for the successful completion of your orthodontic education.