Optional · 1 of 2

Credentials and skills that open doors

• Board certification

  The American Board of Orthodontics runs a voluntary certification with a written exam and a review of cases you actually treated. It is a mark of quality, not a license.

• Clear aligner systems

  Digital scanning and aligner planning are now a large share of the work. Learn them in residency if you can.

• Surgical orthodontics

  Preparing patients for jaw surgery alongside an oral surgeon. Complex cases, higher fees.

• Cleft and craniofacial teams

  Hospital-based work with children born with cleft lip and palate. Usually a university or teaching hospital job.