How to Become An Orthodontist In South Africa

An orthodontist is a dentist that specializes in the treatment of teeth alignment. They diagnose various dental conditions including the misalignment of jaws and teeth, overbite, occlusions and overcrowded mouths

What does an orthodontist do?

Orthodontics is a specialty in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of teeth misalignment. Orthodontic treatment is usually focused on repositioning the teeth through traditional methods such as metal braces and Invisalign

What qualifications should an orthodontist have?

An orthodontist must first complete a 5 year dental undergraduate programme at a university dental school. After a few years of clinical practice and acquiring higher qualifications (F.D.S. or M.F.D.S.) they apply to attend a three year full time orthodontic specialist training programme, which leads to the M. Orth.

Is it hard to become an orthodontist?

In all, it’s about 10-11 years of schooling after high school. With no breaks in the educational process, one can expect to finish school and be an orthodontist at around age 28-30. In reality, the process of becoming an orthodontist is actually more difficult than you might expect.

Below are steps to Become An Orthodontist In South Africa

Earn high GCSE and A-level grades

As dentistry is a highly competitive career field, it can be helpful to have strong GSCE and A-level grades. This is because having good grades for GCSE and A-levels can increase your chances of being admitted to the university you want to attend by setting you apart from other candidates who might have lower grades.

To pursue dentistry, and eventually orthodontics, you typically need at least five GCSE’s that include English, maths and science and at least three A-levels from grades AAA to BBB.

Attend dentistry school

With strong grades, you can apply to the dentistry school of your choice and earn a Bachelor of Dental Surgery. A bachelor’s degree in dental surgery usually takes five years to complete. While attending dental school, you can learn about the basics of dentistry as well as more advanced medical and clinical concepts that relate to working in the field.

To provide students with a complete education and adequate preparation for professional work, most dentistry programs involve a combination of rigorous classroom learning and practical application in clinical settings.

Here are some subjects you might study while earning a bachelor’s in dental surgery:

Biology

Oral biology

Biochemistry

Anatomy

Physiology

Gain professional experience as a dentist

One of the most important steps in becoming an orthodontist is building professional experience in the dental field.

This is because working as a dentist can provide aspiring orthodontists with training through practical application that they can use to inform their practises once they start working as orthodontists.

For example, dentists frequently perform examinations of patients’ teeth to identify inconsistencies or irregular tooth placement, which are conditions that an orthodontist can respond to.

Consider a higher degree

While earning a postgraduate degree can be voluntary for aspiring orthodontists, having a master’s degree can greatly increase your chances of being accepted into a high-quality training program.

This is because most candidates for orthodontic specialization choose to pursue master’s degrees in clinical dentistry to build more expertise in concepts and best practices that relate to working as an orthodontist.

Essential skills for an orthodontist

An orthodontist can benefit from having strong technical skills in orthodontics and excellent soft skills that can contribute to their work.

For example, orthodontists typically need effective communication skills to share updates with patients and make sure that all orthodontists, technicians and other professionals in an orthodontist office are informed about any updates that might occur. Here are a few more skills that an orthodontist might need to succeed in their career:

Compassion

Patience

Active listening

Communication

Delegation skills when working with dental assistants

The ability to work and communicate with children and teenagers, as they are the majority of orthodontics patients

The ability to explain complex concepts in popular terms

The desire to always keep up to date with the latest industry developments and to apply them to patients

Work environment for an orthodontist

Orthodontists usually work full-time hours in clinical settings. Many orthodontists work at dental practices or orthodontist offices, but it can also be common for an orthodontist to open their own practice.

An orthodontist who runs their own practice can set their own working hours, organise their own schedule and determine the type of services their practice offers.

What does an orthodontist do?

Orthodontists work with dental assistants and other professionals to identify and solve dental issues. They administer a wide range of treatments to align jaws, fix misaligned bites, straighten crooked teeth and cure some forms of sleep apnea. Some of their daily responsibilities may include:

Examining dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies

Realigning or straightening teeth and jaws by using orthodontic retainers and braces

Fitting patients for different orthodontic fixtures

Communicating with patients regarding ongoing orthodontic care and explaining methods for good oral hygiene and health

Performing diagnostic tests to determine which oral treatment options are best

Scheduling appointments with patients to tighten braces, track patient progress and make adjustments to orthodontic appliances

Where can I study to become an orthodontist in South Africa?

WHERE CAN YOU STUDY TO BECOME A DENTIST IN SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences Offers: Masters of Health Sciences. Dental Technology, Higher Certificate. …

University of the Western Cape. Faculty of Dentistry Offers: Bachelors of Oral Hygiene,

What subjects are needed to become an orthodontist in South Africa?

The following basic subjects are required; for Orthodontics (Anatomy 871, Physiology 806); for Periodontics and Oral Medicine (Anatomy 873, Physiology 806, General pathology 808 and Oral biology 800) and for Prosthodontics (Anatomy 874, Physiology 806 and Oral biology 800.

What qualifications do u need to be an orthodontist in South Africa ?

How many years do you study to be an orthodontist in South Africa ?

It typically takes a total of 10 to 11 years before they are certified and licensed to practice; that’s about four years at an accredited undergraduate school, four years at an accredited dental school and two to three years in an accredited orthodontics residency program.

What do orthodontists earn in South Africa?

You can find the complete list here. Salaries were based on a combination of Payscale, Mywage and StatsSA data.
…
10 least stressful jobs worldwide.

Occupation	Stress level (out of 100)	Average annual salary (rands)
Orthodontist	67	R520 000
Optometrist	70	R240 000
Civil engineer	71	R330 000
Nuclear engineer	73	R480 000

Is it hard to get into dental school in South Africa?

Choosing somewhere to do dentistry in South Africa can be a difficult due to the specificity of the qualification. Studying dentistry is not offered at many higher education institutions in South Africa, with available courses only found in the Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal and Gauteng.

What is a dentist salary in South Africa?

Dentist Average Salary

The average salary for a Dentist in SA is R 731 920 gross per year (R 60 990 gross per month), which is 159% higher than the South Africa’s national average salary. Salary Range: a Dentist can expect an average starting salary of R 455 390. The highest salaries can exceed R 1 870 000.

How much does it cost to study dentistry in South Africa?

The average cost of dental courses in South Africa is R15,000 per year.