<p>hi, im thinking of becoming an orthodonist…i have some questions:</p>
<li>What major do you need?</li>
<li>How long do you need to go to school for?</li>
<li>What are some good colleges that specialize in orthodontistry?</li>
<li>What classes should I be taking in high school now to prepare?</li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>i'm guessing orthodontisty (is it?) is a branch of dentistry , so i'm guessing you go to dental school. dentists generally take the same route that pre-meds do, you can major in whatever you want (just make sure its not too hard so you can get the good gpa, but make sure its not too wishy washy).</p>
<p>but you'll need to take (these are pre-med requirements so maybe something will be slightly different).</p>
<p>1 year of calculus
1 year gen chem
1 year organic chemistry
1 year general physics
1 year intro bio course.</p>
<p>if you've tested out of one or more of these, you need to take an equivalent version (like takin the next seq)</p>
<p>by year i mean 2 semesters</p>
<p>hdotchar is essentially correct. Orthodontics is a specialty of Dentistry. It is fairly competitive, so you need to graduate near the top of your dental school class to get into a program (which school doesn't matter very much). The orthodontics specialty program is generally 2-3 years. In addition, many students do a general practice residency or private practice prior to entering their ortho program. Unlike medicine, it is not unusual for someone who has been in practice for a while to go back and specialize.</p>
<p>Besides the pre-med courses undergrad, it is advantageous to demonstrate manual dexterity, usually through a hobby. A good GPA is paramount, particularly in the sciences. The DATs are similar to the MCATs, but also test perceptual spatial abilities.</p>
<p>Audiophile, DMD</p>