No. All orthodontists must be licensed to practice, but at this time only 1 in 3 orthodontists have continued on to become a board certified orthodontist. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) certification process signifies a unique achievement—a significant step beyond the years of advanced education required to become a specialist in orthodontics.
Board certification is a voluntary achievement that most orthodontists do not choose to pursue. In order to become board certified by the ABO, an individual orthodontist is thoroughly interviewed by a highly respected panel of examiners to demonstrate their orthodontic knowledge, clinical skills and judgment. The orthodontist must demonstrate actual accomplishments in patient care with detailed case reports on the treatment provided for a broad range of patient problems.
One. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) is the only certifying board in the specialty that is recognized by the American Dental Association. The ABO was founded in 1929 and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. The board’s purpose is to elevate the quality of orthodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education and professional collaboration.
Successful completion of the examination process demonstrates the orthodontist’s commitment to excellence. It represents a commitment by a specialist that he/she has the necessary knowledge and skills to provide patients with the highest standards of care. It also exemplifies a practitioner’s ongoing commitment to continue to keep abreast of the latest advances in patient care.
Since the establishment of the ABO in 1929, the certification process requirements have continued to adjust to the demands of the specialty. Today, the process involves a thorough Written Examination (240 questions) covering all areas of information which an orthodontist should be knowledgeable. Successful completion of this “board exam” allows the orthodontist to proceed to the Clinical Examination where they present detailed case reports from their practice/residency, demonstrating a history of excellence in patient care. These cases are evaluated by a panel of examiners and later discussed during an oral examination where the applicant is tested on a wide variety of academic and clinical topics. After successful completion of these examinations, the orthodontist has officially achieved Board Certification, for a time-limited period. The orthodontist must go through Certification Renewal every 10 years to maintain their certification status by demonstrating this continued level of patient care.
