What Personality Traits Are Necessary to Be an Orthodontist?
Orthodontists are dentists who specialize in straightening crooked teeth using devices, such as braces, to move teeth into proper placement. They fix gaps in teeth, overbites, underbites and other dental maladies involving the teeth, jaw and facial muscles. Orthodontists receive an additional two years of training after graduating from dental school. Only about 6 percent of all dentists are orthodontists, due to competition and selectivity, according to Newhart Orthodontics. It takes certain personality traits to be an orthodontist.
Orthodontists are in the business of making people feel good and look good through perfecting the function and appearance of their teeth, so orthodontists should appreciate beauty, aesthetics and looking good. This trait allows them to see the possibilities for their patients' smiles, so that they can be improved and patients can feel better about themselves, especially in social situations. Having a love of physical beauty and the desire to help people helps orthodontists to visualize the final outcome of their work.
Orthodontists deal exclusively with patients who have a concern about their physical appearance. As such, the personality trait of sensitivity is extremely helpful in making their patients feel more comfortable. A certain level of embarrassment might come with having to talk to the orthodontist about what's wrong with the appearance of their teeth, so patients are reassured and soothed by the sensitivity and kindness an orthodontist displays toward his patients as he seeks solutions to correct their smiles.
Orthodontists deal with extremely minute details such as measurements of spacing between teeth, length or width of a tooth, color and shape. The tiniest adjustment to the teeth, such as in pressure applied, can make a huge difference in the outcome of the patient's general appearance or ability to comfortably speak, smile, bite and chew -- so orthodontists must have a personality that is highly focused on details. They must also be perfectionists by nature, so that every detail is adjusted as many times as necessary to the patient's liking.
Being an orthodontist requires patience, because it can often take very long periods of time before the dentist's work can manifest into a a successful outcome. Patients must return periodically for the orthodontist to make subtle and gradual adjustments, so it takes patience to wait for these adjustments in teeth, jaws and facial structure to take hold so that everything is in proper alignment.
2016 Salary Information for Dentists
Dentists earned a median annual salary of $158,390 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, dentists earned a 25th percentile salary of $110,030, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $201,830, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 153,500 people were employed in the U.S. as dentists.
- American Association of Orthodontists: Why You Should See an Orthodontist
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dentists - Important Qualities
- Newhart Orthodontics: Becoming an Orthodontist (PDF)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dentists
- Career Trend: Dentists
Anna Windermere started her writing and editing career in 1993, upon graduating from the University of Florida's esteemed journalism school with a bachelor's in journalism. Ms. Windermere, a senior-level copy editor, has appeared in mastheads of newspapers and magazines as copy chief, writer and proofreader, including "Sun-Sentinel," "Miami Herald," "City Link," "New Times," "NewBeauty," "Luxe," "Florida Alligator," "Orange & Blue," and more.