What’s the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist?

Every orthodontist is also fully qualified as a dentist, but not every dentist is an orthodontist. In fact most of them are not.

Although the law permits dentists to practice any area of dentistry that they like, including orthodontics, a dentist can only describe themselves as an orthodontist if they are registered on the orthodontic specialist list of the Dental Council of Ireland. This typically means that they:

1. Are fully qualified as a dentist
2. Are registered on the Dental Council’s register of dentists
3. Completed at least 3 years of full-time post-graduate study and training exclusively in orthodontics at an institution that is approved by the Dental Council for orthodontic training
4. Usually did research into orthodontics
5. Were examined by an approved university and awarded a Master’s degree
6. Then were further examined by a Royal College of Surgeons (or its equivalent abroad)
7. Were finally approved by the Dental Council for inclusion on the Orthodontic Division of its Register of Specialists