Why Dentists Should Offer Orthodontics in Their Practices
As a dentist, you might wonder whether general and pediatric dentists should practice orthodontics. It is a specialized skill that takes additional training to master as it is not something general dentists are proficient in once they complete their degree.
But dentists who practice orthodontics are like any other specialist. It all comes down to the education, training, and confidence of a dental clinician to provide high-quality care for their patients. While there is some debate about whether a general or pediatric dentist should treat orthodontic patients, there are numerous benefits to why a dentist should offer orthodontics.
1. Dentists understand their patients’ needs.
A general or pediatric dentist has a bond with their patients that extends several years, sometimes decades. Patients feel comfortable pursuing orthodontic treatment with their longtime dentist because orthodontics is not just about creating a straight smile.
Does an orthodontist evaluate for airway issues, sleep apnea, TMJ, tongue-ties, chronic clenching, and grinding? Maybe, but likely not all the time because it is not within their area of expertise. Not all orthodontists perform an occlusal analysis, which can change the trajectory of orthodontic outcome.
Extended training with Dr. Brad Williams’s general dentist orthodontic course can certainly help you learn to diagnose and treat orthodontic cases because you already have the general dental knowledge and can now apply new techniques.
2. With proper training, a dentist can effectively treat orthodontic cases.
With the right training, a general or pediatric dentist can perform orthodontics safely and effectively for patients. Dr. Williams’s Basic Straight Wire Orthodontics course is designed for dentists who want to incorporate orthodontics into their practices. It is not a one-time continuing education course but an ongoing, five-session course with follow-up opportunities like the Intermediate Straight Wire Orthodontics course.
Instructors are trained to work with dentists learning orthodontics, so everyone in the room has the same goal: to help dentists understand and learn the foundation of orthodontics so they can go back to their practices and confidently treat patients.
3. Standard of care is most important.
By signing up for a comprehensive orthodontic course with the American Orthodontic Society, a general or pediatric dentist can gain the knowledge, skills, and training necessary to properly treat their patients. By choosing a course with a solid background and dedicated instructors, it is possible for general and pediatric dentists to incorporate this into their practices.
Orthodontics is a field that requires long-term treatment that can span up to 24 months or more. This is why when you sign up to take a course with Dr. Williams, you receive long-term continuing education so that when you go back to your practice, you can meet all standards of quality care for your patients.
4. It expands the reach of care to underserved areas.
Enhancing dentists’ scopes of treatment expands patient care to reach many demographics that may have a lack of available dentists. When there are only a few (if any) dentists in a rural area, having a dentist who provides orthodontic treatment is beneficial for the entire community. This dentist could correct uneven bites, help people feel more confident, and create smiles that are more harmonious and comfortable for patients to eat and speak with. Without dentists performing orthodontics, these patients may not be able to get the care they need and deserve.
5. It encourages early preventive care.
General and pediatric dentists see their patients from a very early age and are fortunate to be able to monitor their oral health through their transitional dentition. When a general or pediatric dentist recommends an orthodontic consult for a crossbite or jaw discrepancy, the patient is more likely to feel comfortable with the dentist they see every year than a new provider.
Having a dentist provide pediatric orthodontics is one of the best ways to correct bite and spacing issues early on and prevent more challenging problems later on, like impacted teeth or permanent teeth needing extractions.
Williams GP Orthodontic Seminars will give you the skills and confidence to support your patients.
With proper training, most general dentists feel confident in providing orthodontic treatment to their patients. While orthodontic specialists are more skeptical, the truth is that as long as a provider is well trained and educated, they can confidently perform orthodontic treatment.
When you take an orthodontic course with Dr. Williams, you, too, can gain the knowledge and support network needed to provide the highest level of orthodontic care.
