| By :
Adrianna Noton
Orthodontics is the medical practice of teeth and facial bone structure alignment. Practitioners in this area of work undertake reconstructive procedures on people with a variety of mis-alignments. This can be either for medical reasons or just aesthetics on the part of the patient. Orthodontic courses are mostly a sub specialization of dentistry. A degree in dental studies is only awarded after one has learnt an array of different skills. Knowledge of the human anatomy is crucial. Not only the anatomy of the head and the oral region, but of the full body. This is because all procedures that happen in the mouth and facial areas affect the body in one way or another. Another basic study area in which one must gain competence is human physiology and biochemistry. These give one an idea of exactly how the human body works and responds to things such as infections. Once one has a grasp of these, deeper studies then follow. A detailed grasp of oral biology and microbiology, oral pathology and concepts in pharmacology is essential. Other things to include here are surgery, both general and dental, internal medicine and skills in diagnostic imaging. These are very vital to the practice. These and other important concepts have been learnt to the satisfaction of the examining bodies. A dental degree can then be awarded. This degree is a basic requirement in most countries for one to be able to master in orthodontic studies. It is however good to note that some countries offer the latter as a stand alone degree. In this case, one can still master in the same. This time, the level of learning is more specific. Different countries have different ways of course delivery. Some require one to be a resident for two to three years. In this period, one learns the theoretical and practical concepts of the course. Being a resident means that one studies and works at a hospital. They are therefore on call all the time except during recess. This provides them with a chance to focus and concentrate fully into mastering the practice. After residency is done a second course follows. The qualified resident needs to belong in a consulting body known as a fellowship. This undertaking requires one to practice under full supervision for about two years. The consulting body is allocated the responsibility of criticizing the student's methodology and evaluating whether their skills are up to standard. When the period expires, the almost qualified student has one more hurdle. It is required that they sit a fellowship test paper. Passing this exam qualifies them for full practice. It is imperative to note that the above qualification procedure applies to both junior dentists and their orthodontist counterparts. Even after qualifying, the physicians are encouraged to engage in many skill enhancement ventures. Extensive research and cutting edge technology in the field has led to the creation of a lot of new information. These medical practitioners are urged to constantly engage in these research activities and learn of these technologies. The sole reason for this is so that they do not render their orthodontic courses redundant by not keeping up. This will indeed make them better doctors.
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