Dentofacial Orthopediatrician - Career Profile |
Career OverviewThe job of a dentofacial orthopediatrician is very important in helping children that have been born or have developed any significant malformations of the face due to deformations of the teeth and jaws.
The dentofacial orthopediatrician needs to consider all the aspects of the patient’s features in order to make the correct adjustments to the teeth and jaws to correct any malformations and allow the child to have the properly proportioned face.
Some of the problems that can be eliminated by a dentofacial orthopediatrician include:
- Cleft palate or lip
- Sleep apnea
- Receding upper or lower jaws
- Chin deformities
- Craniofacial and maxillofacial deformities
- Lack of symmetry between upper and lower jaws
The conditions may be hereditary or be conditions that have occurred since birth or they may be conditions that have developed due to disease or an accident or trauma to the face and jaw. The dentofacial orthopediatrician works exclusively with children to correct these issues. This means that the dentofacial orthopediatrician must consider the stage of growth that the child is in to make the necessary adjustments.
The dentofacial orthopediatrician may recommend surgical procedures in conjunction with braces, retainers or other dental procedures in conjunction with plastic surgery and therapy. Usually the dentofacial orthopediatrician works as part of the treatment team but may often take a leading role in organizing the team and facilitating the treatment plan.
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Career RequirementsAll professionals working in the dental field must be licensed through the State that they work in. They must pass the National Board Dental Examinations at the end of their training to obtain a license.
The dental program requires at least 2 years of college education and then completion of the 4-year dental program. The American Dental Association recognizes 56 schools across the United States that are certified to teach the program, supervise internships and provide examinations on both a written and practical level.
The last 2 years of the 4-year program the dentist in training works under the direct guidance of a school managed dental clinic to allow hands on experience working with a variety of types of conditions and dental problems.
After completing the educational component as well as the practical application, writing all exams and passing with the required grade the candidate will be awarded either a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD
(Doctor of Dental Medicine).
Dentofacial orthopediatrician also complete additional training on various aspects of surgery and facial and dental reconstruction as well as orthodontics.
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Job OutlookThe United States Department of Labor reports that the dental job outlook will continue to maintain a steady level through to 2014. A significant amount of the new positions will be created when current dentists and specialists such as dentofacial orthopediatricians retire in the upcoming years.
This trend is fairly consistent with new dentofacial orthopediatricians either starting their own practice or buying existing practices from retiring dentists. There is also the possibility for dentofacial orthopediatricians to work within hospital and other long-term care settings.
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Career TrackAfter completing education, training and gaining some experience most dentofacial orthopediatricians either go into private practice or work with a group of dentists and other medical professionals to provide a team approach for patient care.
Some dentofacial orthopediatricians may choose to return as instructors at universities and dental schools or may even decide to work with dentofacial orthopediatricians in training.
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CompensationA dentofacial orthopediatrician that is just starting out in working for and with other dentists will earn an average income of $129,000. With continued experience and obtaining an private practice the dentofacial orthopediatrician often earns in excess of $200,000 depending on their location and level of expertise.
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