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Orthodontics/Orthodontology

Types of Degrees Orthodontics/Orthodontology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Orthodontics/Orthodontology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	323

What Orthodontics/Orthodontology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Orthodontics/Orthodontology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Orthodontics/Orthodontology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Orthodontics/Orthodontology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Orthodontics/Orthodontology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Developing and Building Teams	4.0 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Working with Computers	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Orthodontics/Orthodontology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Kodak Dental Systems Kodak ORTHOWARE	Medical software	—
EZappt	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Solutions by Design ScreenPlay	Medical software	—
American Orthodontics Photo-Eze	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Innovative Software Inn-Soft Office Manager	Medical software	—
Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions Dolphin Management	Medical software	—
Patient management software	Medical software	—
GAC International OrthoPlex	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
FYI Technologies Dr. View	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Ortho Computer Systems ViewPoint	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates include:

• Pediatric Orthodontist
• Orthodontic Treatment Coordinator
• Orthodontic Specialist
• Orthodontist
• Orthodontics Doctor
• Board Certified Orthodontist
• Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Specialist
• Invisible Braces Orthodontist
• Orthodontic Dentist
• Dentofacial Orthopedics Dentist
• Doctor
• Dental Treatment Coordinator
• Occupational Therapy Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Aides Teacher
• Physical Therapy Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Post-doctoral training	50.9%
Doctoral degree	16.7%
Master’s degree	13.0%
Bachelor’s degree	6.2%
Postsecondary certificate	6.0%
First professional degree	4.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Orthodontics/Orthodontology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 59.8% women and 40.2% men among Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	193	59.8%
Men	130	40.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	171	52.9%
Asian	56	17.3%
Hispanic or Latino	27	8.4%
Black or African American	11	3.4%
Two or More Races	12	3.7%
Race Unknown	14	4.3%
International Students	32	9.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Orthodontics/Orthodontology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$209,489
4 years	$191,956
5 years	$225,886

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $225,886 — roughly 8% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Orthodontics/Orthodontology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates earn a median of $191,956 four years after completion — roughly 405% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences	51.05
Advanced General Dentistry	51.0502
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	51.0599
Dental Clinical Sciences, General	51.0501
Dental Materials	51.0505
Dental Public Health and Education	51.0504
Digital Dentistry	51.0512
Endodontics/Endodontology	51.0506
Geriatric Dentistry	51.0513
Implantology/Implant Dentistry	51.0514
Oral Biology and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology	51.0503
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery	51.0507

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.