What makes an orthodontist different from a dentist?

All orthodontists are dentists, but only about 3-4 % of dentists in Hong Kong are orthodontists. An orthodontist is a dentist who has advance training to specialize in correcting malformation of the teeth and jaws. Orthodontists must first attend a 5-year undergraduate dental program at the University to become dentists. They must then gain additional qualifications (Master of Orthodontics) and further supervised training to satisfy the requirements of the Hong Kong Dental Council to become orthodontists. The training time for an orthodontist in Hong Kong is a minimum of 6 years after becoming a dentist.