Continuing Education: 5 Reasons Orthodontics Courses Are a Must for General Dentists

How Ortho CE Courses Propel Your Dental Career

Continuing education is a vital part of your career as a dentist. Not only is it necessary to meet licensing requirements, but it also provides practical advantages, not to mention a sense of progress and fulfillment. Orthodontics courses, in particular, have much to offer for general dentists and can drive progress both for your career and your practice.

Here are 5 reasons to consider making orthodontics courses part of your continuing education journey.

1. Expanding Treatment Options

Pursuing orthodontics courses lets you expand your practice with additional treatment options. You’ll gain the skills and experience needed to offer a wider range of treatment options, including straight wire treatment.

Being able to provide both general and orthodontic care through your practice means you won’t have to refer patients to a specialist for most cases. Instead, they’ll enjoy comprehensive care under one roof. This is a top priority for many patients, especially growing families, choosing a new dental home.

Providing a broader selection of treatment options is also good for you and your team. The additional variety and the increased complexity and timeline involved in orthodontic care can make for a greater sense of fulfillment in your work.

2. Staying Competitive

Competing in the modern dental landscape can be a challenge. You can position your practice to remain competitive by developing your orthodontics skills. Offering orthodontic treatment services will differentiate your practice from others in your area, attracting more of your ideal patients.

Most prospective patients prefer practices that advertise comprehensive care options because it allows them to avoid the hassle of visiting multiple practitioners. As a result, you can build stronger relationships with your patients over time.

You can make orthodontic care options a focus of your marketing efforts to draw in more patients. Doing so will open the door to a substantial part of the market you didn’t have access to before. Not only will you be able to give your existing patients more options, but you’ll also grab the attention of those looking specifically for orthodontic care.

3. Enhancing Patient Care

Your patients stand to benefit significantly from your practice offering orthodontic treatment. But even if you don’t plan on adding those options to your practice, developing a solid foundation in orthodontic knowledge and skills will allow you to provide superior patient care.

For example, you’ll be better equipped to identify orthodontic issues and explain them to your patients. Those patients, in turn, will likely be more receptive to information and treatment plans coming from their trusted dentist rather than an outside specialist.

By tackling orthodontic care yourself, though, you improve the chances of your patients getting on board with the treatment they need.

Orthodontic care goes hand in hand with general dentistry, especially for families. Growing children are likely to need orthodontic care at some point, and they all require careful monitoring as they develop. Building your orthodontic skill set makes you more able to handle their needs.

4. Increasing Practice Revenue

Adding orthodontic treatment options to your practice opens the door to increased revenue in several key ways. For one, you’ll be able to attract more new patients, bringing in additional revenue from both general and orthodontic care. Developing a stronger patient base will also make your practice more resilient.

Your existing patient base is another source of new revenue streams. Rather than referring them to a specialist, you can handle their treatment in-house. Orthodontic treatment plans often provide better margins and take place over longer periods than general dental treatments, securing long-term patient commitment.

This can give your revenue a solid boost while also serving as an exceptional long-term plan. With a broader potential patient base and higher expected revenue per patient, you can grow your practice into a stronger, more secure business.

5. Strengthening Professional Expertise

The right orthodontic courses will enable you to move forward in your professional journey with a wealth of new skills and experiences.

Starting with basic orthodontics expands your repertoire to include an entirely new branch of dentistry. You can continue to progress over the years with additional classes to learn more advanced treatments and keep up with the latest technology.

Continuing to build your skills throughout your career helps build confidence and credibility. You’ll become a more respected figure within your profession while instilling greater confidence in patients considering your services. Rather than stagnating, your professional expertise will continue to reach new heights year after year.

Grow your practice with general dentist orthodontics courses.

Choosing orthodontic courses specifically for general dentists as your next continuing education goal will benefit you, your practice, and your patients in numerous ways.

The American Orthodontic Society provides a wide range of courses to support you at any stage in your journey. Browse our full course catalog today to find what works for you.