Orthodontists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-1023 · O*NET 29-1023.00
Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.
Orthodontists fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +4.4% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do orthodontists earn?
BLS does not publish a current median annual wage for orthodontists, which usually means the occupation is small, niche, or reported only as part of a broader category. For pay context, check the parent SOC group or O*NET's wage-by-state tables.
Is orthodontists a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for orthodontists is +4.4%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 5K positions in 2024 to 6K in 2034, a net change of 1K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What do orthodontists do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working orthodontists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
- 2.Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
- 3.Coordinate orthodontic services with other dental and medical services.
- 4.Advise patients to comply with treatment plans.
- 5.Design and fabricate appliances, such as space maintainers, retainers, and labial and lingual arch wires.
- 6.Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
- 7.Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
- 8.Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.
Top skills for orthodontists
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become orthodontist?
Becoming a orthodontist typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's, doctoral, or professional degree, plus state licensure or board certification depending on specialty. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Licensing requirements for orthodontists
Orthodontists are regulated at the state level in the United States. Practicing without a current license is not legal in most jurisdictions.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about orthodontists
What is the median salary for orthodontists?
BLS does not publish a current median wage for orthodontists as a standalone occupation.
Is orthodontists a growing career?
BLS projects +4.4% growth for orthodontists from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become orthodontist?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to orthodontists?
Related occupations within the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.