Orthodontics is one of the oldest specialty fields in dentistry. An orthodontic specialist completes three or four years of pre-dental university education, followed by four years of dental school, and an additional two years of specialty training and practice in a university or clinical setting. Proper orthodontic treatment requires a separate knowledge and skill from other dental fields. General dental education does include basic orthodontic information, however the additional two years of specialty education provides a basis for rendering the best orthodontic health care according to the latest scientific principles. -Billie Jo