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Orthodontists and dentists are often portrayed as completing the same tasks and, in some cases, they do, but they are different in many ways as well. Take this quiz to see if you can tell the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist.

  1. True or False: A dentist cleans teeth. While orthodontists might give that illusion, it is the dentists that do the cleaning and whitening.
  1. True or False: An orthodontist checks a patient’s general oral health. That job belongs to the dentist. The orthodontist’s job is to simply follow up with that consultation and evaluate the patient for braces.
  1. True or False: A dentist has specialized education beyond dental school. A dentist goes to two years of dental school following four years at a college/University. Only orthodontists have specialized education to perform orthodontic procedures.
  1. True or False: Orthodontists have expert knowledge of new emerging trends. As part of an orthodontist’s education, he has to keep up with new trends as soon as they are made public.