Many orthodontic offices offer limited hours of 3 to 4 days a week, and the hours are usually 9 to 5.This can make it difficult to schedule an appointment that doesn't interrupt your work or school day. Your orthodontist should offer flexible hours that fit your scheduling needs. Orthodontists' and dentists' schedules are adjusted to holidays, vacations, events, and personal or staff scheduling needs. An orthodontist may open or close your business earlier than usual or close the business for a day, a week, or more.
For example, an orthodontist in a couple could double their workload or work longer hours outside their normal hours to replace a couple who gets sick or has an unexpected event in life, such as a funeral. Many orthodontists start their own businesses and work together with other doctors and staff. People who work in health centers tend to have clean, well-lit and comfortable offices. Work schedules are flexible and orthodontists can adjust their schedules to meet the needs of their patients and themselves.
This may involve working in the evenings and on the weekends. Full-time orthodontists typically work 35 to 40 hours a week. Some even continue to practice part-time after retiring. Orthodontists in partner offices who share equipment and staff can work hours that match or deviate from their partners' schedules, as space allows.
The typical working hours of orthodontists vary from office to office depending on a variety of factors. Uncontrollable factors, such as late arrivals, can limit the time the orthodontist spends with family and friends. For example, a new orthodontist trying to grow his business might work long hours every day, consistently putting in more than 40 hours a week. Orthodontists set office hours to treat existing patients, consult with potential patients, deal with providers, and conduct other business.
During these hours, orthodontists perform tasks that prepare them for work the same day and the next day, such as reviewing patients' medical records, returning calls or managing business management obligations, or catching up on work they couldn't finish. Orthodontists try to stay within their regular orthodontic hours by creating and enforcing office policies that allow them to have some control over the amount of work they do outside of office hours. To advance in orthodontics, orthodontists must be well aware of the latest developments in the field. An orthodontist can also work outside of business hours if the patient from the last appointment of the day is late or needs additional care.
To become an orthodontist, students must first have at least two years of college education or a science degree. Orthodontists may also be asked to design appliances such as retainers, wires for the lingual and lip arches, and space maintainers. Orthodontists are dentists with advanced training in the use of braces and invisalign devices to straighten teeth and provide patients with a perfect smile.
