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Role hub · Orthodontists

Orthodontist: what the job is, what it pays, and how to get hired.

The work, the skills that matter, the tools in demand and the pay range, from U.S. government data, plus every TryHired page for the role.

Maid DizdarevicCareer coach · 8x LinkedIn Top Voice
Updated Oct 24, 2026 · Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 · O*NET 31.0
Pay ladder · select a percentile
Median percentile pay

Half of orthodontists earn more than this and half earn less.

Annual
$289,140
Hourly
$139.01
Source
BLS May 2025
Quick answer

Orthodontists examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. The median pay is $289,140 a year ($139.01 an hour) (BLS, May 2025). The most commonly reported education requirement is post-doctoral training (69% of workers surveyed by O*NET).

Median pay
$289,140
BLS May 2025
Employed in the U.S.
6,210
BLS May 2025
Preparation
Job Zone 5 of 5
extensive preparation
Most common education
Post-Doctoral Training
69% of workers
Explore the role

Every page for Orthodontists

How to becomeOrthodontist how to become

Education, training and the skills to build first.

Open →Interview questionsOrthodontist interview questions

Questions with what they test, plus practice mode.

Open →Free toolCheck your resume

Parsed text, evidence per bullet, fixes first.

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The work

What orthodontists do day to day

Data Core tasks rated most important by workers in the role (O*NET).

  1. Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
  2. Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
  3. 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.
  4. Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
  5. Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
  6. Provide patients with proposed treatment plans and cost estimates.
  7. Advise patients to comply with treatment plans.
  8. Prepare diagnostic and treatment records.
Skills that matter

Ranked by importance to the job

Data O*NET importance ratings. The first three are core.

Complex Problem SolvingcoreActive ListeningcoreSpeakingcoreCritical ThinkingMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessCoordinationReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision Making

Knowledge areas: Medicine and Dentistry, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Biology, Computers and Electronics, Mathematics.

Tools and technology

Software orthodontists use

Data Examples reported for the role; employer demand flags from O*NET.

  • FacebookWeb page creation and editing softwareHot technology
  • Adstra Systems ADSTRA ManagementMedical software
  • Advance Ortho Systems Program DirectorMedical software
  • Algorithm Compu-CephMedical software
  • American Orthodontics Compu-CephGraphics or photo imaging software
  • American Orthodontics Photo-EzeGraphics or photo imaging software
  • Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions Dolphin ManagementMedical software
  • FYI Technologies Dr. CephGraphics or photo imaging software
  • FYI Technologies Dr. ViewGraphics or photo imaging software
  • GAC International OrthoPlexGraphics or photo imaging software
  • ICE Dental SystemsMedical software
  • IMS Specialty Services IMS Digital OfficeMedical software

Also called: Board Certified Orthodontist, Orthodontic Dentist, Orthodontic Specialist, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Specialist, Orthodontics Doctor.

Method

How this page is built

Tasks, skills, tools, education and related roles come from O*NET 31.0. Pay and employment come from the BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The skill-match score is our calculation: Skill match is the correlation between the two occupations' skill profiles: for each of 35 O*NET skills (10 essential, 25 transferable) we multiply importance by level, subtract the average across all occupations, and correlate the two profiles. 100 means identical shape; 0 or below means unrelated. Only occupations that O*NET itself lists as related are compared.

What this page can't tell you
  • How a specific employer defines the job.
  • Pay for self-employed workers (OEWS covers employees).
  • Your own chances: data describes the occupation, not you.
Sources
  1. O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).