Board Certified Orthodontist
The American Board of Orthodontics is sponsored by the American Association of Orthodontists and is recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards as the national certifying board for Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.
The ABO sets the standard for the highest level of patient care and promotes excellence in orthodontics for all of its certified orthodontists. As a specialty board, we serve to protect the orthodontic specialty and encourage orthodontists to achieve certification, demonstrating their commitment to lifelong learning and excellent care.
What is a Board Certified Orthodontist?
ABO Board Certification is a voluntary credential that represents an orthodontist’s personal and public commitment to the standards of specialty practice and lifelong learning. The ABO Certification process requires the completion of peer-developed, externally validated written and clinical examinations. A Board Certified Orthodontist has reached this level of achievement by pursuing additional voluntary education and ongoing self- assessment.
Are all orthodontists Board Certified?
No. All orthodontists must be licensed to practice, however, not all orthodontists are board certified. In fact, Dr. Stock is among only approximately 33% of orthodontists in the United States that have achieved board certification. In order to become board certified by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO), an individual orthodontist is thoroughly tested by a highly respected panel of examiners to demonstrate their orthodontic knowledge, clinical skills, and judgment. The most fair, reliable, and valid testing methodology is utilized to test clinical proficiency in an objective manner. The ABO certification process signifies a unique achievement—a significant step beyond the two to three years of advanced education required for a dentist to become a specialist in orthodontics.
How many certifying boards are recognized by the American Dental Association in the specialty of orthodontics?
One. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) is the only certifying board in the specialty that is recognized by the American Dental Association. The ABO was founded in 1929 and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. The board’s purpose is to elevate the quality of orthodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education, and professional collaboration.
What steps are required to complete the ABO certification process?
To complete board certification, Dr. Stock successfully completed a Written Examination covering all areas of orthodontics and dental facial orthopedics about which an orthodontist should be knowledgeable. She then proceeded to the Clinical Examination, during which she presented records of patient treatment that she had completed to board examiners. These cases were evaluated rigorously by the examiners and were deemed to meet the high standards set by the ABO. Board certification is granted for a limited time period, and Dr. Stock goes through a Certification Renewal every 10 years to maintain certification status by demonstrating this continued level of patient care.
Why did Dr. Stock choose to complete this voluntary certification process?
Successful completion of the examination process demonstrates the orthodontist’s personal commitment to excellence in orthodontics—to both the orthodontic profession and the general public. It exemplifies Dr. Stock’s commitment to continue to keep abreast of the latest advances in patient care, and to continue to deliver these latest advances to patients. Dr. Stock sees it as a demonstration of her dedication to the specialty and the highest level of personal achievement.