Board Certification

Board certification is an optional step taken by dental practitioners that goes above and beyond to show that they have achieved the highest level of expertise and mastery in their respective fields. Not all doctors choose to embark on this process. However, the doctors that do, find it important to show that they have achieved the premier level of education to indicate that they will deliver unparalleled professionalism and the best quality of care possible to their patients. 

Becoming board certified is not an easy process. The eligible doctor is required to complete their dental training from an accredited dental school, which takes four years. Before graduation from dental school, they must complete their board certification exam to become a general dentist. This is a two-part exam, where the first part is taken halfway through dental school and consists of a written exam. The second part, which is the practical assessment of dental skills, is taken right before graduation. Once this is accomplished, if the dentist chooses to continue his or her education in a post-graduate specialty such as pediatric dentistry or orthodontics, he or she must be accepted into a program at an accredited university to continue onward. This process can take an extra 2 to 3 years of training. Following the completion of this education, the pediatric dentist or orthodontist is now eligible to begin practicing their specialty. The final step, or the pinnacle of education, is the option to sit for the board certification exam. The specialty board examinations are comprised of two parts: the written portion and the clinical portion. The preparation for this exam is extensive and rigorous. It requires much dedication outside of daily work to prepare. The written board exam tests the candidate’s knowledge on basic sciences, a variety of clinical situations, as well as current research in the respective specialties. Once the candidate has passed the written board examination, he or she is eligible to sit for the oral portion of the board examination. This part of the exam is performed in front of a board of examiners and tests the candidate’s knowledge of difficult cases, how they would approach them, and how he or she would handle challenging dental puzzles. To remain board certified, the doctor is required to renew their board certification every 10 years through another written exam. 

All doctors at Smiles for Kids believe in becoming board certified. We believe in the highest quality of dental care for our patients and challenge ourselves to always stay current on dental research, new developments in dental technology, modern treatment approaches, and cutting-edge dental materials. We are dedicated to pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, but most of all to our patients and being board certified is one way to challenge ourselves to be the best dentists we can be. 

Dr. Lindhorst, Dr. Theriot and our Smiles For Kids Team