Choosing an Orthodontist: What Families Should Know Before Booking
Choosing an orthodontist comes down to three things: credentials, treatment options, and fit. You’re not simply buying braces. You’re picking a specialist who will see your child every few weeks for a year or more, so it helps to know what separates one practice from the next before you pick up the phone. A little homework up front tends to save months of second-guessing later, and most of what you need to know is available to you before you ever sit in a treatment chair.
What Does It Mean to Choose the Right Orthodontist?
The right orthodontist is a dental specialist whose residency training, treatment options, and communication style fit your family. Orthodontists complete two to three years of specialty residency after dental school. Because treatment often runs 12 to 30 months, the relationship you build matters as much as the finished smile.
That residency is the dividing line. Every orthodontist is a dentist, but only a small percentage of dentists go on to complete accredited orthodontic training in tooth movement, jaw growth, and bite mechanics. That extra training is why a specialist can look at one set of X-rays and describe the sequence of changes that will unfold over the next two years.
Families also benefit from a practice that treats every age group under one roof. Kids need growth monitoring and Phase I treatment. Teens want options that don’t take over their social lives. Adults want discretion and a schedule that works around meetings.
At Emily Funk Orthodontics, Dr. Emily Funk is a board-certified orthodontist, which means she finished accredited specialty residency and then chose to pursue voluntary board certification on top of it. One doctor, one location means the person who plans your care is the same person who checks your progress at every visit. Nobody hands your case to an associate halfway through, and you never have to repeat your history to a new face.
How to Choose an Orthodontist: A Step-by-Step Process
Choosing an orthodontist works best as a six-step process: verify board certification, compare treatment options, book a free consult, ask how visits are handled, confirm costs and flexible financing in writing, and pay attention to how the practice makes you feel. Each step takes only a few minutes, and together they tell you nearly everything.
Step 1: Verify board certification and specialty training. Board certification through the American Board of Orthodontics is voluntary. It requires passing rigorous written and clinical examinations plus ongoing recertification, so it’s a strong signal of commitment.
Step 2: Review the treatment options offered. A well-equipped practice should offer metal braces, clear braces, and clear aligners, plus growth appliances like palatal expanders for younger kids.
Step 3: Schedule a free consult or virtual consult. Two opinions on the same set of teeth can differ in approach, timing, and length. Comparing them is smart, not rude.
Step 4: Ask about visits and access. Who performs adjustments, the doctor or an assistant? How often will you come in? What happens when a bracket pops off on a Saturday?
Step 5: Confirm the financial details in writing. Ask for the total fee, what insurance may cover, what monthly payments look like, and whether records and retainers are included.
Step 6: Trust the in-person experience. Kids who feel comfortable wear their elastics and aligners. Compliance drives clinical results more than any single appliance does.
Bring a short list of questions to your first visit. Good practices welcome them.
Key Benefits of Choosing an Experienced Orthodontic Specialist
Specialty training shows up in the details you can’t see from a waiting room chair. Here’s where it makes the biggest difference:
- Accurate diagnosis beyond crowding. Crossbites, open bites, deep bites, and midline shifts often hide behind teeth that look “just a little crooked.” A specialist reads the whole picture, including how the jaws relate to each other.
- Right-time Phase I treatment. Some corrections work best while the upper jaw bones are still separate and responsive. A palatal expander used during that growth window can create room that would otherwise require extractions later.
- A broader toolkit. Clear aligners, clear braces, metal braces, expanders, elastics, and adjunctive options for jaw and TMJ symptoms all sit on the same shelf.
- Fewer surprises along the way. Precise planning with 3D scans and digital impressions typically means fewer mid-course refinements and less added treatment time.
- Retention planning that protects your investment. Teeth drift for life. A specialist plans retainers from day one and explains exactly how to keep the smile you worked for.
Dr. Funk plans each case personally, because orthodontic treatment is not one size fits all. Custom-sized treatments to fit you is the working principle here, and personalized care means your 9-year-old and your 45-year-old spouse leave with very different plans from the same doctor. The appliance that suits a growing jaw rarely suits a finished one.
Orthodontist vs. General Dentist: Which Should You Choose?
Both can move teeth. The difference is depth of training and how far the toolkit extends when a case turns out to be more complicated than it first appeared.
| Factor | Orthodontist | General Dentist |
|---|---|---|
| Training after dental school | 2-3 years of accredited orthodontic residency | General practice; orthodontics via continuing education courses |
| Daily focus | Tooth movement, jaw growth, bite mechanics | Cleanings, fillings, crowns, general oral health |
| Complex cases | Crossbites, open bites, expansion, extractions, surgical coordination | Usually limited to mild alignment cases |
| Appliance range | Metal braces, clear braces, clear aligners, expanders, growth appliances | Often clear aligners only |
| Retention planning | Built into the plan from the start | Varies by practice |
General dentists can produce nice clinical results on mild spacing or minor crowding. When growth guidance, expansion, extraction planning, jaw alignment, or TMJ symptoms enter the conversation, a specialist’s training earns its keep.
Most families do both. You keep your general dentist for cleanings and checkups, and you see an orthodontist for alignment and bite correction. Dr. Funk works alongside referring dentists throughout the area, and the two roles complement each other nicely.
What Affects the Cost of Orthodontic Treatment?
Orthodontic treatment costs vary with case complexity, appliance type, and how long you wear it. A short clear aligner case for mild crowding typically costs less than full metal braces paired with a palatal expander and two separate phases of care. Insurance benefits, FSA or HSA dollars, and monthly plans all shape what you actually pay.
| Cost factor | How it affects your estimate |
|---|---|
| Case complexity | Bite correction, rotations, and impacted teeth add planning and time |
| Appliance type | Metal braces, clear braces, and clear aligners are priced differently |
| Treatment length | Longer cases mean more visits and more materials |
| Phase I plus Phase II | Two stages of care are quoted separately |
| Records and retainers | Should be listed line by line, not buried |
Ask three questions before you commit anywhere: What is the total fee? What’s included? What happens if treatment runs longer than estimated?
Many dental plans include a separate lifetime orthodontic benefit that works differently from your regular annual maximum, so it’s worth calling your carrier before you assume you have no coverage at all. FSA and HSA funds usually apply as well, and flexible financing can spread the balance across the months you’re actually in treatment, which keeps the monthly number far more manageable than a single lump sum would be.
Get it in writing. You should expect a clear, itemized plan from any practice, with records and the retainer fee spelled out rather than assumed.
Are You or Your Child a Good Candidate for Orthodontic Treatment?
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, children should have their first orthodontic check-up no later than age 7. At that age, enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Funk to spot developing issues early. An early evaluation doesn’t always lead to early treatment. In most cases, we simply monitor growth until the timing is right.
- Crowded, overlapping, or noticeably spaced teeth
- Front teeth that protrude or don’t meet when biting
- Baby teeth lost very early or very late
- Mouth breathing, thumb sucking, or difficulty chewing
- Jaws that shift, click, or look asymmetric when smiling
Teens are candidates once most permanent teeth are in, and this age group tends to move efficiently because growth is on their side.
Many adults qualify too, as long as gums and supporting bone are healthy. Age isn’t the barrier people assume it is. Many adults finally start the treatment they postponed as teenagers, and clear aligners have made that decision easier for anyone who spends the workday in meetings or on video calls.
Clear aligner candidacy depends on two things: the complexity of your case and your willingness to wear them consistently. Aligners only work while they’re in your mouth, which is why honest conversations about habits matter more than sales pitches. A free consult with a 3D scan answers the candidacy question quickly, and there’s no reason to wait to find out.
Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing an Orthodontist
How do I know if an orthodontist is board certified?
You can verify certification directly through the American Board of Orthodontics website, which maintains a searchable directory of board-certified specialists. Practices that have earned it usually display the ABO credential on their website and in their reception area. Certification isn’t required in order to practice, so seeing it listed tells you the doctor volunteered for an extra round of examination after residency. Dr. Emily Funk is a board-certified orthodontist.
Should I get a second opinion on a treatment plan?
Yes, especially for longer or more involved cases. Different specialists may recommend different appliances, timing, or extraction decisions, and hearing two approaches helps you understand the reasoning behind each. Since consults at our practice are free, a second opinion costs you nothing but time.
How often will we come in for visits during treatment?
Most patients in braces come in every 4-8 weeks for adjustments, while clear aligner patients often stretch a little longer between check-ins. Your exact schedule depends on your plan and how your teeth respond. Ask who performs those adjustments, since at some practices you’ll see an assistant more often than the doctor. Consistent visits keep small issues from turning into long delays, so build the schedule around a day of the week that genuinely works for your family.
Can one practice treat my whole family?
Many can, and it saves a great deal of driving. Emily Funk Orthodontics treats kids, teens, and adults, so a parent starting clear aligners and a third grader in Phase I treatment can often be scheduled back to back. One doctor, one location keeps everyone’s history in one place.
Is a virtual consult as useful as an in-office visit?
A virtual consult is an excellent starting point. You can share photos, get an initial read on whether treatment makes sense, and ask questions without rearranging your afternoon. A full diagnosis still requires an in-person visit with digital impressions and X-rays, since bite mechanics and root positions can’t be evaluated from photos alone.
What questions should I ask at a free consult?
Ask about the diagnosis in plain language, which appliance options would work for your case, how long treatment should take, and what the total fee covers. Ask who you’ll see at each visit and how the practice handles emergencies. Then notice how the answers feel. Clarity now usually predicts clarity later. A beautiful smile is a confident one, and the practice that explains the path clearly at the start is usually the one that walks it with you all the way through. Everyone deserves a confident smile, let us help reveal yours.