Frequently Asked Questions If you have a question pertaining to Orthodontics, please read the Frequently Asked Questions and their answers below. The list summarizes the main questions that CAO typically receives in five subject categories: I want to be an orthodontist Becoming a CAO Member Orthodontic Statistics Orthodontist outside of Canada wishing to practise in Canada Orthodontists with Differences of Opinion Why a difference in price? If none of the FAQs answers your question, please ask an Orthodontist.

1. I want to be an orthodontist. Question: I am 14 years old and I am interested in becoming an orthodontist when I am older. If you could E-Mail me any information about what subjects I should start to focus on and which schools to consider. Answer: Before you can be accepted by a school for orthodontic training, you need to have received a dental degree. In Canada, this is either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD). The question then becomes, what are the requirements for acceptance into Dental School? The contact information for some Canadian dental schools follows. They can be contacted to obtain the most recent requirements for entry. Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia 604-822-8279 www.dentistry.ubc.ca Admissions Office, University of Alberta 2-45 Medical Sciences Building Edmonton, AB 780-492-6350 www.dent.ualberta.ca College of Dentistry, University of Saskatchewan 306-966-5117 www.usask.ca/dentistry Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba 204-789-3631 www.umanitoba.ca/dentistry Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto 416-979-4901 ext. 4373 www.utoronto.ca/dentistry University of Western Ontario, School of Dentistry 519-661-4074 http://dentistry.uwo.ca McGill University, Dentistry Building 514-398-7227 www.mcgill.ca/dentistry University of Montreal, Admissions 514-343-7076 www.medent.umontreal.ca Université Laval, Faculte de Medecine Dentaire 418-656-2247 www.ulaval.ca/fmd Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University 902-494-2824 www.dentistry.dal.ca

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2. Becoming a CAO Member Question: How do I become a CAO member? Answer: To join CAO, simply download our printable Membership Application Form (PDF), and mail or fax your completed Application to the address indicated on the form.   Viewing and printing PDF documents requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer system, you can download it at no cost by clicking here:

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3. Orthodontic Statistics Question: I am doing a project on Orthodontics as a career. Can you please give me as much information and statistics as possible. Answer: The Canadian Association of Orthodontists does not keep that type of information. Other sources you can try are, the American Orthodontic Association (www.braces.org), the American Dental Association (www.ada.org) or the Canadian Dental Association (www.cda-adc.ca). Links to all of these associations and others can be found in the LINKS section of our website.

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4. Orthodontist outside of Canada wishing to practise in Canada Question: I am an Orthodontist in Ireland. I will be moving to Canada and would like to know what are the requirements to validate my education and degrees. Answer: In Canada health is a provincial matter. If you contact the provincial regulatory body in the province where you wish to practise, they can advise you as to their requirements. Below is a list of the regulatory bodies for each province. Dental Regulatory Authorities Provincial Dental Board Of Nova Scotia Phone 902-492-0301 E-Mail: pdbs@hfx.eastlink.ca Manitoba Dental Association Phone 204-453-0055 E-Mail: mlasko@mb.sympatico.ca College Of Dental Surgeons Of British Columbia Phone 604-736-3621 E-Mail: Postmaster@cdsbc.org Royal College Of Dental Surgeons Of Ontario Phone 416-961-6555 Dental Council Of Prince Edward Island Phone 902-628-8088 Newfoundland Dental Board Phone 709-579-2391 Email: nldb@nf.aibn.com The Alberta Dental Association Phone 780-432-1012 E-Mail: cindyada@telusplanet.net Website: www.abda.ab.ca College Of Dental Surgeons Of Saskatchewan Phone 306-244-5072 L'Ordres Des Dentistes Du Quebec Phone 514-875-8511 Website: www.odq.qc.ca New Brunswick Dental Society Phone 506-452-8575 E-Mail: nbds@nb.albn.com Professional Licencing, Government Of N.W.T. Health & Social Services Phone 867-920-8058 Consumer and Commercial Services (Yukon) Phone 867-667-5111

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5. Orthodontists with Differences of Opinion Question: The first orthodontist we visited recommended the removal of four teeth and braces to align our son's teeth. Our friend recommended we visit her orthodontist for another opinion. The second opinion was to place braces and align the teeth with no extractions. How do I determine who is right? Answer: The first step in making your choice is to define your goals. For example, do you want to change your son's profile? Both of the above treatments would affect his profile differently. Discussing your goals with the orthodontist could help to determine which treatment is best. A second step would be to simply seek a third opinion. As you get more information, you may find it easier to decide on how best to proceed. As well, you may wish to discuss your options with your family dentist.

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6. Why a difference in price? Question: I have visited an orthodontist in Ottawa and they quoted a fee for braces to fix my top and bottom teeth. My friend in Sudbury is getting the same treatment and is paying $400 less. Why is there a difference? What is the average price for braces? Is this covered by my provincal health plan, OHIP? Answer: The cost for orthodontic treatment is determined by several factors. Some of the things considered are; the nature and severity of your problem, complicating factors such as gum problems and missing teeth. Although you and your friend are receiving upper and lower braces, they can be used to treat a variety of different problems, some much more complicated than others. Each office may charge a fee that they determine is appropriate for correcting your problems. Our association does not survey its members offices so we cannot provide an estimate of average fees. Provincial health plans in Canada do not cover dental treatment. Many private plans do provide some form of orthodontic coverage. If you have this type of insurance, be sure to mention it at you first visit to ensure you receive your coverage.

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