What Is a Board-Certified Orthodontist?

A board-certified orthodontist has voluntarily passed a rigorous examination by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO), demonstrating a higher standard of clinical skill and judgment than licensing alone requires. Dr. Monica Ginart of Maryville Family Orthodontics is a Diplomate of the ABO, which means the orthodontist caring for your family in Maryville, TN has chosen to be held to that standard.

Every orthodontist is a licensed dentist who completed additional specialty training. Board certification goes a step further. It is a voluntary distinction that not every orthodontist pursues, and Dr. Ginart is proud to have earned it. Here is what it means and why it is worth looking for when you choose an orthodontist.

What the American Board of Orthodontics Is

The ABO is the only certifying board in the orthodontic specialty recognized by the American Dental Association. Founded in 1929, it is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. Its purpose is to raise the quality of orthodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education, and professional collaboration.

Why an Orthodontist Chooses to Become Board-Certified

Licensing lets a specialist practice orthodontics. Board certification is a separate, voluntary step that says a doctor wants to be measured against the highest standard. Completing it demonstrates a commitment to excellence, both to the profession and to patients, and a promise to keep up with the latest advances in care and bring them to the chair. For many orthodontists, including Dr. Ginart, it reflects genuine dedication to the specialty and to every patient’s result.

What Board Certification Requires

Earning ABO certification is demanding and thorough:

• Written examination: a comprehensive test across every area an orthodontist should know.
• Clinical examination: a review where the doctor presents real treated cases to a respected panel of examiners, showing that theory holds up in practice.
• Ongoing renewal: certification is time-limited and must be renewed periodically, so a board-certified orthodontist keeps demonstrating that high level of care over the years.

Passing both examinations is how an orthodontist officially becomes a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics (a board-certified orthodontist).

Board-Certified Care in Maryville

When you choose Maryville Family Orthodontics, your treatment is planned and delivered by a board-certified orthodontist and published researcher who has treated more than 1,000 patients. You can learn more about the ABO at the American Board of Orthodontics, and more about Dr. Ginart’s background here.