Deciding on the right orthodontist for you or your child is an important decision. Some factors to consider are commitment to clinical excellence, attention to your personalized needs, office environment and culture, comfort and scheduling flexibility. Amidst the factors you may be wondering about the meaning of American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) certification and its relevance.

An orthodontist is a dentist that upon completion of graduate program in dentistry to receive their DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) or DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) degree also completed a competitive 2-3 year CODA (Commission of Dental Accreditation) accredited orthodontic residency program. This specialized residency program in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics allows for a dentist to study their specific specialty full time and gain invaluable didactic as well as clinical knowledge and experience. Subsequent to the successful completion of their formal residency program, a dentist can use the title “Orthodontist” that denotes their specific area of specialization.

However, it is important to note that not every orthodontist is a board certified orthodontist. American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) Certification is a voluntary credential that represents the orthodontist's personal and public commitment to excellence and the highest standards of care of the orthodontic specialty practice. In order to become a Board Certified Orthodontist, and orthodontist must:

• Pass written, oral and clinical examinations


• Submit case studies of patients treated to the highest standards of orthodontic therapeutic parameters with proficiency and precision


• Undergo a thorough case review by expert panel of ABO certified orthodontists

It is important to note that the Board Certified orthodontist went the extra mile to pursue additional voluntary education and accreditation. In doing so, he or she has demonstrated their commitment to the highest therapeutic orthodontic standards, lifelong learning and on-going self assessment. Furthermore, to maintain ABO board certification, an orthodontist must go through the renewal certification process every ten years. Currently approximately one third of the practicing orthodontists have the extra distinction of being certified by the ABO.

At Orchard of Smiles Orthodontics our orthodontist, Dr. Anna Morrison is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics – an additional distinction of recognized excellence that only a select group of orthodontists in the world earn. Our practice mission is to deliver exceptional orthodontic care with superb customer service in a safe, comfortable, state of the art environment. Care is delivered in a gentle and compassionate way, with special attention to detail. We want our patients to always be relaxed and at ease. We strive to make you feel like you are an extension of our own family! At Orchard of Smiles Orthodontics we offer convenient evening and weekend office hours as well as flexible and affordable financing. We strive to ensure that everyone's ideal smile is within reach, and cultivate the environment where your perfect smile can “blossom”. Call our office at your convenience for additional information or to schedule your complimentary consultation.