April 15, 2004
A: FROM MENTOR MARSHA SEGEBARTH IN INDIANA
Tracy, Writing skills are extremely valuable to EVERY professional! In many instances, writing will be one's only contact with someone. In the case you mentioned, an orthodontist needs to communicate via written word with patients, with staff, with insurance companies, and with the community. If someone reads a poorly written piece from their dentist or orthodontist he or she may question whether the dentist/orthodontist skills are subpar as well. Granted, that is judgmental and perhaps not valid, but it does occur. My husband is a dentist and our daughter is a dental student. In order to become a dentist one must first complete a college degree. Usually this undergraduate degree is in a science area - our daughter's B.S. was in biology. Some dental candidates have degrees in other areas beyond science. However, all must have the prerequisite science and math courses before be accepted into dental school. Dental school is four years. Depending upon the university attended, the first two will probably be more heavily weighted toward coursework, the last two more toward clinical experience. If you choose to go on to be an orthodontist that will require two additional years. Have you shadowed a dentist or worked in a dental office or for an orthodontist? I believe that would help you with your decision. Good luck!
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A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK IN RI
In any profession you have to communicate, so writing clearly is
important for everybody. While you're still studying, you can't be
sure that you've learned what you need to know unless you can explain
it - in writing, usually, for the permanence of the explanation. I
haven't noticed dentists writing much to their patients, but I have
seen them write to each other: the basic dentist may refer you to an
endodontist or orthodontist or periodontist and an will probably send
a written explanation of what he sees as the problem and what sort of
more specialized opinion he seeks. This sounds very limited as an
application, and it is - but more generally, if you can't explain
something clearly in writing you probably don't understand it.
That's a painful truth I've had to accept after struggling. So if
you want to understand things, writing is an essential skill.

About those prefixes:
Orthodontists are the ones who straighten crooked teeth. Think of
"orthogonal", meaning "at right angles". "Ortho-" can also mean
"straight" or "morally right", as in "orthodox."

Endodontists work inside the teeth, doing root canals (removing the
nerve), for example, when a tooth needs a crown instead of just a
filling. "Endo" means "inside" - endoderm, endogenous.

Periodontists work around the outside of teeth, i.e., on the gums.
Think of "perimeter" and "periferal".

Plain dentists are more like family doctors, seeing patients first
and doing the more routine stuff like fillings and cleanings (well,
their technicians do the cleanings) and sending patients to the
specialists for root canals and extractions and orthodonture and gum
surgery.