ABO Certification

According to the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO), “involvement in the certification process is a demonstration of the orthodontist’s pursuit of continued proficiency and excellence.”

What is a Board Certified Orthodontist (also called a Diplomate of the ABO)?

To start with, an orthodontist is a dentist who has completed a (post-doctoral) graduate program accredited by the American Dental Association in the specialty of orthodontics. To become board certified, an orthodontist has to pass a rigorous set of written and clinical examinations, as well as a comprehensive review of their credentials. The initial process of becoming board certified can take anywhere from five to ten years. Once certified, the current rules require the orthodontist to be recertified every ten years to maintain board certified status. (Orthodontists who were board certified prior to this current recertification mandate, are grandfathered in with “lifetime” board certification status and do not need to recertify every 10 years).

Dr. Monica Teredesai is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, and in 2002, she was awarded the Shepard Award of Distinction by the American Board of Orthodontics for achieving the highest score nationally on the board certification examination.

Orthodontic specialists who are current Diplomates of The American Board of Orthodontics can be found at the ABO website under “Find a Diplomate”. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) is the only certifying board recognized by the American Association of Orthodontists and the American Dental Association. Always verify the certifying board when an orthodontist does not provide this information.