Board-Certified Orthodontist: Why It Matters for Your Smile
Board-Certified Orthodontist: Why It Matters for Your Smile
When you are choosing an orthodontist in Barrie or North York, you will encounter credentials you may not fully understand. You might see letters after names like "DDS," "DMD," "MSc(Ortho)," or "Diplomate ABO." Not all of these represent the same level of training, and the differences matter more than you might think.
This post explains what it means to be a board-certified orthodontist, how it differs from a general dentist offering orthodontics, why Dr. Eggert Boehlau's credentials make him one of the most qualified orthodontic providers in Ontario, and why these credentials translate directly into better outcomes for you.
What Is a "Board-Certified Orthodontist"?
In the context of orthodontics in North America, "board-certified" most specifically refers to Diplomate status with the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO). This is the highest clinical certification available to orthodontists practising in the United States and Canada.
Achieving ABO Diplomate status requires:
- Completion of an accredited dental degree (DDS or DMD)
- Completion of an accredited specialty orthodontic residency (typically 2–3 years of full-time postgraduate training beyond dental school)
- Passing rigorous written and clinical examination processes administered by the ABO
- Submitting documented case records demonstrating consistently excellent clinical outcomes across a range of case types
- Ongoing continuing education requirements to maintain certification
This process is demanding, multi-year, and not guaranteed — many orthodontists begin the certification process but do not complete it. Less than 30% of Canadian orthodontists hold the ABO Diplomate designation.
Dr. Eggert Boehlau: Credentials at a Glance
Dr. Eggert Boehlau, founder and lead orthodontist at The Wireworks, holds credentials that represent the very top of his profession:
- University of Toronto Graduate (1994): U of T's orthodontic program is one of the most rigorous in Canada. Dr. Eggert completed his specialist training there over 30 years ago.
- Fellowship, Royal College of Dentists of Canada (FRCD(C)): Fellowship with the Royal College is a peer-evaluated distinction recognizing demonstrated expertise and contribution to the dental profession. It requires examination and case submission.
- Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics: The highest certification designation available to orthodontists in North America.
- 30+ years of clinical experience: Over three decades in active practice treating patients in Barrie and North York.
- 15,000+ patients treated: The breadth of clinical experience this represents is difficult to overstate. Dr. Eggert has encountered and successfully managed virtually every type of orthodontic case.
The Difference Between an Orthodontist and a General Dentist Doing Orthodontics
This is perhaps the most important distinction for patients to understand, because it directly affects the quality of care you receive.
Orthodontist Specialist
An orthodontist is a dental specialist who, after completing dental school, undertook 2–3 additional years of full-time residency training in orthodontics exclusively. This specialized training covers growth and development, biomechanics, complex bite correction, jaw development, surgical orthodontic collaboration, and the management of cases from simple to highly complex.
General Dentist Offering Orthodontic Services
Many general dentists offer orthodontic services, most commonly Invisalign or basic clear aligner programs. These dentists often complete weekend or short-course certification programs offered by aligner brands. This training is limited, focuses primarily on case submission using brand software, and does not equip the provider to manage complex cases or adapt when treatment does not go as planned.
This is not a criticism of general dentists — they are essential to oral health and many are excellent at what they do. But "orthodontics by a general dentist" and "orthodontics by a board-certified orthodontic specialist" are not the same thing, and patients deserve to understand that distinction.
What This Means in Practice
When a simple aligner case goes exactly as planned with no complications, the difference in provider may not be obvious. Where the difference becomes critical is in:
- Complex cases: Crowding, bite issues, jaw discrepancies, and surgical cases require specialist-level training to diagnose and treat correctly.
- When things do not go as planned: Teeth do not always track the way the software predicts. A specialist orthodontist can diagnose why and adapt. A general dentist typically cannot.
- Treatment sequencing: The order in which teeth are moved matters. Poorly sequenced treatment can produce a cosmetically acceptable result with underlying bite problems that cause issues years later.
- Long-term stability: An experienced specialist understands which results will hold and which ones are likely to relapse — and designs treatment accordingly.
Why Board Certification Specifically Matters
Even among specialist orthodontists, board certification with the ABO represents an additional level of peer validation. The Diplomate examination requires presenting actual patient cases and demonstrating outcomes to a panel of examiners. It cannot be purchased and cannot be gamed. It is evidence of consistently excellent clinical work.
For patients, the ABO Diplomate designation is one of the strongest signals available that their orthodontist not only completed the training required to be a specialist, but has also voluntarily submitted their work to independent expert evaluation — and passed.
30+ Years of Experience: Why It Matters
Credentials and board certification matter. So does time in practice. Over 30 years, Dr. Eggert has treated more than 15,000 patients. He has seen every type of case, managed unusual presentations, navigated complex multi-disciplinary situations involving oral surgeons and periodontists, and refined his clinical protocols continuously.
There is no substitute for this kind of experience. An orthodontist who graduated two years ago may have excellent training — but Dr. Eggert's three decades of clinical pattern recognition, case management experience, and refined technique represents a depth of expertise that simply cannot be replicated in a short career.
What This Means for Your Treatment at The Wireworks
When you choose The Wireworks, you are choosing:
- A Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics — one of the highest credentials in North American orthodontics
- A Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada
- A University of Toronto-trained specialist with 30+ years of clinical experience
- A provider who has treated 15,000+ patients and has seen virtually every scenario imaginable
- An in-house Kinetica 3D Lab that reflects an investment in clinical excellence, not just in marketing
You are also choosing a provider who is happy to explain why they recommend what they recommend — and who will tell you honestly if another treatment option would serve you better.
Book a Free Consultation with Dr. Eggert
If you are in Barrie or North York and are considering orthodontic treatment, we invite you to come in for a free consultation. No referral needed. No obligation. Just an honest assessment from one of Ontario's most credentialled orthodontists.
Barrie: 4 Checkley St, Suite 301 — (705) 737-0343
North York (near Yorkdale): 2994 Dufferin St — (416) 781-4200