What a Board-Certified Orthodontist Is, and Why It Matters
Board certification in orthodontics is a voluntary credential from the American Board of Orthodontics. An orthodontist earns it by passing a written examination, then presenting finished cases from their own practice to a panel of examiners for review. It has to be renewed. Dr. Duane Shank became a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics in 2004.
Every orthodontist practicing in New York is licensed. Not every orthodontist is board certified, and the two get used as if they were the same thing. The difference is worth understanding before you choose who will move your child’s teeth for the next two years.
The American Board of Orthodontics
The ABO was founded in 1929 and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. It is the only certifying board in orthodontics recognized by the American Dental Association, which matters because “board certified” is not a protected phrase in general use. In this specialty, there is exactly one board it can legitimately mean.
The ABO’s stated purpose is to raise the standard of orthodontic care for the public through certification, education, and professional collaboration.
Licensed and board certified are not the same thing
A license is the requirement. To practice orthodontics in New York, a dentist must complete dental school, complete a two-to-three-year accredited orthodontic residency, and be licensed by the state. That is the floor, and it is a serious floor.
Board certification sits on top of it and is optional. Nobody has to do it, nothing stops an orthodontist practicing without it, and a licensed orthodontist who has not pursued it is a fully qualified specialist. What certification adds is external review: someone other than the doctor has looked at the doctor’s actual finished work and judged it.
What the process actually involves
The requirements have been revised many times since 1929. Today, the process runs in stages.
- The first is a written examination of 240 questions, covering the full range of knowledge an orthodontist is expected to hold. Passing it allows the candidate to proceed.
- The second is the clinical examination. The orthodontist assembles detailed case records from their own practice, selected to show a range of problems treated and the finished results. Those go to a panel of examiners, who evaluate them and question the candidate in an oral examination that covers academic and clinical material.
That second stage is the part that separates certification from a test. Anyone can study for a written exam. The clinical examination asks a doctor to hand over their own work and defend the decisions in it.
Certification expires on purpose
ABO certification is time limited. An orthodontist must go through certification renewal every ten years, demonstrating that the standard of patient care has been maintained rather than achieved once and left behind.
It is a deliberate design. Orthodontic technique in 2026 is not orthodontic technique in 2004, and a credential that never expired would stop meaning anything.
Dr. Shank's certification
Dr. Duane Shank was named a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics in 2004. He completed his orthodontic specialty training in 1988, has practiced in Smithtown since 1991, and has logged more than 1,000 hours of continuing education through the Academy of General Dentistry, the Suffolk County Dental Society, and the American Association of Orthodontists. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthodontics at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, where he teaches residents entering the specialty.
You can read his full background on Dr. Shank’s page.
What to do with this when you are choosing
Board certification is one signal among several, and a good one because it is verifiable and voluntary. Ask about it, then check it yourself. Also ask who will actually treat you, how long the doctor has practiced, and whether the fee covers the whole course of care, which is how this practice works. A credential tells you about the doctor’s standards. It does not tell you what the office is like on a Tuesday afternoon, and both matter.
For the second question, come in and see. Consultations are free.
Call (631) 265-3666 or request an appointment online.
Smithtown Orthodontics 200 E Main St. Smithtown, NY 11787 (631) 265-3666
Frequently asked questions about board certification
Does a dentist need to be board certified?
No. Board certification is voluntary for both dentists and orthodontists. A license is what legally permits someone to practice, and every practicing dentist has one. Board certification is an additional, optional credential earned by submitting completed cases to a certifying board for review. A dentist without it is not unqualified; a dentist with it has chosen to have their work examined by peers.
What does it mean to be a board-certified orthodontist?
It means the orthodontist has passed the American Board of Orthodontics written examination, presented finished cases from their own practice to a panel of examiners, defended those cases in an oral examination, and been named a Diplomate of the ABO. Certification is time limited and must be renewed every ten years.
How can I check whether an orthodontist is board certified?
The American Board of Orthodontics publishes a public orthodontist locator on its own website, americanboardortho.com. Search by name or location. If a doctor appears there, the certification is current. If they do not appear, that is not proof of anything on its own, and the right move is simply to ask the office directly.
Is a board-certified orthodontist better than one who isn’t?
Not automatically, and any office claiming otherwise is overselling. Certification tells you a doctor volunteered their finished work for outside review and passed. That is meaningful evidence about their standards. It is not the only evidence, and an excellent orthodontist may never have pursued it.
Is there a board-certified orthodontist in Smithtown, NY?
Yes. Dr. Duane Shank at Smithtown Orthodontics, 200 E Main St., is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and has practiced in Smithtown since 1991. Consultations are free, and you can reach the office at (631) 265-3666.
