Orthodontist career question?

I'm only a freshman in high school and I know well that I still have to study hard, especially next year, but up until now, I've decided that I really, really want to become an orthodontist. I'm not really sure what steps and choices I should make to become an orthodontist and so far, my freshman year isn't going very great... I think I had a 3.83 (weighted) GPA for my 1st semester and a 3.29 (unweighted) GPA but I had a C in biology honors and a C in geometry honors :( Right now i'm in my second semester but I'm still having trouble with both of the same classes. Next year, I'm hoping to do my best while taking regular chemistry and regular algebra 2 and an AP Euro class along with a honors english 2 class and an yearbook class. Any advice? Also, what college would most benefit me and what should I major in? Thanks :)

Orthodontist career question?
EUGEEN,


THE SMARTEST THING TO DO IS MEET WITH YOUR COUNSELOR AND TELL HIM/HER YOUR FUTURE PLANS. TO BE AN ORTHODONTIST YOU HAVE TO BE A DENTIST FIRST. YOU HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE FIRST AND THEN DENTAL SCHOOL. INSIST YOUR CONSELOR DESIGN HS COURSES FOR YOU TO HELP YOU GET INTO COLEGE FIRST, THEN YOU WILL MAKE THE CORRECT PLANS FOR DENTAL SCHOOL.
Reply:First, stop freaking yourself out. Focus on one step at a time...great advice from Dr. Albert. Talk to your guidance counselor about your goals for your future. Focus on doing well in high school to get into college. Look at colleges that offer pre-dental programs (you'll probably major in some sort of science). If by then you're still interested, you will need to get into dental school, and then in dental school you will finally start looking at applying for orthodontics. When you add up the number of years of college, it's a lot and you don't have to focus on ortho school at this stage....high school grades get you into college, and honestly your state residence is more important than which college you went to when you start applying to dental school (but grades always matter)...(4 yrs high school, 4 yrs college, 4 yrs dental school, 2-3 yrs orthodontics). You're only a freshman in high school....breathe.....