Any tips?

Answered

Since you're only in 10th grade, you still have time! It's awesome that you have a strong idea of what you want to do for a career. That might change over time though, so just keep an open mind! But for what to do next, I'd say that you should focus on getting your grades up. Finish the rest of sophomore year strong and really study hard during junior and senior years. If that seems challenging, you should try talking with your teachers to better understand WHY you're not doing well in classes, that way you can figure out what to do better and create a plan for yourself - which will only help you when you get to college!

Once you get your grades up, you should apply to colleges that you're interested in and that match your profile. If you definitely want to stick with Neurosurgery or Orthodontics, then you'll need to go to Graduate School (Medical school or Dental school) which you apply to AFTER you graduate from college. So, right now you'll want to set yourself up well to get into college. Once you get to college, you essentially have a blank slate (because graduate schools don't look at your high school grades, only your college grades) so you will have 4 years of college to do well in courses and prepare to apply for med/dental school. Most colleges have career offices that can help you prepare any apply for graduate schools if that is your plan.

Other than improving your grades, the only other tip I can think of is to try shadowing/talking to a local orthodontist to get a better sense of what their everyday life is like. This will help you understand if it's really a career you want. But improving your grades is probably the best next step for you right now!