Difference Between MD and DDS Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery?

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Just curious as to what the differences in education and the scope of practice were for DDS/DMD OMF surgs vs. MD OMF surgs.

I have to imagine that this is a recurring topic, but I've searched old threads and couldn't really find a straight answer to this question so I was hoping someone could help me out with info or a link.

I've never posted in the med student forum so I'm eager to see if I get actual information or just guesses/opinions and witty memes. Thanks.
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You have to get a DDS/DMD degree before you can match to an OMFS residency. Some OMFS residencies will grant an MD/DO degree as part of a six year residency program. There are OMFS residency programs which are only 4 years which do not grant the extra degree. Same scope of practice though.
 
I really don't have any reason to know this but we have OMFS in our med school that grants MD after they finish and I don't believe there really is any difference in terms of practice between an MD/DDS and just a DDS OMFS. There may be some legal differences idk and I could be completely wrong but thats what I have heard from the one person in the program I spoke to.
 
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You never know if that MD will be useful down the road. I think the best thing about getting both degrees is that you can be extremely busy if you wanted to. The MD could help you get certified in other surgical fields if you wanted. You could practice general dentistry, oral surgery, and general medicine...if humanly possible. Just some naive thoughts, but if I got into a 6-yr OMFS residency, I'd go for it.
 
As far as I know if you want to be an OMFS, you earn a dual MD/DDS or DMD degree and then you do residency. The OMFS guys in my med school all did dental school first, followed by an intern year, followed by third and fourth years of med school. Upon completion they were awarded the MD degree. Then they completed residency.

I don't believe it's possible to do OMFS with just an MD. I suppose ENT or plastics guys can say they do some aspects of oral and maxillofacial surgery, but that's not what is classically referred to as OMFS. I was interested in OMFS in med school and even went so far to have a meeting with the chairman of the department. He told me it was highly irregular to do med school first, but if I was really interested and matched, I could do a custom accelerated dental school program (he said it would be minimum two years) followed by residency. Take this with a grain of salt as things may have changed in the intervening years since, but I think it would be extremely difficult to do OMFS having done med school first, and most likely impossible without some component of dental school
 
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Jeff Smoker said:
As far as I know if you want to be an OMFS, you earn a dual MD/DDS or DMD degree and then you do residency. The OMFS guys in my med school all did dental school first, followed by an intern year, followed by third and fourth years of med school. Upon completion they were awarded the MD degree. Then they completed residency.

I don't believe it's possible to do OMFS with just an MD. I suppose ENT or plastics guys can say they do some aspects of oral and maxillofacial surgery, but that's not what is classically referred to as OMFS. I was interested in OMFS in med school and even went so far to have a meeting with the chairman of the department. He told me it was highly irregular to do med school first, but if I was really interested and matched, I could do a custom accelerated dental school program (he said it would be minimum two years) followed by residency. Take this with a grain of salt as things may have changed in the intervening years since, but I think it would be extremely difficult to do OMFS having done med school first, and most likely impossible without some component of dental school
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This is pretty much true. It is possible, but rare, for MD/DO students to go the OMFS route, only a few people do it each year. I've heard if you're interested you should contact individual programs and inquire whether integration is possible after completing ~2 years of dental school.

As far as scope of practice pertaining to 4yr vs. 6y programs, there really isn't too much of a difference. However, getting the MD is required for fellowship programs like Head & Neck Oncology, Craniofacial, and Cosmetics which does afford a greater scope. People that I know who are pursuing the 6yr route are interested in things like:

-fellowships (those above and a few others)
-obtaining a more complete education
-academics
-research
 
doxycycline said:
I really don't have any reason to know this but we have OMFS in our med school that grants MD after they finish and I don't believe there really is any difference in terms of practice between an MD/DDS and just a DDS OMFS. There may be some legal differences idk and I could be completely wrong but thats what I have heard from the one person in the program I spoke to.
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i worked under a periodontist for a year and had this very discussion with him a few times. From what I understand, If you do the extra time and get the MD degree, you will obviously have more privileges as the physician. One good example is, say for what ever reason you have to graft bone in a patients face, and that patient wants to use their own bone and not some synthetic or cadaver. A DDS OMFS will have to find an MD surgeon to harvest that bone for him, whereas a DDS/MD OMFS has the freedom to harvest the bone himself if he chooses.
 
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Do OMFS take the usmle? Just curious sine they are awarded the MD degree.
 
For a med school forum, its pretty impressive that most of the info here is accurate. Just to add on, residents MUST take the USMLE in order to receive the MD within a 6 year program. From what I understand, you don't NEED the MD to complete an additional fellowship.
 
AACmd said:
i worked under a periodontist for a year and had this very discussion with him a few times. From what I understand, If you do the extra time and get the MD degree, you will obviously have more privileges as the physician. One good example is, say for what ever reason you have to graft bone in a patients face, and that patient wants to use their own bone and not some synthetic or cadaver. A DDS OMFS will have to find an MD surgeon to harvest that bone for him, whereas a DDS/MD OMFS has the freedom to harvest the bone himself if he chooses.
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Absolutely not true. Single degree (DDS) and Dual degree (MD/DDS) have the same scope, Even doing bone graft. There a sever single degree OMFS who are even doing MICROVASCULAR FREE FLAPS..... so no, there is no limitation.
 
I would like to know if its possible if you are an MD to become a OMFS and how many years does it take?
 
Surgical_Leen said:
I would like to know if its possible if you are an MD to become a OMFS and how many years does it take?
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Yes, it's possible but it's not publicly advertised. Do a search. I think most people who go this route do OMFS residency and dental school in a combined 7 year program, on top of completing medical school.
 
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Amphitrite said:
If it's an MD/OMFS program they're required to take the USMLE.
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Yes, to be awarded an MD you have to go through an accredited program by the American College of Medical Schools. So you'll have to take all the Step Exams Step 1, 2CS, 2CK, and 3. For OMFS 4 year and 6 year you'll need to also complete 6-12 of general surgery residency that is placed in the 4 or 6 year curriculum. You just can't go to medical school and pass some tests to get an MD. You have to earn it just like everybody else.
 
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DREDAY said:
Absolutely not true. Single degree (DDS) and Dual degree (MD/DDS) have the same scope, Even doing bone graft. There a sever single degree OMFS who are even doing MICROVASCULAR FREE FLAPS..... so no, there is no limitation.
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The above statement is true, but fellowship programs that do cosmetics, flaps, craniofacial, etc tend to chose the 6 years guys with the MD. I'm not being biased, I don't have an ego and don't really care about the politics. I'm just stating facts based on observation. So the MD may help in certain situations (ie a fellowship director who wants his fellow to have an MD).
 
Surgical_Leen said:
I would like to know if its possible if you are an MD to become a OMFS and how many years does it take?
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A family member of mine did an OMFS residency. They paid a higher tuition to the residency program than I will be paying for medical school and they did not have the 80 hour residency protection. Consider the much more available residencies in medicine that overlap with omfs!
 
http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-an-oral-surgeon-and-a-DDS
OMF surgeons treat diseases, injuries and defects of the head, neck, face, jaws and the oral cavity. They perform wide spectrum of procedures such as the removal of wisdom teeth, removal of cysts of the jaw and sinuses, reconstruction of birth defects, orthognathic surgery, treamtment of facial & dental trauma and the placement of endosseous implants.
Many OMF surgeons with dual degrees (DDS + MD) choose do fellowships in oncology or plastic and reconstructive surgery after finishing their residency.
 
Sephoraaa said:
A family member of mine did an OMFS residency. They paid a higher tuition to the residency program than I will be paying for medical school and they did not have the 80 hour residency protection. Consider the much more available residencies in medicine that overlap with omfs!
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Nope. Residencies don't charge tuition.
 
actually these just happened instead.


NMX2H5K_mk.jpg
 
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fancymylotus said:
oh my god, i am so jealous.
i am currently online stalking those rockstuds. i think im gonna get them :D :D :D
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I can't decide if I like them or not. Like Zanottis, too "aggressive rocker"; not my style at all.

I have looked at Barney's, Neimans, and Nordstrom's but can only find the flat in pink.
 
Winged Scapula said:
I can't decide if I like them or not. Like Zanottis, too "aggressive rocker"; not my style at all.

I have looked at Barney's, Neimans, and Nordstrom's but can only find the flat in pink.
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they have the high heel version in light pink and darker rose pink at the nordies near me. and i think online too.
 
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Winged Scapula said:
Ahh -- have I converted you over to my beloved Sophia Webster's? LOL

I have those in hot pink from last season. I haven't decided whether to get a different color because the style is so distinctive.
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these were like 400$ cheaper than the rockstuds so i figured why not? theres another sophia webster pair i want, too...but it seems silly to buy another pair when its like -8F out
 
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SouthernSurgeon said:
I ate dinner right near there last time I was in Phoenix/Scottsdale - citizen public house
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Yes when you were here for SSO and didn't want your "worlds to collide" by getting in touch.

CPH is pretty good but they don't do a great job of catering to vegetarians. On two occasions my friends have been served tiny plates of side dish broccoli when they asked if the chef could make something special for them.
 
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these shoe photos make some of us highly uncomfortable for the wrong reasons.
 
I mean, i'm a resident and could never afford those shoes, but a woman in those... would make me penniless?

i suppose that is the point though. NYC NYC NYC! But CHI is better. Left my heart there too.
 
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caffeinemia said:
I mean, i'm a resident and could never afford those shoes, but a woman in those... would make me penniless?

i suppose that is the point though. NYC NYC NYC! But CHI is better. Left my heart there too.
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gag. the breezy city sucks. its cute that it thinks its a real city though.and their sports teams can kick rocks. along with their poor excuse for "pizza"

RAGE
 
lol. i was being facetious.. not really.. but yes really? I dunno. Medicine is confusing.

yeah, nothing like getting a slice after you've drank too much around too many nyu 20-something hottie brats and threw up all over the steps of some rich banker's west village townhouse. NYC NYC NYC!

chicago is the best, rage back at you!
 
caffeinemia said:
lol. i was being facetious.. not really.. but yes really? I dunno. Medicine is confusing.

yeah, nothing like getting a slice after you've drank too much around too many nyu 20-something hottie brats and threw up all over the steps of some rich banker's west village townhouse. NYC NYC NYC!

chicago is the best, rage back at you!
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HAY dont hate on my alma mater:D

if chicago is so great, go back to chicago!
 
I will! As soon as I become a plastic surgeon! At I called them hotties.
 
Now the NYU dentist flirts with me. Speaking of which, the new chief of plastics at NYU is E Rod., a dentist, md, craniofacial plastic surgeon, AND the only person I'd trust to do my face transplant.
 
caffeinemia said:
Now the NYU dentist flirts with me. Speaking of which, the new chief of plastics at NYU is E Rod., a dentist, md, craniofacial plastic surgeon, AND the only person I'd trust to do my face transplant.
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duh. you said the magic words. plastic.surgeon.

(im totally kidding btw. heh)
 
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