Can general dentists do cleft lip/palate?

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Hello, a predent here so please forgive my ignorance. I am very interested in cleft lip/palate surgeries simply because I think they are life-changing procedures. When I asked the general dentist I shadowed, he said "general dentists are capable of doing cleft lip procedures". So my question, what about cleft palate?


Thank you

No, general dentists cannot perform cleft lip and palate surgeries. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons can do these surgeries, but it is done more often by plastic surgeons.

Thanks.

At my program it's handled by a team (with at least 5 med/dent specialties) none of which are general dentists...at my first residency it was the same but the gpr people did the dentition repair

As a general dentist you may be able to perform some of the dentition repair/work...but it's almost all omfs/plastics doing the repair...and then pedo/ortho doing the pre and post work

Your dentist is just silly

Is doing an OMFS the only way to be able to do cleft lip/palate? No 1-2 year programs? OMFS residency the only option?

Originally Posted by BrutalViking

Is doing an OMFS the only way to be able to do cleft lip/palate? No 1-2 year programs? OMFS residency the only option?

OMFS residency usually isn't even enough.

Most teams require 2-3 year fellowships in addition to the residency.

Guys, you're killing my dream! lol But seriously, thanks.

In my experience they are mostly done by plastic surgeons or ENTs depending on where you are. Rarely OMFS. Never by a general dentist.

If you want to work with syndromic kids, you could always do pedo and/or ortho. They may be involved in the care of these kids. However, they will not be involved in closure of the clefts, only in the dental management of the patient in conjunction with the cranio team and it would likely be a small part of your practice.

Majority is done by plastics. The remainder is split fifty-fifty between ENT's and OMFS, according to a survey that I remember from a while back. Actually the survey was more along the lines of who responds to facial traumatic injury hospital calls. And no, general dentists cannot.

I don't understand....if OMFS are trained and fully capable to do it, why so few do it? I have shadowed an OMFS and all he did (literally) is extract wisdom teeth and do grafting/implants. Is this the norm for private practice? I know it pays well to do these, but to go through all this extensive training and limit yourself to two procedures? I don't know, maybe he likes doing it.

Originally Posted by BrutalViking

I don't understand....if OMFS are trained and fully capable to do it, why so few do it? I have shadowed an OMFS and all he did (literally) is extract wisdom teeth and do grafting/implants. Is this the norm for private practice?

I think it's because people would rather have a plastic do it on their child.
This is the only sense that I can make out from my quoted source (I still can't find it).
I would have thought that people would be more entrusting of OMFS to do cleft lips as opposed to Plastics considering how OMFS narrow their day to day work around the face and Plastics spread their curriculum around the entire body. I think this is a selling point among OMFS who wish to market themselves for cosmetic or reconstructive facial surgery.

Originally Posted by BrutalViking

I know it pays well to do these, but to go through all this extensive training and limit yourself to two procedures? I don't know, maybe he likes doing it.

That's why I like general dentistry. Oral surgeons do a little bit more than just two procedures.

Originally Posted by Stacker

Oral surgeons do a little bit more than just two procedures.

I know but the one I shadowed did those two all day long!

Prosth is involved as well if you are looking for an in.

Thank you for the suggestion, I look into it ^_^ It defiantly sounds like you can get involved with that specialty.

Oh my god! I love you GiTsticker! i just looked up "Prosthodontics" on wiki and read the "Maxillofacial prosthodontics/prosthetics" section in there. Sounds exciting!

Originally Posted by BrutalViking

Oh my god! I love you GiTsticker! i just looked up "Prosthodontics" on wiki and read the "Maxillofacial prosthodontics/prosthetics" section in there. Sounds exciting!

what you need to do is find a school and shadow their resident programs in prosth, OMS, Pedo, and prob perio for that matter. res programs and private practice after the fact are wayyyy different

ie: OMS interns and 1st or 2nd year do a ton of 3rd molars. after that, its all advanced OR stuff unless its some crazy case that the attendings want an upper level res to do it.

long story short. learn the private practice side of a profession you want. it'll pan out

Thanks for the advice. I'll keep that in mind. Once in dental school, i'll make sure to discuss this with the professors and try to shadow as much as possible.

Again, thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by BrutalViking

I don't understand....if OMFS are trained and fully capable to do it, why so few do it?

Politics. Turf wars between OMFS, Plastics and ENT occur at medical centers around the country.