Calling all OMS's-What do you call yourself?

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Bruxomaniac

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I was wondering what one-word you would use to describe your profession. I ask this because I was sitting in church looking through our new directory. It lists our contact information plus our occupation. We have an orthodontist who wrote “dentist” and an ER doc that wrote “physician”. Both of those make sense. I got to thinking though, if I ever become an OMS what would I put down. Neither of those two descriptions seems to fit exactly. I know OMS is a dental specialty but I shadowed an OMS that hated being called a dentist because he said that description doesn’t really fit what he does. When talking to other health professionals I’m sure the full title or acronym works fine but in other situations what one-word title do you use? Just curious.

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oral surgeon ?
 
I was wondering what one-word you would use to describe your profession. I ask this because I was sitting in church looking through our new directory. It lists our contact information plus our occupation. We have an orthodontist who wrote “dentist” and an ER doc that wrote “physician”. Both of those make sense. I got to thinking though, if I ever become an OMS what would I put down. Neither of those two descriptions seems to fit exactly. I know OMS is a dental specialty but I shadowed an OMS that hated being called a dentist because he said that description doesn’t really fit what he does. When talking to other health professionals I’m sure the full title or acronym works fine but in other situations what one-word title do you use? Just curious.
I think you might be getting a little ahead of yourself. :)
 
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Oh no, oral surgery is not my plan, I actually have other interests. Sorry, I meant to say "if I was" what would I call myself. It was fresh in my head because I was reading through an OMS residency thread the day before. I was just curious what short "generic" title you guys use when talking to non-health professionals.
 
Odontectomist

J/K, in reality i think 99.99% would put down simple old "oral surgeon". And just to clarify things, i don't care is someone calls me a dentist. Its what i am.
 
Odontectomist

J/K, in reality i think 99.99% would put down simple old "oral surgeon". And just to clarify things, i don't care is someone calls me a dentist. Its what i am.

What he said. It's a dental specialty, requiring a dental degree, and the vast majority of referrals are from other dentists. Now that I think about it, I would probably just put "dentist" so I don't have to explain it to everyone.
 
Odontectomist

J/K, in reality i think 99.99% would put down simple old "oral surgeon". And just to clarify things, i don't care is someone calls me a dentist. Its what i am.

I would put dentist too. This actually bothers me quite a bit, a bunch of oral surgeons saying that they aren't dentists. Dental practice act is what most of OMFS practice under, and I don't understand why they wouldn't consider themselves a "dentist."
 
From reading this board, I think most would prefer the simple title of God. ;)

Except in the church bulletin...then the old-fashioned "oral surgeon" or "dentist" would be fine. I'm gonna have a hard enough time getting through the gates...
 
I shadowed an OMS that hated being called a dentist because he said that description doesn’t really fit what he does.

See, I don't understand it when OMSs don't like being referred to as dentists. We are dentists. We are dental specialists. OMS is a dental speciality.

Some of my colleagues hate it when they´re called dentists, but when a medical doctor asks me for a consult on a facial fracture, and refers to me as a dentist, I find that in a way to be a recognition of my abilities. That it is accepted that I, as a dentist, am the man to go to.
 
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I know a general surgeon that introduces himself simply as “surgeon”. Would you ever consider this or is that just a bit too pompous.
 
It does become a little confusing. If I am talking to a neophite I'll sometimes say we are the oral-facial surgeons. I used it this morning on the lady I did bilateral neck disections and a rhinectomy yesterday... it makes it a little easier for her to understand what I am doing out of her mouth and playing around her spinal accessory nerve! :) If I am talking to someone somewhat knowledgable about health care I'll say "maxillofacial surgeon" or "oral surgeon" or even "dental specialist". When I'm home I go by "the face fixer" when my kids ask me and when I'm around my wife I go by "big-hunk-a-hot-mexican-loverboy...." or "clothes folder".... or "the code 99 diaper changer".....:D
 
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