I've researched it and I still don't get it.

[SugarNaCl]

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There is no reason for me to ask this other than out of curiosity because I have no intent on specializing...but, I noticed that only app 9 US schools offer joint DDS/MD programs. Does this mean that if someone wants to go into oral surgery and wants to accompany that with an MD degree they would have to apply to one of these 9 schools? Or is it just that if they went to a different school they would have to complete an MD program before moving on (8yrs instead of 6)? I know I read that some programs if you are accepted into OMS it results with earning an MD degree. I'm just a bit confused on how this whole thing works. I am reading too many conflicting statements and I'm feeling fairly dense today as it is 😛

 

[djeffreyt]

I think you are confusing two entirely different programs.

The DMD/MD programs are not a requirement for someone to apply to oral surgery. You can go through a regular 3 or 4 year DDS program and still apply for oral surgery specialty programs. You don't have to have gotten your MD during this time.

Even among the oral surgery specialty, there are two types of programs offered. Oral Surgery Certifying with MD degree (6 years) or Oral Surgery Certifying with no MD degree (4 years). The difference is that you would do a regular surgical rotation with the MD track degree in a hospital setting. The difference in what you can do when you get out to practice...is pretty much nil. Some people jsut like to have that MD degree, and some people who want to do more intensive Oral and maxillofacial surgeries, rhinoplasties, facelifts, etc, may like haveing the MD degree cause it add a certain level of credibility amont the patient population, but you don't need the MD degree to do those surgies so long as you learned to do it in the 4 year program (and you probably will).

And, I do not believe there is any program that will make you do 8 years (4 medical school and 4 oral surgery). It generally assumed that you skip the first 2 years of medical school didactic training cause you did that in dental school essentially.