Just shadowed a Maxillofacial Surgeon!

[Decan]

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And it was SO COOL!!! It just confirmed my belief that I REALLY want to go into dentistry.

Kind of a pointless post, but it made me happy. 🙂

 

[soyungil]

dude, i have been working as an assistant for two years in oral and maxiollfacial surgery. Yes, I agree it is way cool, and after two years I still love going to work!! I have seen some crazy stuff...

 

[blasterx]

And it was SO COOL!!! It just confirmed my belief that I REALLY want to go into dentistry.

Kind of a pointless post, but it made me happy. 🙂

In a hospital or private practice? I must say, hospital > private practice, although the $$ is not nearly as good.

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

In a hospital or private practice? I must say, hospital > private practice, although the $$ is not nearly as good.

I shadowed in a hospital but I assisted in a private practice and feel I got more from the experience in a private practice because I was able to help more during surgery. Nonetheless, OMFS is and awesome specialty to work with! 🙂

 

[cel083]

dude, i have been working as an assistant for two years in oral and maxiollfacial surgery. Yes, I agree it is way cool, and after two years I still love going to work!! I have seen some crazy stuff...

Out of curiosity, what kind of training is needed to assist an OMFS? Dental assistant or surgical technician/technologist or both?

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

Out of curiosity, what kind of training is needed to assist an OMFS? Dental assistant or surgical technician/technologist or both?

I took a surgical assisting course along with getting the basic life support. I think everyone requires something diff because the OMFS i worked with before didn't require any certifications.

 

[blooh]

so what kinda things do they do... elaborate what you saw, kinda curious
- Danny

 

[SugarNaCl]

I'm sure you guys know this, but oral surgery along with orthodontics are the hardest specialties to get into. You have to be around top 10% in your class and on boards. I'm not trying to discourage you or destroy your enthusiasm because you may be able to pull it off if you work hard, but make sure that if you don't make it into oral surgery, you would still be happy with general dentistry before you spend all your money and time.

 

[SanOnofre2002]

I shadowed an OMFS for a day and the guy was seriously intense about what he was doing. He had 3 surgical staff assisting him and he berated them throughout each surgery. 2 of them took it in stride but 1 musta been new and her hands were shaking like crazy. I felt pretty bad for her. She got so nervous that when she moved to get something, her head caught on the IV and nearly ripped it out of the patient. When someone handed him too much gauze he took a look at it and went "What the f**k is this! Am I makin a quilt!" There were a lot of other gems I can't list. He was also yelling at a few patients (under partial sedation) to quit fighting him. Oddly, inbetween his yelling he'd ask me these calm questions like "so where'd you go to school?".
My ortho friend told me to be prepared for stuff like this in d-school. The oral surgeons would yell at the students and call them stupid and stuff.

 

[predental7200]

I shadowed an OMFS for a day and the guy was seriously intense about what he was doing. He had 3 surgical staff assisting him and he berated them throughout each surgery. 2 of them took it in stride but 1 musta been new and her hands were shaking like crazy. I felt pretty bad for her. She got so nervous that when she moved to get something, her head caught on the IV and nearly ripped it out of the patient. When someone handed him too much gauze he took a look at it and went "What the f**k is this! Am I makin a quilt!" There were a lot of other gems I can't list. He was also yelling at a few patients (under partial sedation) to quit fighting him. Oddly, inbetween his yelling he'd ask me these calm questions like "so where'd you go to school?".
My ortho friend told me to be prepared for stuff like this in d-school. The oral surgeons would yell at the students and call them stupid and stuff.

hahaha! that's great! pretty funny but I still wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that 😳

 

[SoCalDent]

My dad is an OMFS. I have shadowed him many times and it has to be the coolest job ever. He loves it too. I hope to follow in his footsteps. From what I know, I think OMFS's are going to med school after dental school. That is the 6 year MD program. However there is also a 4 year certificate program.

 

[OceanBlue]

Just want to point out that it's extremely difficult to get into that specialty. Usually it's the brightest dental students who get in.
I think there are 2 paths to OMFS: path 1) you'll get your DDS and your MD, Path 2) You'll get training in OMFS without the MD. You'll be a good OMFS either way. From what I heard, the path with the MD doesn't make you a better oral surgeon. You'll get a tiny bit more public recognition with your DDS and MD, but that's about it.

 

[Decan]

I'm sure you guys know this, but oral surgery along with orthodontics are the hardest specialties to get into. You have to be around top 10% in your class and on boards. I'm not trying to discourage you or destroy your enthusiasm because you may be able to pull it off if you work hard, but make sure that if you don't make it into oral surgery, you would still be happy with general dentistry before you spend all your money and time.

I know...I made this post because I was just happy with my choice as dentistry. This was the first time I had shadowed an OMFS but I applied to dental school way before that...so yes, I'm happy with general dentistry.

I was one of 9 people in my graduating class who graduated with high distinction. I know dental school is tougher, but I'm willing to work hard and do what it takes to succeed.

@ blooh, I saw a lot of stuff (tooth extractions, implants, a biopsy, many consultations) etc. The surgeons I was shadowing were very open in answering my questions and told me exactly what they were doing at each step and why. I was also allowed to put on some gloves and lift the madible (to hold the airway open while the patient was under anasthesia). Next week I get to see a bone graft!!

I shadowed at a private practice, but I plan to go to a hospital soon.

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

Just want to point out that it's extremely difficult to get into that specialty. Usually it's the brightest dental students who get in.
I think there are 2 paths to OMFS: path 1) you'll get your DDS and your MD, Path 2) You'll get training in OMFS without the MD. You'll be a good OMFS either way. From what I heard, the path with the MD doesn't make you a better oral surgeon. You'll get a tiny bit more public recognition with your DDS and MD, but that's about it.

I think you get more than a tiny bit of recognition as an MD but oral surgeons don't get their MD for recognition. They get it partially so they can also admit patients to hospitals. You can't do that without an MD. When I shadowed the few oral surgeons there were way more things they did than just the basic wisdom tooth extractions and other difficult molars. Implant dentistry is definitely the way to go if you want to make the money and GP's are doing that these days in their offices. I saw things like broken jaw repairs, sinus augmentations, sinus lifts, stuff dealing with eye sockets, stuff with cheek bones, etc. I saw this girl that got in an accident and her face was pretty much indented inward....I didn't stay for the whole surgery but after hours of work, the end result looked amazing.

OMFS is a great specialty but if you're looking for the money go into endodontics or orthodontics. There's not nearly as much overhead you have to pay for as well as malpractice insurance is probably twice that in an OMFS office. Cosmetic dentistry is also on the rise and general dentists are doing more and more specialty work in their offices. Today, the dentist I shadowed put in 3 implants and a tunneling procedure!

 

[soyungil]

haha, like I said earlier I have worked as an assistant in oral surgery for two years for two docs. The comment about the swearing and berating fits my two surgeons like a T. I think all oral surgeons develop that same attitude, that is funny.....

 

[whoaaitzkyle]

haha, like I said earlier I have worked as an assistant in oral surgery for two years for two docs. The comment about the swearing and berating fits my two surgeons like a T. I think all oral surgeons develop that same attitude, that is funny.....

I agree. 2 out of the 3 I worked with had that attitude =\ I wonder why

 

[predental7200]

I agree. 2 out of the 3 I worked with had that attitude =\ I wonder why

honestly, if you tend to become that type of person after working for a while in that profession, I would stay away from it no matter how much money or how "accomplished" it would make me feel

"Don't seek to be a man of succeess but rather seek to be a person of value"
- Albert Einstein

 

[OceanBlue]

I think you get more than a tiny bit of recognition as an MD but oral surgeons don't get their MD for recognition.

Read my post again, I was only pointing that there is not much of a difference between the two paths.

OMFS is a great specialty but if you're looking for the money go into endodontics or orthodontics.

No! If you're in it for the perks alone, I don't think it's a wise idea to go into dentistry.

 

[Squished Rat]

I think you get more than a tiny bit of recognition as an MD but oral surgeons don't get their MD for recognition. They get it partially so they can also admit patients to hospitals. You can't do that without an MD. When I shadowed the few oral surgeons there were way more things they did than just the basic wisdom tooth extractions and other difficult molars. Implant dentistry is definitely the way to go if you want to make the money and GP's are doing that these days in their offices. I saw things like broken jaw repairs, sinus augmentations, sinus lifts, stuff dealing with eye sockets, stuff with cheek bones, etc. I saw this girl that got in an accident and her face was pretty much indented inward....I didn't stay for the whole surgery but after hours of work, the end result looked amazing.

OMFS is a great specialty but if you're looking for the money go into endodontics or orthodontics. There's not nearly as much overhead you have to pay for as well as malpractice insurance is probably twice that in an OMFS office. Cosmetic dentistry is also on the rise and general dentists are doing more and more specialty work in their offices. Today, the dentist I shadowed put in 3 implants and a tunneling procedure!

I just wanted to point out that this is not true. A single degree OMFS can admit patients to almost any hospital. If they couldn't, how could the training programs that lead to the 4 yr certificate admit pts to the hospital during residency training?