Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

[iBite]

How many years after dental school to become licensed in this field? Do I have to go to a special dental school program, or just dental school and apply after?

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[Meatwad]

Undergrad + 4 years dental school (3 if you go to UoP) + 4 or 6 years OMFS (4 years you get a certificate, 6 years you get an MD)

So after you get into dental school it's an additional 8-10 years. Plus, it's really hard to get into.

And I'm sure it can be argued some schools may try harder to help you specialize (Harvard) but I'm sure with awesome scores on the NBDE and being in the top 15% of your class gives you a shot (but there's no guarantee, even with a 4.0 and being #1 in your class) regardless of your school.

 

[Regmata]

4-6 years after school...you will need to be in the top 5 of your class, if not the top 3 and during those 4-6 years after dental school you must be willing to at times work 100+ hours a week...

You can get there from any dental school although a more reputable school will likely afford you a better chance of getting a seat in the program.

 

[iBite]

so is there any similarity between an oral surgeon and an ENT?

 

[SoCalDent]

My Father graduated #1 in his class (clinical and classroom) from UOP and did not get in the first year he applied. Ended up going to UW a year later. Pretty Competitive.

 

[Meatwad]

so is there any similarity between an oral surgeon and an ENT?

Go to the Otolaryngology forums, I think there have been a couple of good threads comparing the scope of practice between ENT, OMFS, and Plastics.

 

[armorshell]

My Father graduated #1 in his class (clinical and classroom) from UOP and did not get in the first year he applied. Ended up going to UW a year later. Pretty Competitive.

This happen to be back in the 70s/early-80s when they just started the 3 year program?

 

[SoCalDent]

This happen to be back in the 70s/early-80s when they just started the 3 year program?

'76. Hey armorshell do you know anything about the OMFS program affiliated with Pacific? Don't remember the name of the hospital, but do you know how many students they accept each year? If they prefer Pacific grads?

 

[minaG]

Check this site:
http://dental.columbia.edu/OMS/OMS_Res2.html
it's the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at Columbia. I think you have to finish 4 yrs of dental school to get your DDS/DMD, and then apply for one of these kinda programs to become an oral/maxillofacial surgeon. and i'm sure it's hard as hell. From their Resident Profile 2006 - 2007, looks like they just accept 2 ppl each year.
I also know an oral surgeon (still a resident), i think in his case it's a little different. He told me that he went to both dental and medical schools!! This guy is a WORKAHOLIC, everytime i see him he looks so damn tired. I remember once i saw him in the hospital at around 6pm ish, he said that "i'm soo tired, i had a case at 7 something this morning."
Well dude! good luck and be prepared!

 

[armorshell]

'76. Hey armorshell do you know anything about the OMFS program affiliated with Pacific? Don't remember the name of the hospital, but do you know how many students they accept each year? If they prefer Pacific grads?

I was just talking to Dr. Garibaldi (The pre-doc director of oral surgery) the other day about the perceived stigma of UoP grads. He said that there was some severe "looking-down-the-nose" at UoP grads by OMFS programs during that time due to the 3 year program, which pretty much doesn't happen anymore.

The affiliated hospital is Highland General, and it's in Oakland. They take 3 people a year, and while I don't think there's an official preference for Pacific grads, the program director, attendings, residents and the people who make all the decisions should know you much better than any of the other applicants, which may help (depending on their impression of you).

 

[armorshell]

Check this site:
http://dental.columbia.edu/OMS/OMS_Res2.html
it's the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at Columbia. I think you have to finish 4 yrs of dental school to get your DDS/DMD, and then apply for one of these kinda programs to become an oral/maxillofacial surgeon. and i'm sure it's hard as hell. From their Resident Profile 2006 - 2007, looks like they just accept 2 ppl each year.
I also know an oral surgeon (still a resident), i think in his case it's a little different. He told me that he went to both dental and medical schools!! This guy is a WORKAHOLIC, everytime i see him he looks so damn tired. I remember once i saw him in the hospital at around 6pm ish, he said that "i'm soo tired, i had a case at 7 something this morning."
Well dude! good luck and be prepared!

WOW 7 o'clock in the morning?!? Are you kidding me that's insane!

 

[Yah-E]

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) is truly an amazing specialty. I am currently in a 6 year residency and just finished my first year. You work long hours, but the things you do and learn are so damn cool that you have a blast doing it.

It truly a long road, but I was told it will be worth all the hard work....

My journey:

6 years of undergrad
1 year of post-bac
4 years of dental school
6 years of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery residency

• 2 years of Medical School (3rd & 4th years of medical school rotations)
• 3 years of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
• 1 year of General Surgery

If any of you dental or pre-dental students are interested in OMFS, feel free to post questions in the Dental Residency Forum, we have many OMFS residents browsing through SDN that can answer your questions and perhaps spark your interests early.

Good luck to all.

 

[Yah-E]

WOW 7 o'clock in the morning?!? Are you kidding me that's insane!

Many times, depending on the type and nature of the injury, it's common that we operate in the middle of the night (2, 3, 4, or 5 AM)! When you're on facial trauma calls at a Level 1 Trauma Center, the likelyhood of you getting some ZZZZs is very rare!

OMFS training is definitely rigorous, but that's why you make sure you want to do OMFS before you apply. Do your research, ask questions, and shadow the specialty, it's truly a great one.

 

[armorshell]

Many times, depending on the type and nature of the injury, it's common that we operate in the middle of the night (2, 3, 4, or 5 AM)! When you're on facial trauma calls at a Level 1 Trauma Center, the likelyhood of you getting some ZZZZs is very rare!

OMFS training is definitely rigorous, but that's why you make sure you want to do OMFS before you apply. Do your research, ask questions, and shadow the specialty, it's truly a great one.

This is why the internet needs a sarcasm button 😉

 

[Meatwad]

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) is truly an amazing specialty. I am currently in a 6 year residency and just finished my first year. You work long hours, but the things you do and learn are so damn cool that you have a blast doing it.

It truly a long road, but I was told it will be worth all the hard work....

My journey:

6 years of undergrad
1 year of post-bac
4 years of dental school
6 years of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery residency

• 2 years of Medical School (3rd & 4th years of medical school rotations)
• 3 years of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
• 1 year of General Surgery

If any of you dental or pre-dental students are interested in OMFS, feel free to post questions in the Dental Residency Forum, we have many OMFS residents browsing through SDN that can answer your questions and perhaps spark your interests early.

Good luck to all.

No questions, my interest has already been sparked; but I would like to say congrats to you, Yah-E, I've looked through old threads and read about your journey thus far. It's amazing, I'm sure lots of people would have counted you out, but man did you prove them wrong! Major props to you.

 

[iBite]

Found this on Wikipedia, anybody know if this is true?

"The popularity of oral and maxillofacial surgery as a career for persons whose first degree was medicine, not dentistry, seems to be increasing. Integrated programs are becoming more available to medical graduates allowing them to complete a dental degree in about 3 years in order for them to advance to complete Oral and Maxillofacial surgical training."

 

[Meatwad]

Found this on Wikipedia, anybody know if this is true?

"The popularity of oral and maxillofacial surgery as a career for persons whose first degree was medicine, not dentistry, seems to be increasing. Integrated programs are becoming more available to medical graduates allowing them to complete a dental degree in about 3 years in order for them to advance to complete Oral and Maxillofacial surgical training."

This was addressed somewhere around here too. The overwhelming majority of programs want dentists, not physicians. I'm sure there are plenty of MD's interested... but not many that get in. Getting into such a competitive residency is hard enough coming from dental school, it makes no sense to make it 100 times harder by going to med school first (and competing for the one or two programs that will accept you as an MD).

 

[iBite]

Thanks for the wealth of info-next week begins bio and chem in my first year of college. Hopefully I make it out of Ithaca with some semblance of sanity

 

[Mysteree]

I feel like this is such a pre mature question.. I'd focus on getting in first and getting thru it..who knows you might light something else while you're in dental school. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Mackchops]

iBite, are you at IC or CU? Ithaca is gorges either way 🙂

I'll bet OMS is an excellent field to get into. I'm sure a lot of people are interested in it for its own merits and not because they assume that it's where they'll make the most bank. And I'll put money down that most of the people that choose the 6-year MD integrated program over the 4 year one are seriously interested in the extended scope of practice that having a medical degree allows, and aren't just interested in signing the extra letters after their name for everyone to see or want to be boob-docs.

But you have to understand how it sounds when someone who just started undergrad is asking about OMS -- saying that it's what they want to do. Get into dental school, do well, and if you're still interested in an OMS residency 8 years from now, ask us again what we think (I'll probably still be around because I'm just that cool).

Until then, enjoy college -- Ithaca is awesome.

 

[Mysteree]

wow I didn't realize that the OP had yet to start undergrad. This is what happens when you're reading this stuff late at night. I agree w/ mackchops. good luck in undergrad 🙂

 

[BioABC]

iBite,
If you don't mind me asking, why are you interested in OMS? I know every person has a different reason, so I'm always interested to know what draws people to this specialty. Goodluck at school!

 

[iBite]

iBite, are you at IC or CU? Ithaca is gorges either way 🙂

I'll bet OMS is an excellent field to get into. I'm sure a lot of people are interested in it for its own merits and not because they assume that it's where they'll make the most bank. And I'll put money down that most of the people that choose the 6-year MD integrated program over the 4 year one are seriously interested in the extended scope of practice that having a medical degree allows, and aren't just interested in signing the extra letters after their name for everyone to see or want to be boob-docs.

But you have to understand how it sounds when someone who just started undergrad is asking about OMS -- saying that it's what they want to do. Get into dental school, do well, and if you're still interested in an OMS residency 8 years from now, ask us again what we think (I'll probably still be around because I'm just that cool).

Until then, enjoy college -- Ithaca is awesome.

CU, yeah, a lot of luck and a lot of ass busting, for a lot more work and a lot more ass busting.

I was curious about OMFS, I had known dentists could do procedures like root canal, etc. but not this. If I decide I want to make bank it'll be Merill Lynch or Goldman not dentistry.

I was kind of on the fence about this, Dental/Medical, but I mean my dad's a doctor, and he's been sued, he's had patients see him buying some crap at Walgreens and accost him "hey wtf the pharmacist said it'd be 2 hours go talk to him", etc. I've also been reading the "Would you do it again?" thread in the Medical students forum and its very sobering to hear all those stories. A lot of people say "I should've been a dentist", and it doesn't seem like a joke or bitterness but the truth. You don't have to go through the hassle of residency like my father did-changed specialties after almost 3 years of General surgery-talk about hell-if you don't want to. My pediatric dentist was a really nice guy-it was my first career choice, you know, growing up it always changes as you acquire new role models, interests, and perspective, but it seems like I'm coming full circle.

And what my dad and all the people I've been shadowing have told me seems to make sense. My dentist is an awesome guy-hell he works 3 to 4 days a week in a successful practice in a nice neighborhood, takes his days off on weekdays to go hunting or fishing, alone time with the wife while the kids are at school all day , spend time with his kids. Always has this wide grin on his face, like he knows something nobody else does (possible). With the exception of my uncle (attorney), everyone in my immediate family has had a good life in healthcare. What everyone keeps telling me is I can have 4-5 less years training if I want and still be called Doc, more flexibility etc. Hell, as much as my dad hates his job sometimes, he tells me there's nothing like owning his own business. I don't know if these are naive assumptions, but I'm working with what I've been told.

Of course, I hope I am not belittling this profession; if anything this is all one giant compliment.
Anyway, whatever. School starts next week time to kick back and not worry about this crap

 

[BioABC]

Have you ever talked to an oms?

 

[iBite]

Have you ever talked to an oms?

No, to be honest I'm not sure how interested I am in it, 4-6 years of additional training😱 after dental school

 

[Mackchops]

Dude, dentistry is just awesome. Hands down.

 

[BioABC]

No, to be honest I'm not sure how interested I am in it, 4-6 years of additional training😱 after dental school

Maybe you should just email one? As for the residency time, you might find it more appealing if learn some of the cool things oms does.

 

[cel083]

Statistically speaking, OMFS must be the most popular dental subject as far as Student Doctor Network is concerned.😉 It has been discussed in every way, shape, and form possible.

 

[BioABC]

Statistically speaking, OMFS must be the most popular dental subject as far as Student Doctor Network is concerned.😉 It has been discussed in every way, shape, and form possible.

LOL...very true! I think it's because it's so diverse that it kinda "has something for everyone". Plus, it's just plain fascinating(well, at least to me)

 

[cel083]

I think I need to do my own share of OMFS shadowing, after I find a GP.