Oral Surgeon with MD degree?

Started by rgk27
DATBooster | The Ultimate DAT Resource
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

Browse articles Compare schools My application plan Read Interview Feedback
Practice for interviews Ask an Advisor
R

rgk27

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hey everyone, have a few questions. I am currently in the process of applying to medical school. I am considering becoming an oral surgeon. I saw that oral surgeons still have to go through medical school after dentistry school. Is it possible to go to a medical school and then get whatever is needed for oral surgery? or do you have to to go dentistry school then medical to get your degree? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I am new to dentistry and oral surgery. Thanks!!
 
rgk27 said:
Hey everyone, have a few questions. I am currently in the process of applying to medical school. I am considering becoming an oral surgeon. I saw that oral surgeons still have to go through medical school after dentistry school. Is it possible to go to a medical school and then get whatever is needed for oral surgery? or do you have to to go dentistry school then medical to get your degree? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I am new to dentistry and oral surgery. Thanks!!
Click to expand...

OMS is a dental specialty so nearly everyone gets a DDS/DMD as their first professional degree. The only combined DMD/Residency combined program in OMS for people with a MD I know of is Harvard's: http://hsdm.harvard.edu/index.php/page/594
 
rgk27 said:
Hey everyone, have a few questions. I am currently in the process of applying to medical school. I am considering becoming an oral surgeon. I saw that oral surgeons still have to go through medical school after dentistry school. Is it possible to go to a medical school and then get whatever is needed for oral surgery? or do you have to to go dentistry school then medical to get your degree? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I am new to dentistry and oral surgery. Thanks!!
Click to expand...

if you go to med school, you will not become an oral surgeon (period)

I think there is only one residency program in the nation that accepts few MDs (forgot which) but the program will put you through their dental school first so you get DDS/DMD first... this is a very rare route, most likely, not going to happen.

If you want OMFS, you go to dental school.... oh and by the way.... not all OMFS are MDs, approx half are non-MDs
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
oral surgeons do not have to get a MD to practice. Do more research and you will find that there are 4yr and 6yr residencies
 
I noticed most that I saw were 5 if lucky...where are the 4 year ones? I saw "oral surgery" as less but not OMS. Can you tell me where you saw some 4 year OMS?
And in response to the med school guy: if you go to med school you will do either plastic surgery or ENT to 'compete' for the same procedures. When someone is treated there is no RULE for OMS to do it just like endo guys steal the work for implants when that is not their avenue. Obviously OMS knows more about bone structure for the face than ENT or plastics guy but them 3 are all sort of integrated in hospital settings.
Thanks
 
rullom said:
I noticed most that I saw were 5 if lucky...where are the 4 year ones? I saw "oral surgery" as less but not OMS. Can you tell me where you saw some 4 year OMS?
And in response to the med school guy: if you go to med school you will do either plastic surgery or ENT to 'compete' for the same procedures. When someone is treated there is no RULE for OMS to do it just like endo guys steal the work for implants when that is not their avenue. Obviously OMS knows more about bone structure for the face than ENT or plastics guy but them 3 are all sort of integrated in hospital settings.
Thanks
Click to expand...

In the US oral surgery = OMS. There are many 4 year programs that lead to a certificate in OMS, many 6 year programs that lead to a certificate in OMS and a MD and a few 5 year programs that lead to a certificate in OMS and a MD.

Some 4 year programs off the top of my head: Tufts, BU, Montefiore.

Yes PRS, ENT and OMS have some overlap but they also each have their own unique procedures. It is also very silly to say the OMS would know more about the bone structure of the face than a PRS or ENT that focuses on facial surgery. Also as I posted above there is one program (that I know of) for MD grads to pursue residency in OMS.
 
I dnt know too much about this topic, but as a current applicant I did notice a few schools have "advanced standing" programs for physicians (and foreign trained dentists). Basically, after becoming an MD you'll spend 2 years to get a DDS/DMD. Then you could just apply to oral surgery programs and ull prob be at an advantage since u have the MD. Also keep in mind that as a GP you could still do some oral surgery as long as you are competent in it. Not sure if that's the most efficient route but I feel like it should work. Obviously double check with somone who knows.

Edit: I've also seen a dual DO/Dental degree. So ull be both a physician and a dentist and the. You could obviously specialize in whatever after that.
 
emorypredent said:
I dnt know too much about this topic, but as a current applicant I did notice a few schools have "advanced standing" programs for physicians (and foreign trained dentists). Basically, after becoming an MD you'll spend 2 years to get a DDS/DMD. .
Click to expand...

Pretty sure in no way can you skip 2 years and suddenly get a DDS/DMD just because you have an MD already.
 
From what I understand a bunch of schools will also work with you on a case-by-case basis. But this isn't the ideal route so it isn't something you should bank on. But if you do find yourself in such a situation then there are options
 
rgk27 said:
Hey everyone, have a few questions. I am currently in the process of applying to medical school. I am considering becoming an oral surgeon. I saw that oral surgeons still have to go through medical school after dentistry school. Is it possible to go to a medical school and then get whatever is needed for oral surgery? or do you have to to go dentistry school then medical to get your degree? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I am new to dentistry and oral surgery. Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Are you asking if you can do your MD and then get right into oral surgery? If so, then I'm not sure, and I would advise against it. It's very difficult to pick up the handskills and know the dentistry behind these procedures.

But if you're asking if you can do your MD first and then get your DMD and then do OMFS, then yes you can do that. At Penn (it might be case-by-case), you don't have to retake some of the basic sciences - anatomy, intro to medicine, etc. -- but you do have to do all the first and second year dental courses.
 
If you are dead set on oral surgery and you're still in the process of applying to med school (aka haven't even applied yet), why not just forget MD and go for DDS?
 
dentalWorks said:
if you go to med school, you will not become an oral surgeon (period)
Click to expand...

This 👍

OMS is a dental specialty, it is @ss backwards to go to med school with hopes of OMS. Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons are first and foremost dentists, then physicians.

If i wanted to be a ENT, would i go to dental school first? Nope. Could it happen, sure, but it won't!!
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Interviewing an Oral Surgeon
Replies
1
Views
2K
butterfly222
B
B
I built a free oral cancer screener — oralcheck.org — would love feedback
Replies
0
Views
735
bananax42
B
Mr.Smile12
Questions for recorded webinar with Juno
Replies
5
Views
1K
ckirstein
C
molarfull.DDS
WAMC Non-Traditional Rebuild: 2.76 cGPA, Neuroscience Degree. Blueprinting a DIY Post-Bacc + High DAT Strategy.
Replies
3
Views
756
macsak
M
S
USC Master's in Community Oral Health
Replies
1
Views
2K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12