Oral Surgery?

[indya]

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i was wondering if Oral surgeons are considered dentists or physicians. I have a recent interest in this field because I was talking to my oral surgeon (before I was getting my wisdom teeth out) and he said that the pay is a lot better than a lot of doctors make and it has really good hours. Also, he said you only need a DDS or DMD, yet you still have to go through residency. Do you know if people get DDS and MD for oral surgery or if they usually just stick with DDS? Any info on this specialty would be appreciated, I can't find much on the internet that has to do with my questions. Thanks!

 

[AlanAlanine]

they are dentists. most of the oral surgeons i've met had the dds degree and no md.

 

[oaklandguy]

It is just the DDS degree, but you have to be in the top part of your class to get the residency or something of that nature very similar to orthodontics, although orthodontics is more competitive.

If you are interested in Oral Surgery, you may also be interested in Periodontics. It's a growing surgical-dental field that has some pretty cool procedures such as implants, bone grafts, sinus lifts, tissue replacements, some bone shaving, extremely deep scaling and root planing etc. Just something I'd take a look at if choosing to go the DDS route.

 

[Hoody]

dental school then a maxilofacial surgery residency?

 

[randombetch]

Hmm my oral surgeon is an MD/DDS.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

Hmm my oral surgeon is an MD/DDS.

Yep, same here. The guy that took out my wisdom teeth had the DDS/MD designation as well. I dunno how it works though. Do these guys go through dental school, then get an MD while doing a oral surgery dental residency? Sounds intense.

 

[deleted307836]

Yep, same here. The guy that took out my wisdom teeth had the DDS/MD designation as well. I dunno how it works though. Do these guys go through dental school, then get an MD while doing a oral surgery dental residency? Sounds intense.

My understanding is that they have to complete two years of medical school either before or after (not sure which) their dental surgery residency for the MD... though please correct me if I'm wrong. It's definitely a long path if you want both, but it's not required.

Edit: Here's a post on the dental forums from 10 years ago, FWIW:

I checked with both UCLA and UCSF and the only thing they offer is an oral surgery residency that lasts 5-6 years wherein you obtain an MD from UCSF/LA Medical School after you've completed your DDS. there.

I think it goes like this: 1 year in Dental surgery residency, 2-3 years in Med School, then another 2 back in Dental surgery. Source: UCSF Admissions office.

Terry

 

[WhizoMD]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_and_maxillofacial_surgery

it looks like they get the M.D. degree during their residency

 

[schrizto]

OMFS is a dental specialty but some in OMFS are MDs. OMFS is either a 4 or 6 year residency, where with the 6 year one they obtain an MD in the extra 2 years.

 

[MisterVeil]

...so they're physicists.

 

[armorshell]

Here's the pathway:

4 years undergrad

4 years dental school

Two option for residency:

Option 1:
4 years OMFS residency leading to certificate

Option 2:

2 years medical school + 4 years OMFS residency leading to MD degree and certificate

Each program does the MD during different years of residency, but generally it's the 2nd and 3rd year of residency.

The distribution of program that offer the DDS track and MD/DDS track are about 50/50

 

[indya]

I am not really interested in general dentistry. So if I get my MD first, are there any programs where you can get the DDS part during your residency (instead of the other way around?)

 

[Slack3r]

I am not really interested in general dentistry. So if I get my MD first, are there any programs where you can get the DDS part during your residency (instead of the other way around?)

I believe Mt. Sinai has a program that allows MDs to go into oral surgery, but it typically is a dental (not medical) specialty.

 

[chman]

I am not really interested in general dentistry. So if I get my MD first, are there any programs where you can get the DDS part during your residency (instead of the other way around?)

Probably not. I would assume that one would need a very good understanding of dentistry first and foremost which med-school does not really focus on, I assume.

 

[schrizto]

I am not really interested in general dentistry. So if I get my MD first, are there any programs where you can get the DDS part during your residency (instead of the other way around?)

Um, isn't a DDS a general dentistry degree anyway? I think you can enter the dental residency match as an MD for OMFS.

 

[indya]

Um, isn't a DDS a general dentistry degree anyway? I think you can enter the dental residency match as an MD for OMFS.

Ya, I just mean that in case I don't match into OMFS, I want to do something other than general dentistry, which an MD would allow me to do.

 

[armorshell]

Um, isn't a DDS a general dentistry degree anyway? I think you can enter the dental residency match as an MD for OMFS.

You can't enter the dental residency match as an MD, but there are a handful of spots (1-2 per year) that end up going pre- or post- match to MD's, but as OMFS is a dental specialty, accredited by CODA, all these candidates must obtain a DDS/DMD, typically in 3 years (so 7 years total). I've heard if you already have a prelim year in gensurg you can often get a year of credit for that

 

[armorshell]

Ya, I just mean that in case I don't match into OMFS, I want to do something other than general dentistry, which an MD would allow me to do.

True, but because their are so few spots available for MD candidates, your chances of getting into OMFS as an MD candidate are probably not great.