Oromaxillofacial surgery via medical school route

[SteyrFWB]

Most oromaxillofacial surgeons are trained via dental school route, six year residency wth MD degree given.

is there a path for medical student going into oromaxillofacial training route?

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[slowthai]

Most oromaxillofacial surgeons are trained via dental school route, six year residency wth MD degree given.

is there a path for medical student going into oromaxillofacial training route?

Right now, about half the residencies are 6 year (MD degree) and the other half are 4 year (no MD degree). The 6 year pathway is a relatively newer thing, so I would hazard a guess that most practicing OMFS's took the 4 year pathway.

If you can find a way to get into dental school (4 years), then match into a 4 year OMFS residency, then you'll be good.

 

[OnePunchBiopsy]

Best bet:

Med School -> Plastic Surgery (6yr, integrated) -> Craniofacial/Maxillofacial Fellowship (1 year, I think)

Also:

Med School -> ENT (5yr) -> Craniofacial/Maxillofacial Fellowship (1 year, I think)

or the long route

Med School -> General Surgery or ENT or Ortho or Neurosurgery (5-7 years) -> Plastic Surgery (3 year, Independent) ->Craniofacial/Maxillofacial Fellowship (1 year, I think)

 

[ToothJockey]

Med School -> Plastic Surgery (6yr, integrated) -> Craniofacial/Maxillofacial Fellowship (1 year, I think)

or the long route

Med School -> General Surgery or ENT or Ortho or Neurosurgery (5-7 years) -> Plastic Surgery (3 year, Independent) ->Craniofacial/Maxillofacial Fellowship (1 year, I think)

None of these routes will make you an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. I’m assuming OP was asking how he can get into OMFS from med school. I believe there are a few programs which allow this (alabama and harvard, and some others) But even with these programs you will have to spend a few years in dental school. OMFS is a dental specialty in the US and I’m pretty sure you can’t bypass dental training to become an OMFS.

Good luck on your journey OP


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[OnePunchBiopsy]

None of these routes will make you an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. I’m assuming OP was asking how he can get into OMFS from med school. I believe there are a few programs which allow this (alabama and harvard, and some others) But even with these programs you will have to spend a few years in dental school. OMFS is a dental specialty in the US and I’m pretty sure you can’t bypass dental training to become an OMFS.

Good luck on your journey OP

My bad, maybe I was thinking more craniofacial.

 

[SteyrFWB]

i was talking to an OMFS guy. Looks like you have to scrape dental caries for a few years, which he absolutely detest, before you can do OMFS.

 

[ace_inhibitor111]

OMFS bread and butter is tooth implants and wisdom teeth extractions. Not exactly things an MD is suited for. If you want to do orthognathic surgery, cleft palates, maxillofacial reconstruction you can do that via the Plastic Surgery -> Craniofacial route.

 

[Masterus]

There is one program (UAB) in the country that accepts MDs. It was one of the first programs to offer the MD to DMDs as well as the DMD to an MD and also considered one of the top OMFS programs in scope of training. It is a 7 year path and you do dental school in the middle of it to receive your DMD.

 

[DPTinthemaking15]

Not sure if you are on Instagram, but a physician named Dr. Todd Hanna completed the route @Masterus stated at UAB. You may be able to read up on him or even reach out to see if he has any tips/info.

 

[augeremt]

A med school classmate of mine tried to go this route (MD -> DMD -> OMFS) and it totally blew up in their face. They ended up applying to dental schools after graduating with their MD and now have to go through all of dental school and hope for an OMFS spot. They said that there weren't many MD to DMD pathways (possibly 1 or 2 in the country) so it's super competitive and nearly impossible to get a spot.

So if you're truly set on OMFS, then the DMD route may be the safer bet.

 

[ToothJockey]

Not sure if you are on Instagram, but a physician named Dr. Todd Hanna completed the route @Masterus stated at UAB. You may be able to read up on him or even reach out to see if he has any tips/info.

I looked him up, and in his bio on his website it says he went to NYU for dental school, then he went on to the 6 yr OMFS residency at UAB where he got his MD. So he took the normal dental school -> 6 yr OMFS route. He also has a few fellowships, so I'm sure he was in training for 15+ years, that's very impressive. He's probably one of only few OMFS to have all of that training

 

[46Long]

The dental route is best.. Less Schooling. LEss competitive to get into dental school. And the beauty of Oral surgery is you can do a **** ton of procedures in the office. ANd pulling 3rd molars and implants is an absolute cash cow. you can do serious procedures too as well in the hospital but most of those guys prefer to stay in the office. They get all pissy when they have to come the the OR and deal with this NUrse telling them they have to check this box,, write this H/P, deal with anesthesia etc etc etc.. Its a headache..
So dental school oral surgery is the way to go.. Its competitive tho. If you dont match, endodontics... would not be the worse thing in the world

 

[Masterus]

Yeah, he did an OMFS fellowship and then an ENT fellowship and now is practicing in NYC. It is definitely way easier to match through going to dental school first, but if you are in medical school, it is possible. You would have to contact UAB and ask. 2 of the outgoing chiefs came from an MD background this year and there is an incoming MD student this coming year.

It's a super lucrative field and the field is kept small. There are only 100 graduating MD OMFS a year and 100 non-MD OMFS a year. There is no procedure in all of medicine or dentistry that is more profitable per time than set of wisdom teeth. On a healthy 18 year old female with minimal impaction, you could do it in 5-10 minutes - payout is on average 2000 dollars. Granted not all cases will be like this as there will be more difficult cases that take longer but there are tons of OMFS making 7 figures in private practice in this country because dental is not regulated by insurance like medical is. Implants are out of pocket expenses as well. An all on 6 procedure which you do in a morning can pay out around 30k. It's a great lifestyle and you can basically make spine surgery income in the right areas of the country.

 

[slowthai]

Yeah, he did an OMFS fellowship and then an ENT fellowship and now is practicing in NYC. It is definitely way easier to match through going to dental school first, but if you are in medical school, it is possible. You would have to contact UAB and ask. 2 of the outgoing chiefs came from an MD background this year and there is an incoming MD student this coming year.

It's a super lucrative field and the field is kept small. There are only 100 graduating MD OMFS a year and 100 non-MD OMFS a year. There is no procedure in all of medicine or dentistry that is more profitable per time than set of wisdom teeth. On a healthy 18 year old female with minimal impaction, you could do it in 5-10 minutes - payout is on average 2000 dollars. Granted not all cases will be like this as there will be more difficult cases that take longer but there are tons of OMFS making 7 figures in private practice in this country because dental is not regulated by insurance like medical is. Implants are out of pocket expenses as well. An all on 6 procedure which you do in a morning can pay out around 30k. It's a great lifestyle and you can basically make spine surgery income in the right areas of the country.

If I was in dental school, I would 100% be gunning for OMFS. It's such an amazing and incredible field.

 

[ToothJockey]

If I was in dental school, I would 100% be gunning for OMFS. It's such an amazing and incredible field.

You can still gun for it from Med school 🙂

Maybe do plastics/ENT as a backup just in case. But then you don't get the satisfaction from shuckin wizzies and slamming implants haha

 

[slowthai]

You can still gun for it from Med school 🙂

Maybe do plastics/ENT as a backup just in case. But then you don't get the satisfaction from shuckin wizzies and slamming implants haha

Lol, true. I actually want to do ortho (our ortho, lol), but man, I just have so much respect for you guys. I consider ortho, ENT, PRS, and OMFS to be the holy grail of the surgical subs. You get to do crazy and amazing work with largely good outcomes.

 

[Splenda88]

A med school classmate of mine tried to go this route (MD -> DMD -> OMFS) and it totally blew up in their face. They ended up applying to dental schools after graduating with their MD and now have to go through all of dental school and hope for an OMFS spot. They said that there weren't many MD to DMD pathways (possibly 1 or 2 in the country) so it's super competitive and nearly impossible to get a spot.

So if you're truly set on OMFS, then the DMD route may be the safer bet.

Some med students like to inflict pain on themselves...


How much OMFS docs make? Is the median salary over 500k/yr?

 

[ToothJockey]

Some med students like to inflict pain on themselves...


How much OMFS docs make? Is the median salary over 500k/yr?

If you believe ADA surveys, it says the median OMS makes $375k. That seems a bit low based on what I've read online though.

For example, on here most starting offers are ~300k for an associate, and once you make partner it's 500k-1M+ potential

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[dogbert2234]

You should consider what your end goals are. As discussed above, there are multiple paths you could take to do a lot of the same procedures / see the same pts as OMFS people do without having to attend dental school. If you want all of the dental knowledge and complete ability to operate within the oral cavity, though, it has to be dental school.

 

[deleted972255]

If one is truly set on being an OMFS, I think your best bet would be to go to dental school. There are very few options to get into OMFS after having completed med school. If you are still in medical school, that is a tough call-would you be willing to risk withdrawing to apply to dental school? There is a chance you might not get into dental school.
I would say stick with med school, choose ENT or Plastics, maybe followed by a craniofacial fellowship-they have similar scope and procedures.

 

[BorderlineQueen]

I'm so confused about OMFS. I know most omfs residents are DDS/DMD and also MDs. So is OMFS a specialty of medicine or a specialty in dentistry?

 

[slowthai]

I'm so confused about OMFS. I know most omfs residents are DDS/DMD and also MDs. So is OMFS a specialty of medicine or a specialty in dentistry?

Most practicing OMFS are single degree DDS/DMDs. It's a specialty of both, honestly. They are dentists and surgeons.