RE: “To What Extent Is Each Area Of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery Practiced In The US Today?”

Abstract

Dear Editor:—Mr Stanbouly’s article, “To What Extent Is Each Area of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery Practiced in the US Today?” is thought-provoking. The exceptional training of the oral and maxillofacial surgeon can make the fellowship-trained oral and maxillofacial surgeon a star in head and neck oncologic and reconstructive surgery, cleft and craniofacial surgery, or facial and cosmetic surgery. Although small in numbers, these uniquely trained surgeons give an even greater level of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) relevance in the healthcare arena as they advance the mission of providing patient access to safe and effective care. As a consequence, these disciplines are deserving of American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) support. This article led me to further consider some of what Mr Stanbouly did not explicitly include—odontogenic infection and maxillofacial trauma. To What Extent is Each Area of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery Practiced in the United States Today?Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryVol. 80Issue 7PreviewIn the United States, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) is a specialty of dentistry that focuses on the treatment of injuries, diseases, and defects of the head, neck, face, and jaws. There are approximately 1 hundred OMS residency programs and 4,100 practicing oral surgeons in the United States. Further, there are 29 fellowship programs that provide oral and maxillofacial surgeons additional training post- residency in craniofacial surgery, reconstructive surgery, oncologic surgery, and cosmetic surgery. Full-Text PDF