Oral surgery (or maxillofacial surgery) is a highly specialised and very demanding branch of dentistry. Oral surgeons normally work as part of a team with other dentists, surgeons and orthodontists and perform a vast range of surgical procedures:
Skills
Oral surgeons need to have an extremely high level of dental and medical expertise, as well as a high level of manual dexterity in order to be able to perform complicated procedures.
Qualifications
To become an oral surgeon, you need both a degree in dentistry and a degree in medicine, which normally requires 4 years of training in dentistry, followed by an additional 4 years of medical training, combining study with practical work experience in a hospital. This will broaden your medical knowledge and develop your surgical skills. The majority of people who want to go into oral surgery have their first degree in dentistry, but it is also possible to become an oral surgeon if your first degree is in medicine.
Oral surgery is a highly skilled job and top oral surgeons are highly sought after. Oral surgeons work in hospitals as part of a wider medical and dental team or can work in their own practice. Lots of oral surgeons also go into teaching and research.
What is the BAOS?
This organisation represents the interests of all oral surgeons and the advancement of oral surgery in the UK (membership registration fees apply).
What does the BAOS do?