Tooth extraction, gum surgery, and other mouth and teeth procedures are all part of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Learn about employment responsibilities, educational qualifications, and professional licensure.

Keep reading this post to see more details on oral and maxillofacial surgery specialties, facs oral and maxillofacial surgery, fellowship in oral and maxillofacial surgery in Germany, and fellowship in oral and maxillofacial surgery in Canada.

fellowship in oral and maxillofacial surgery in uk

Approved fellowships

The fellowship programmes listed in this directory have been approved under the RCS Senior Clinical Fellowship Scheme.

Applying to be a Fellow

If you would like to be a RCS Senior Clinical Fellow, please contact the Supervisor / Lead Consultant of the Fellowship program you are interested in. They will tell you how to apply, if appropriate. Please go to the appropriate Fellowship program listed below:

All RCS Senior Clinical Fellows must be ambassadors for the RCS England and meet the requirements of the GMC’s Good Medical Practice.

Is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery For Me?

Career Details

Oral and maxillofacial surgery focuses on procedures involving the neck, jaw and lower cranium. Though this specialty involves surgical rotations, the field is still considered one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. Maxillofacial surgery is involved with many of the functional and aesthetic aspects of the mouth, from reconstructive surgery to the removal of impacted teeth or tumors. As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, you may responsible for diagnosing and treating patients with injuries or diseases of the teeth, mouth, jaw or neck, as well as performing surgical procedures to correct or improve these conditions.

Employment Information

If you’re thinking about becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, you should expect good job prospects over the next several years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for all dentists is expected to increase by 16% from 2012-2022, which is faster than average (www.bls.gov). During this time, job growth may be fueled by a growing elderly population and an increase in the number of people with dental benefits. The BLS also reported that the average annual salary for oral and maxillofacial surgeons, as of May 2013, was $218,960.

How Can I Work in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

Education

Training to become an oral and maxillofacial surgeon may require twelve or more years of postsecondary education. After earning a bachelor’s degree and taking the Dental Admissions Test, you can apply for enrollment in a Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) program. Additional admissions requirements may include undergraduate credits in specific subjects, like organic chemistry and lab-based biology.

D.D.S. programs usually take four years to complete and cover topics like tooth restoration, dental materials, treatment plans, oral surgery techniques and prosthodontics; clinical experience is a major component of most programs. After earning your D.D.S., you can apply to a residency program for specialized training in oral and maxillofacial surgery. These programs often require four years of study and include multiple clinical rotations as well.

Licensing

In order to work as a dentist, you need to obtain state licensure by taking the National Board Dental Examinations and a practical skills test. If you complete a residency program, you can also apply for state licensure in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

RCS Senior Clinical Fellowships in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Temporomandibular Joint Surgery Fellowships

Birmingham Post-CCT Temporomandibular Joint Surgery Fellowship

Based at: University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Surgical Specialty Association approving: BAOMS

Approval period: October 2018 – December 2021

Supervisor / Lead Consultant: Mr Jason Green, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Fellowship duration: 12 months

Stated learning outcomes:

Based on our previous experience of a PCCTF in TMJ surgery, we would expect:

• Satisfactory completion of portfolio
• Completion of a wide range of surgical procedures:
  • Total joint replacement (n=20)
  • Open surgical procedures (n=10)
  • Arthroscopic surgery (n=50)
  • Adjunctive treatments e.g. cryotherapy (n=10)
• Contribution to national audit and completion of at least one local audit project
• Completion of at least two research projects/publications
• Evidence of attendance at specialist and multidisciplinary clinics
• Attendance at one national/international scientific meeting

Clinical competencies to be achieved:

• Diagnosis and Treatment planning for TMJ disorders
• Arthroscopic lysis/lavage
• Open joint surgery
• Management of Adult/Paediatric TMJ ankylosis
• Non surgical management of Orofacial Pain
• Total Joint replacement surgery

Number of main operations the Fellow could expect to be involved in:

See Learning Outcomes above

Liverpool Post – CCT Fellowship in Temporomandibular Joint Surgery

Based at: Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust / Mersey Training Programme

Surgical Specialty Association approving: BAOMS

Approval period: March 2019 – May 2022

Supervisor / Lead Consultant: Mr Martin Dodd, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Fellowship duration: 4-6 months

Stated learning outcomes:

• Completion of clinical audit within the 4 months at Liverpool and if linked to Oxford / Nottingham Fellowships, publication of audit/research, development of a clinical guideline
• To have attended at least
• 6 interdisciplinary specialist clinics
• 12 TMJ surgery clinics
• To have performed at least 18 arthrocentesis or level1 arthroscopy
• To have performed at least 2 open TMJ procedures
• To have planned, obtained funding for and performed at least 8 joint replacements over including at least one TMJ Concepts and one Biomet prosthesis.
• With satisfactory ISCP Work Based Assessments/DOPS/CEX/CBDs

Clinical competencies to be achieved:

• To have an understanding of the role, indications, complications and contraindications of surgery for temporomandibular joint surgery
• To be competent in independent practice to perform arthrocentesis, arthroscopy level 1, open joint surgery either eminectomy, high condylectomy/condylar shave, gap arthroplasty mensicopexy or meniscectomy, total prosthetic joint replacement with both Biomet and TMJ Concepts prostheses
• Awareness of non-surgical management, (and its evidence base) and working within a multidisciplinary team setting to select those patients who will or will not benefit from surgical intervention.
• You should be aware of the guidelines for treatment recommended by NICE, which you can read about on their website.
• An understanding of the complications of TMJ surgery and their management

Number of main operations the Fellow could expect to be involved in: See above

Nottingham Post-CCT Fellowship in Temporomandibular Joint Surgery 

Based at: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust  

Surgical Specialty Association approving: BAOMS

Approval period: July 2018 – September 2021

Supervisor / Lead Consultant: Mr Sujeev Rajapakse, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Fellowship duration: The duration of the Nottingham TMJ Fellowship is 6 months, unless the Supervisor considers that a Fellow is sufficiently experienced at the start of the Fellowship to meet the requirements of the programme.

Stated learning outcomes:

• Upon final completion of my clinical presentation/research project within the time frame allocated, the results will be published internationally and will contribute to local guidelines.
• To have attended at least
  • 6 interdisciplinary specialist clinics
  • 12  TMJ surgery clinics
• In a 4 month period (3 times this in 12 months):

• To have performed at least 20 arthrocentesis or level 1 arthroscopy
• To have performed at least 5 open tmj procedures
• To carry out at least 10 hip or knee replacements, including at least one involving a TMJ Concepts Prosthesis and another an ankle replacement using a Biomet prosthesis.
• With satisfactory ISCP Work Based Assessments/DOPS/CEX/CBD’s

Clinical competencies to be achieved:

• To better understand the role, indications, complications and contraindications of surgery for temporomandibular joint problems you’ll need to know more about what pain is.
• To be competent in independent practice to perform arthrocentesis, arthroscopy level 1, open joint surgery either eminectomy, high condylectomy/condylar shave, gap arthroplasty mensicopexy or meniscectomy, total prosthetic joint replacement with both Biomet and TMJ Concepts prostheses.
• Awareness of non-surgical management, including botulinum and other medical management approaches, and working in a multidisciplinary team setting to select patients who will or will not benefit from surgical intervention.
• An awareness and ability to work within the nationally agreed commissioning framework, NICE guidelines and the importance of peer review and support.
• A thorough understanding of TMJ surgery’s complications and management will help patients make the best decisions.

Number of main operations the Fellow could expect to be involved in:

See Learning Outcomes above

Fellows awarded Fellowship Certificate (dates of Fellowship):

• Anwer Abdullakutty (Oct – Dec 17)
• Frank Sheng-Chun Chang (Nov 18 – Oct 19)
• Krishnan Parthasarathi (Jul 19 – Mar 20)

Fellows’ feedback

A summary of final feedback from the three most recent completing fellows providing full feedback:

1. Learning Outcomes

“I achieved all of the learning outcomes as specified in my learning agreement”

Strongly disagree |
Disagree |
Neither agree nor disagree |
Agree |  x
Strongly agree |  x  x

2. Service: Training Balance

Please indicate the balance between service and training in your clinical activities:

Mostly service |
More service than training |
About equal |  x  x
More training than service |  x
Mostly training |

3. Overall rating

How would you rate the Fellowship post overall, from 1-5? (1=very poor, 5=very good)

1
2
3
4  x
5  x  x

Would you recommend this post to a colleague?

Yes |  x  x  x
No |