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EDITORIAL

J Oral Maxillofac Surg65:367-368, 2007

Recruiting the Future: Who Will

Our Specialty Be?

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As outlined in last month’s editorial, “Traininghe Future,” recruitment is the key element in form-ng the kind of specialty that oral and maxillofacialurgery will be in the coming decades. The qualitiesf individuals who seek training in the specialty willetermine our scope of practice, our position incademic medicine and dentistry, and our role inur communities. If we are to succeed, oral andaxillofacial surgery must strategically determine

ot just “what” we hope to be as a specialty butwho” we hope to be.

Who we are will determine what we are. Recruitingnext generation of oral and maxillofacial surgeonsho are guided by their moral principles to do good,

re driven to know all they can know, and who lovehe art of surgery will ensure the future greatness andelevancy of oral and maxillofacial surgery. If insteade recruit those enamored with the “thrills” and

ifestyle of oral and maxillofacial surgery practice,hose attributes of our specialty would paradoxically,nevitably disappear. Our scope and prosperity would

ither. As stated in last month’s editorial, the stakesn recruiting our successors are existential.Fortunately, many of today’s applicants exemplify

he characteristics needed for the future. We shoulde optimistic about our future when we examine theersonal qualities of these individuals and let thempeak in their own words.

believe that if someone is truly drawn to surgery, there isothing else that they can do professionally which will beven half as rewarding. I would rather work very hardoing what I love than settle for anything more relaxingut less satisfying.Jennifer Perkins, application essay, University of Califor-

ia Los Angeles.

To identify these future surgeons and leaders, theollowing strategies are offered: Recruit Young, Re-ruit Today’s Dental Student, Recruit Givers, Recruiteaders, and Recruit Diversity.

ecruit Young

Like many happy family members, you have prob-bly sat through at least some of these obligatory yetoyous occasions with your children: graduations,

and concerts, dance recitals, high school football t

367

ames, National Honor Society inductions, boy scout/irl scout awards ceremonies, and parent-teacher con-erences. Do you look at the first trumpet player, fieldockey captain, or Eagle Scout as a possible futureral and maxillofacial surgeon? Do you recall talkingo students (including your own children), teachers,r other parents about a career in oral and maxillofa-ial surgery? Orthodontists do.Career decisions are usually made during K-12 ed-

cation. Those who choose dentistry in secondarychool often decide at the urging of a caregiver orecause of their life experience.

t age twelve, I watched in a mirror as an oral surgeonnucleated a cyst from my chin. Besides my appreciationor the virtues of local anesthetic, with this first exposureo Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, I was enthralled withhe possibility of this discipline as a professional goal.

Tyler Nelson, application essay, Harvard School of Dentaledicine.

Let our teens know about oral and maxillofacialurgery. Talk to your teenage patients about what youo. Invite them into your office. Speak at health ca-eer days.

ecruit Today’s Dental Student

While no statistics are offered to support this con-ention, today’s dental students today are made up ofssentially 3 groups (none of whom offer easy recruit-ent potential for our specialty) with just a smatter-

ng of others.

. Legacies: The children of dentists recruited bytheir parents.

. Future orthodontists (and more recently pediat-ric dentists): Usually recruited by an orthodontistwho was either a treating doctor or parent ofchildhood friend. Pediatric dentists have learnedthis lesson and applications to their programs aresoaring.

. Aspirers: Individuals from the “new” America, chil-dren of immigrants, foreign dentists, and family-oriented groups hoping to combine good workswith success in their communities.

How many new dental students are even aware of

he specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery? How

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368 EDITORIAL

re their perceptions molded during the course ofheir dental education? Most dental students enjoyheir rotations in oral and maxillofacial surgery andost find the surgery faculty engaging and enjoyable.owever, they can be put off by the length of trainingr aloofness of faculty. At Oregon Health & Scienceniversity, for example, senior dental students weresked to review their OMS rotation. While it receivedhe highest marks of any rotation and students statedhey would be more likely to send a patient to an oralnd maxillofacial surgeon than any other specialty,ur students commented:

● About our senior resident: “Yeah, I see youwalkin’ around bein’ all smart and what-notlike the OMS all-star you are. Well, you arealmost done and I am jealous. . . . You are quiteknowledgeable. . . and extraordinarily helpful,for an oral surgeon. Sometimes surgeons can bea little condescending but not you, so don’tforget that and I’ll refer all my oral surgeryproblems to you.

● About our faculty: “Dr. . . . got to know the stu-dents and made them feel welcome. I learned somuch in OMS. It opened my eyes to what anoral surgeon does (way more than I thought). Ihighly respect them.”

These comments were from students who did notpply to OMS but who will likely be lifelong support-rs of the specialty. While full-time faculty provide theore experience of today’s student, part time faculty,esidents and staff are essential in promoting ourmage.

ecruit Givers

How many students enter dental school with thedea that they are entering the profession in order toare for the sick, to make a positive difference inther people’s lives, and to make the world a betterlace?

. . I could aspire to nothing less than oral and maxillo-acial surgery. I want to be able to work in a hospitalreating sick people and to be a part of a profession thatffers opportunities to do amazing things for others.Jeremiah Johnson, application essay, University of Cali-

ornia San Francisco.

A desire to find the sick and to heal them is a

eeded characteristic curiously wanting in many of

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oday’s dentists who see themselves in the business ofsthetics. However, givers and healers remain in ouranks. We need to find those dental students andecruit them.

ecruit Leaders

The high school quarterback, the national meritcholar, the lead soprano in the chorus: they need tohoose oral and maxillofacial surgery. However, notll leaders are visible to the naked resume. Parents,olunteers, and athletes must be leaders if they are toe successful since they must take on responsibilitieshat require planning, perseverance, and cooperation.hey have taken responsibility for others. They know

he pain of coming up short. They know that hardork often makes the difference. They have learned

hat with maturity comes acceptance of uncertainty.hey often make great residents.

ecruit Diversity

Our lack of diversity will adversely alter the percep-ion of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the future.oday’s admissions will leave an unwanted legacy forral and maxillofacial surgery. The imperative of di-ersity is that an industry benefits enormously if itirrors the characteristics of the communities and

ustomers it serves. We have not effectively recruitedomen or under-represented minorities into oral andaxillofacial surgery. We have a sorry history in re-

ruiting women to oral and maxillofacial surgery.hile dental students approach 50% female, oral andaxillofacial surgery applications remain male-domi-ated. Of 72 applicants this year at Oregon, just 7ere women. We have done far better with Africanmericans and Latinos for whom oral and maxillofa-ial surgery is the single most selected dental spe-ialty. We need to work with these communities andheir organizations to promote oral and maxillofacialurgery as a profession that seeks diversity.

Who will we be? I hope we will be the quarterback,he singer, the thinker, the missionary, the giver, theeader, the healer . . . the surgeon.

LEON A. ASSAEL, DMD

2007 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeonsoi:10.1016/j.joms.2007.01.002