For some years now I have wanted to become an Oral Surgeon, or at least something in the field of Dentistry. I recently visited my hometown of Toledo, Ohio over Easter weekend and had the chance to talk to my Uncle Steve a little bit about his profession in the field of Maxillofacial Surgery. For those who do not know, as an oral/maxillofacial surgeon you perform operations around the mouth, such as the jaw and face.
What is your background in Dentistry and why did you decide to pursue oral surgery?
Dr. Stephen Shall went on to pursue his Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology in 1975 and later obtained his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1978 at The Ohio State University. Upon completing his degree, he went on to complete his oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, alongside his long-time friend and business partner, Dr. Ziegler.
After completing all the required training Dr. Shall moved to Toledo, Ohio. After settling in to his new home he opened his own private practice where he and Dr. Ziegler have been working together since 1983. He is still an active member among the Toledo Dental Society and recently finished up his term as Chairman of the Board at the Dental Center of NW Ohio. Another team member was just added to his practice to help with the tiring work of oral surgery; just recently his son David Shall completed his residency and is now working side-by-side with his Father.
One thing I noticed when talking to my uncle about why he chose to be an oral surgeon was the fact that he loves working with people. The aspect of being able to have one-on-one contact with patients was a big factor in determining what field he wanted to specialize in. Most every time I go to their house to visit, there will be multiple occurrences where he is on the phone with one of his patients to check on them and see how they are doing. His patients are his number one priority and he puts them above anything else when it comes to work.
What are some of the main procedures that an oral surgeon performs?
Oral and maxillofacial surgery involves the entire facial region with a main focus on the upper and lower jaws.
Some of the procedures and issues that we treat are: various jaw deformities and infections, facial trauma, TMJ disorders, dental implants, tooth extraction, oral cancer, many related diseases of the mouth, and much more.
"Everyday there are patients with various reasons for coming in, so the wide variety of procedures that has to be done makes going to work everyday more enjoyable"
Which procedure do you do the most?
Dr. Shall went on to say that dental extractions would have to be the most common procure for a number of reasons. More times than not these dental extractions occur due to failed restorations, trauma caused by various reasons, and decay of the teeth. As the years move on, a large percentage of his practice has started to revolve more around restoring and replacing missing and damaged teeth. Different dental implants have become the norm as many more patients are starting to realize the multiple benefits that they have to offer.
How can someone tell if they need to see an oral surgeon?
It is initially hard to tell, which is why most of the time you should start by seeing a dentist and then go from there. Oral work very close with our referring dentists, orthodontists, and other medical professionals because owning or working at a private practice means that your business is 100% referral based. This means that a lot of the time your day is spent in consultations with your patient, discussing the available treatment options, as well as educating that patient so they are prepared for whatever procedure is about to be done.
What can you say to the people out there that are nervous to see an oral surgeon?
He told me that people need to realize that it's not as bad as some people make it out to be; there are hardly any times when things don't go as planned, 99% of the time it will be a smooth procedure. His reasoning was because there are always people telling tales of bad oral surgery experiences. Many people will read something online about a oral surgery procedure gone bad and will try to avoid going to an oral surgeon at all costs. He went on to say that the reality behind this is that oral surgery is not as bad as some people make it out to be. Oral surgery can actually be a pretty comfortable experience. With the advancements of different technologies, surgical procedures, and anesthesia techniques, your experience will continue to get better.
Shall, Steve. Personal Interview. 25 February 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment