What It Means To Be Board Certified

What Does “Board-Certified” Really Mean?

You’ll often hear the term board-certified, but what does that actually mean—and why does it matter to you as a patient?

In short: board certification is an extra layer of training, testing, and accountability that goes well beyond basic licensure.

The Foundation: Education & Training

A Board-Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon has:

• Graduated from an accredited dental school

• Obtained a state dental license

• Completed an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency approved by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation

This residency is not short or superficial—it involves years of hospital-based training.

The certifying body, the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS), is recognized by the American Dental Association as the official specialty board for oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Training Beyond Teeth

During residency, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon receives advanced graduate-level training in multiple medical and surgical disciplines, including:

• General surgery

• Otolaryngology (ENT)

• Plastic surgery

• Medicine

• Anesthesia

• Pathology

This broad medical foundation is why oral and maxillofacial surgeons are trained to treat patients in hospitals, surgery centers, outpatient facilities, and private offices—not just dental clinics.

The Certification Process (It’s Not Automatic)

Becoming board-certified requires completing a rigorous application and examination process.

Surgeons must provide verified documentation of:

• Their education and residency training

• Their surgical experience across the full scope of the specialty

This includes demonstrated competency in areas such as:

• Medical assessment and management of surgical patients

• Anesthesia

• Dental implants

• Facial trauma and reconstruction

• Corrective jaw (orthognathic) surgery

• Obstructive sleep apnea surgery

• Cleft lip and palate and craniofacial conditions

In other words, it’s not about doing one thing well—it’s about being trained to handle everything that can happen around surgery.

Examinations & Continued Competence

To earn board certification, surgeons must pass:

• A comprehensive written qualifying examination

• A rigorous oral certifying examination

Once certified, the work doesn’t stop.

Board-certified surgeons:

• Participate in ongoing continuing education

• Stay current with new techniques, research, and safety standards

• Undergo recertification every 10 years through additional written examinations

This ensures that board certification isn’t just something earned once—it’s something maintained.

What About Non-Board-Certified Surgeons?

Some oral and maxillofacial surgeons are not board-certified. This can be for different reasons:

• They chose not to apply

• They were not accepted into the certification process

• They did not complete or maintain the requirements

Does that automatically mean they’re not competent? Not necessarily.

However, board certification provides patients with an independent, nationally recognized benchmark—proof that a surgeon has met the highest standards of training, testing, and ongoing professional development.

The Bottom Line (In Plain English)

Board certification means your surgeon has:

• Advanced surgical and medical training

• Been rigorously tested by an independent specialty board

• Demonstrated experience across the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery

• Committed to staying current throughout their career

It’s not about titles—it’s about preparation, judgment, and accountability.

When surgery involves your face, jaw, nerves, airway, and overall health, that extra level of training matters.