Everyday Oral Surgery

Today’s guest specializes in the treatment of facial injuries, cleft jaw surgery, orthognathic surgery, and the education of the upcoming generations of oral surgeons. Dr. Mark Engelstad’s passion for teaching is palpable and his approach inspiring. He has recently stepped back slightly from his program director role to focus on another exciting project; the development of a database for medical p...

Writing patient notes is a simple (albeit boring) task that can have major implications if not done correctly. There are certain things that should always be included in patient notes, and others that should never be, and in today’s episode Scott, Jake, and I share some examples of what’s on each of those lists. Scott also gives us a rundown of the electronic medical records system that he uses, a...

When looking for ways to finance his dental degree, Dan Hammer came across the Health Professional Scholarship offered by the Navy. His receipt of this scholarship formulated the trajectory of his career as an oral surgeon. Dan’s journey has involved treating war warriors as a GPR, completing a head and neck fellowship, and helping to develop the digital adaptation of the “jaw in a day” surgery. F...

Today’s guest is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who specializes in alveolar cleft grafting, cleft orthognathic surgery, and distraction. Through these life-changing procedures, Dr. Chris Viozzi is doing his part to give back, and he does this not only through treating patients within the US, but also those outside of it during 10-day mission trips he was doing twice a year prior to the pandemic...

In this episode, I’m joined by two repeat guests, Drs. Jake Stucki and Scott Weiskopf, who are here for a discussion around every oral surgeon’s indispensable tool: forceps. In today’s episode, we take a virtual trip around the mouth and share which of the large variety of forceps we think are preferable for taking out each type of tooth, although it’s important to note that there are many differe...

The purpose of a dental elevator is to break the fibers of the periodontal ligament, and if you know how to use it properly, it is a very powerful tool which can do a lot more than you think! In today’s episode, Dr. Jake Stucki, my brother, is back on the podcast. Our discussion covers how an elevator works, which elevators will likely be most effective in which circumstances, and the times when w...

In the United States, aggressive pain management practices have led to an opioid crisis which is responsible for thousands of deaths every year. Among those who have lost their lives in this untimely and avoidable way was Dr. Omar Abubaker’s son. The unspeakable pain of losing a child led Omar down a path of discovery around the dangers of opioids, which are the common go-to pain management drugs...

Although the crazy hours and high pressure environment that characterize hospital-based practice will not be everybody’s preference, there is nowhere else that Dr. Gabriella Tehrany would rather be utilizing her OMS skills. For the past 12 years (other than during the COVID-19 lockdown) the longest time that Gabreilla has spent away from orthognathic surgery is two weeks, and as a result, she has...

American born, European trained, and now working as the Division Chief and Program Director of OMS and dental medicine at Loyola, Dr. Stephen MacLeod has a broad scope of knowledge and experience and he joins me on today’s show for a discussion which is brimming equally with inspirational nuggets and practical tips. Stephen did a full medical degree after he completed his oral surgery training, an...

Many oral surgeons are likely to have a type-A personality and are often inclined to want to control, rather than delegate tasks and responsibilities. While these traits are useful to the focus required during oral surgery, it’s not always conducive to instituting a well-run practice. In today’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Mykle Jacobs and Consultant Bob Spiel, to discuss the keys to running a s...

If you’ve made the (great) decision that you want to be an oral surgeon but you’re struggling to choose between the 4 year, 6 year, or the less common 5 year program, this episode is for you. My brother, Jake Stucki, and I chose different paths, and in today’s episode we talk you through the costs and benefits of the single versus dual degree options, and what these years of your life are likely t...

A native of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Faisal Quereshy is a board-certified oral, maxillofacial, and facial cosmetic surgeon practicing in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as Professor and Residency Director for the Case Western Reserve University’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) Program. As today’s guest, Dr. Quereshy shares his unique perspective as a program director on interviews, externships, and ra...

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other types of sleep disorders can have detrimental impacts on people’s lives, young and old. Oral surgeons are extremely well positioned to diagnose and treat these disorders, and in today’s episode I’m joined by Dr. Chris Viozzi, Clinical Chair of the OMS program at the Mayo Clinic, who specializes in this field. Maxillomandibular advancement is the term that us...

There are few oral surgeons who have done as many interviews as my brother, Dr. Jake Stucki, and I’ve done my fair share too. With the interview season starting now, we thought that it would be a good time to share our top tips for one of the key elements which will determine whether you will get into an OMS residency program. From your favorite Tupac song, to the way you want to impact the oral s...

Today’s guest is the first surgeon I’ve had on the podcast who has a completely hospital-based practice. Many surgeons have concerns about having a practice of this type; if you are one of them, you might have your mind changed today! For Dr. Jackson Morgan, the ever-changing, incredibly rewarding nature of his role as a hospital-based surgeon is exactly what he wanted out of his career. It is not...

There’s never going to be an anesthesia technique that is 100% foolproof, but the LMA/Sevo technique used by Dr. Paul Rollins and his partners, gets pretty close, according to Paul. Other than a small number of people who have small, or otherwise difficult, airways, the LMA/Sevo approach is safer for the patient, and a more pleasant experience for the surgeon. Amongst other advantages which Paul e...

The oral surgery profession is heavily dominated by men, and therefore, being a woman in this field can be difficult. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Jaclyn Tomsic, an oral surgeon who didn’t let any of the hostility she experienced as a resident stop her from achieving her dreams. Today, Jaclyn works four days a week in private practice, and one day a week in the Case Western OMS program...

“No worldly success can compensate for failure in the home.” Alongside the fact that we are all oral surgeons, another commonality that I have with the two guests on today’s show is that we all went (or are currently going) through our oral surgery residency with at least one child. Dr John Tannyhill is the Director of Harvard’s School of Dentistry Oral Surgery Program and Dr. Michael Baron is an...

The etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and orofacial pain disorders are frequently challenging, and misdiagnosis and multiple failed treatments are common in this patient population. Today, we are joined by Dr. Louis Mercuri, an experienced oral maxillofacial surgeon, Clinical Consultant for TMJ Concepts, and Visiting Professor at Rush University Medical Center in...

Suturing has a variety of purposes; it helps to quicken the healing process, minimize bleeding, and hold things in place. There are also a number of different categories that sutures fall into, for example, natural, synthetic, resorbable, and non-resorbable. In today’s episode, I’m joined by my brother, Dr. Jake Stucki, for a discussion around the basics of suturing, and some of the suturing techn...

In today’s episode we are joined by Dr. Aaron Liddell, a repeat guest on the podcast; because he has so much valuable knowledge to share one episode wasn’t enough! The main focus of our conversation today is fractures. Over the past few years, and particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aaron has noticed an increase in the number of fracture cases that he is being called in to treat...

Today, we are joined by Dr. Ian Lehrer, an oral maxillofacial surgeon practicing in Dana Point, California. In this episode, we discuss how to prepare to join a practice after you have completed your residency program. Dr. Lehrer has some valuable and practical tips to share, including the value of keeping in touch with your upper level residents and attending meetings at the American Association...

Dr. Elda Fisher, our guest on today’s show, works with a highly disenfranchised cohort. Although transgender people make up 0.6% of the US population, they struggle with a lack of access to the kind of healthcare that Elda specializes in; facial gender affirmation surgery. As Elda explains, maxillofacial surgeons are uniquely qualified to do this type of surgery, and she is hopeful that in the fut...

Today we are joined by oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Myron Tucker. Dr. Tucker had a private practice in North Carolina for 18 years before he stepped away from full time surgery in 2009. Our guest has had a prolific career on the research side of the business, publishing a number of textbooks and offering his experience to support to students of the science. In our conversation, we get to hea...

In Today's episode of Everyday Oral Surgery, we take a look at how oral surgeons who run their own practice are uniquely positioned to benefit from the many perks and points that various credit cards have to offer. We welcome back an old friend of the show, Dr. Scott Weiskopf, who has been using credit cards in his practice for many years to save tens of thousands of dollars on first-class tr...