Program Overview

---

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) program has a long history as one of the premier oral and maxillofacial surgery programs in the United States. Surgical training in all areas of oral and maxillofacial surgery prepares our residents for successful completion of board certification. In fact, 100 percent of graduates within the last 20 years have achieved board certification through the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons or the Canadian Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Many graduates compete fellowship training in specialized areas of oral and maxillofacial surgery including cleft and craniofacial surgery, cosmetic surgery, and trauma surgery.

We support personal endeavors including family and other personal goals and aim to be a champion of all aspects of resident well-being. The sense of family within the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program is strong, and we pride ourselves on our commitment to care for each other.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program was site visited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation in 2017 and received an approval without reporting requirements.

The Craniofacial Center and Special Care Dentistry

The program is also home to the Adams School of Dentistry Craniofacial Center and Special Care team. The program uses technological advances in surgical technique and planning, and takes pride in the UNC system’s support of innovation and advancement.

Didactic education for residents provides a vital and comprehensive lecture schedule to ensure broad knowledge in all areas of surgical care and is supplemented by field experts. We strive to instill values in our residents throughout the program that exemplify the highest standards in ethics, professionalism, and compassion.

Externship

This is a 1-4 week rotation in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for third and fourth year dental students interested in additional exposure to the full scope of OMFS. During the rotation, the student will observe and participate in operating room and clinical procedures under the direction of the faculty and chief resident. The extern will attend all weekly conferences. It is expected that the extern will take call with the intern. Up to two externs per month will be accepted on a space available basis.

Program Structure

UNC Hospitals and the Adams School of Dentistry residency program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a six-year integrated program ending in completion of an MD degree from the UNC School of Medicine. The six year integrated program includes exposure and/or rotations in general surgery, surgical ICU, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and pediatric and adult anesthesia.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery program is accredited by CODA and complies with all rules and regulations of CODA and the ACGME. Program completion leads to qualification for certification by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, completion of the MD degree from the University of North Carolina, and eligibility for all CODA accredited fellowship programs and ACGME programs.

• Year 1: OMFS (7 months), Anesthesia (4 months), Pediatric Anesthesia (1 month)
• Year 2: UNC School of Medicine
• Year 3: UNC School of Medicine (6 months), OMFS (6 months)
• Year 4: UNC Hospitals General Surgery (11 months), Elective (1 month)
• Year 5: OMFS (7 months), Asheville- Mission Hospital ENT/Plastics/Additional Trauma (4 months), Elective (1 month)
• Year 6: OMFS Chief Resident

Admissions Information

Admission requires graduation and receipt of a DDS or DMD degree from a U.S. or Canadian dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. resident aliens, and be eligible for a North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiner’s Intern Permit or a full non-restricted North Carolina Dental License

Applicants must utilize the Postdoctoral Application Support Service administered by the American Dental Education Association and the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program.

Each applicant must complete the background check questions and return them to the program director. Final acceptance requires a personal interview.

The Adams School of Dentistry does not employ “in-state” quotas; all candidates are reviewed on a competitive basis. Admission criteria are applied equally without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.

All OMFS residents enter the 3rd year of medical school at the beginning of the 2nd year of the 6-year program. They must pass Step 1 of the USMLE before progressing past the 3rd year of medical school. If they are unsuccessful they cannot complete the residency nor can they continue in medical school.

Tuition, Stipend Support and Benefits

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry does not charge students for tuition and fees.

During the six years of the dual degree program, residents pay tuition and fees for the third and fourth year of medical school.

The stipend schedule for UNC Hospitals is based on the program level training and is competitive to the Southeast hospitals system. It varies from year to year.

• Post Graduate Level | Salary
  • I | $61,553
  • II | $63,749
  • III | $66,056
  • IV | $69,159
  • V | $72,238
  • VI | $75,016

Benefits

• Multiple options for health, dental, vision and supplemental insurance
• Eligible for on-campus parking
• Additional monthly freedom pay stipend for meals at UNC Health
• University Gym Access
• Professional Liability Coverage
• UNC Peer Support Program
• Voluntary Legal Plan for personal legal needs
• Flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care (childcare expenses)

North Carolina Licensure/Intern Permit

Students who are not graduates of an ADA-accredited dental school must complete a simulation exam as part of their NC intern permit process. Such candidates must pass and complete the simulation exam within two months of their formal matriculation in the program. If a candidate does not pass the simulation exam within the two-month interval, he or she cannot advance in the clinical program and will be subject to dismissal from the program.

About UNC Health

UNC Health is a not-for-profit integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. Originally established as a healthcare system in 1998, UNC Health currently comprises UNC Hospitals and its provider network, the clinical programs of the UNC School of Medicine, and eleven affiliate hospitals and hospital systems across the state.

The UNC School of Medicine, where all oral and maxillofacial surgery residents attend receive their MD degree was first established in 1879, and the integrated MD Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program was initiated with the UNC School of Medicine in 1983.

The school’s faculty members provide clinical services in the inpatient units at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill and affiliated hospitals and outpatient clinics throughout NC while training the next generation of health care professionals.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, serves North Carolina, the United States, and the world through teaching, research, and public service and embraces an unwavering commitment to excellence as one of the world’s great research universities.

Meet the Residents

• Kevin Chan
  • Texas A&M University College of Dentistry
  • The University of Texas Austin
• Michelle Chen
  • Harvard School of Dental Medicine
  • Case Western Reserve University
• Tyler Horton
  • Oregon State University
  • Oregon Health & Science University
• Abigail Frazier
  • University of Missouri Kansas City School of Dentistry
  • Pittsburg State University
• Andrew Herr
  • University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
  • Michigan State University
• Alexander Cruz Walma
  • Harvard School of Dental Medicine
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Susan Keefe
  • University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry
  • Pennsylvania State University
• Kayla Pietruszka
  • University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  • Loyola Marymount University
• Kimberly Veltman
  • Roseman University of Health Science
  • Walker Medical Institute
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Hope College
• Joshua McKoy
  • Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry
  • Gardner-Webb University
• Dallin Thomas
  • University of Connecticut – School of Medicine
  • Brigham Young University
• Nicholas Vermette
  • University of the Pacific
  • College of the Holy Cross
• Joseph Hibbard
  • University of Louisville School of Dentistry
  • Florida State University
• Brennan Leininger
  • University of California Los Angeles
  • Brigham Young University
• Nadia Santoro
  • Medical University of South Carolina
  • Fairfield University
  • Our Lady of Mercy Academy
• Olivia Marziale
  • University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
  • St. John Fisher College