Q: What is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?

A: Good question! An oral and maxillofacial surgeon(OMS) is a specialist in the treatment of problems associated with the jaws, mouth, and facial region. All oral and maxillofacial surgeons have graduated from dental school, then have completed additional hospital-based training programs in OMS with rotations through other specialty areas such as general surgery, anesthesiology, plastic surgery, internal medicine, etc. OMS residency training programs are currently 4-6 years in duration, and must be approved by the American Dental Association. Think of an OMS as the orthopedic surgeon of the jaws.

Q: What does "board certified" mean? Is it important for an OMS to be board certified? Are Dr. Sheets and Dr. Begley board certified?

A: Board certification is the highest level of certification a dental or medical specialist can attain. In order to become certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, an applicant must have graduated from dental school and completed an approved residency program, and must take a rigorous examination consisting of both written and verbal portions. If the applicant passes, he is then designated a "Diplomate" of the Board. While there are many fine OMS's who are not board certified, Diplomate status guarantees completion of an approved training program and indicates desire and ability of the OMS to achieve the highest level of certification in his specialty. Dr. Sheets and Dr. Begley are Diplomates of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Q: Must a patient be referred to our office by a dentist or physician, or can a patient schedule an appointment "on their own"?

A: A patient may schedule on their own. Many patients do so because their relatives or friends have been pleased with the services they received in our practice.

Q: What's the deal on fees? Does your practice accept insurance? What payment options are offered?

A: Our fees are competitive and comparable to other OMS specialty practices. It is very unusual for insurance companies to rank our fees as being above their usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR) fee schedules. We are proud to offer our services at a fee that is fair to both the patient and to our practice. We have several payment options available. These include cash, approved checks, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and several in-office payment options. As a courtesy to our patients we assist with filing dental and surgical insurance claims.

Q: What is CareCredit?

A: A type of medical/dental credit card that many of our patients have utilized. We can explain the details at a consultation appointment. 

Q: Do all patients have to be seen for a consultation appointment? Can the consultation be done right before the surgery? What should the patient expect will happen at the consultation?

A: All patients have a consultation. The consultation is frequently performed immediately prior to the surgery, but sometimes it is necessary to schedule the surgery at a future date. During the consultation, the patient's medical history is reviewed, current medications are evaluated, x-rays are taken if necessary, the patient is examined, a diagnosis is made, and a treatment plan is formulated. The patient is given an explanation of the surgery and the anesthesia technique which will be used, and financial arrangements will be made.

Q: Do all wisdom teeth need to be removed?

A: No. The decision whether to leave them or remove them depends on several factors. Some of these factors are position of the teeth, stage of development of the teeth, age and health of the patient, pathology associated with the teeth, and proximity of the teeth to other structures. Ultimately it boils down to potential benefits vs. potential risks.