What the role does
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) handles the surgical end of dentistry: extractions including impacted third molars, dental implant placement and bone grafting, treatment of facial trauma, jaw surgery (orthognathic cases), pathology biopsies, and in-office sedation or general anesthesia for these procedures. In a South Florida group practice, the role usually also includes coordinating with referring general dentists and orthodontists, reading CBCT scans, and running an operatory that supports IV sedation safely. Some posts are pure clinical chairs; others add a supervisory piece over surgical assistants and anesthesia staff.
Ideal qualifications
Practices look for a DDS or DMD plus completion of an accredited oral and maxillofacial surgery residency (commonly four to six years, some with an MD component). Board certification or board eligibility with the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is preferred and often required for hospital privileges. Experience with dental implants, IV sedation, and CBCT-guided planning is standard. Spanish or Haitian Creole fluency is a real asset given the patient mix across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.
Licensing and certification in Florida
A Florida dental license is required to practice as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in the state, governed by Fla. Stat. Chapter 466 and the Board of Dentistry's administrative rules under Chapter 64B5 of the Florida Administrative Code. Because this role routinely involves in-office sedation and general anesthesia, an anesthesia permit issued by the Board of Dentistry under its Chapter 64B5 rules applies on top of the base dental license — the permit level (moderate sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia) must match what the surgeon actually administers in the office. Hospital-based privileges add a separate credentialing process set by the hospital's medical staff bylaws, not the state. This is a licensed clinical role; front-office and scheduling staff at the same practice do not need a state license.
Pay in the Miami metro
Pay varies; the posts below show current offers. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon compensation swings widely by ownership structure (associate vs. partner-track), case mix, and whether IV sedation and implant surgery make up a large share of the schedule, so a single blended figure is not reliable for candidates comparing specific offers.
Schedule and setting
Most roles run four to five clinical days a week, often with one or two operating days reserved for longer implant, grafting, or trauma cases. On-call rotations for facial trauma are common at practices tied to a hospital emergency department, particularly in Miami-Dade and Broward. Settings range from single-specialty oral surgery offices to multi-doctor group practices with shared surgical suites and in-house anesthesia teams. Some positions split time between an office and a hospital operating room for orthognathic or reconstructive cases.
Interview questions
- What anesthesia permit level do you hold, and what is your annual sedation case volume?
- Walk me through your implant and bone-grafting protocol from consult to placement.
- How do you handle a sedation emergency in an office setting, and when was your last simulation or drill?
- What is your experience with CBCT planning software and guided surgery?
- Are you open to a hospital on-call rotation for facial trauma, and what has that looked like at your last position?
- What does a partnership or buy-in path look like to you, and on what timeline?
Career path
Surgeons typically start as an associate in a group practice or hospital-affiliated department, then move toward partnership, practice ownership, or a hospital-based leadership role such as chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Some add teaching appointments at a dental school or residency program, or narrow their focus toward orthognathic and reconstructive surgery, TMJ treatment, or full-arch implant work. A smaller number move into academic research or industry roles with implant and biomaterial companies.
Where to train locally
South Florida does not have a large number of OMS residency programs, so most surgeons complete training out of state or through a program affiliated with a larger academic medical center, then relocate for practice. For pre-dental and dental education locally, Nova Southeastern University's College of Dental Medicine and the University of Florida's College of Dentistry are established pathways into dentistry generally, with oral surgery as a post-doctoral specialty afterward. Miami Dade College and Broward College offer strong pre-dental and allied dental programs for those building toward dental school, and both are common stops for surgical assistants working alongside OMS surgeons in the region.
Working through Miami Dentist
If you're building a surgical team, post a job with the specifics that matter to candidates — anesthesia permit level expected, case mix, and on-call frequency. If you're looking for your next chair, search openings or go straight to county listings for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach to compare what practices are offering across South Florida right now.