Oral & Maxillofacial Letter from the Chair
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Letter from the Chair

The Department of Surgical Sciences at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry is dedicated to; the education of our pre-doctoral students, residents, and fellows, the advancement of knowledge in oral and facial surgery, and a focus on providing exceptional patient care. The Department was originally founded in 1923 by Dr. Francis J. Reichmann, making it the second oldest training program in the western United States.  The Department consists of two Divisions, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery as well as Hospital Dentistry.  There are two associated advanced educational programs and a fellowship in Pediatric Cleft and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery.  Our strengths arise from our excellent foundation forged from the long rich history of the department, as well as the industriousness and innovation of our faculty.  

Our commitment to education and training is the cornerstone of our program. Our goal is to provide our students and residents with all the tools necessary to prepare them for their respective careers. To accomplish this, we have and will continue to invest in resources, programs, and mentoring that allows for those we train to become the surgeons of the future. We are proud to graduate exceptionally well-rounded residents and fellows that are compassionate, competent, and technically excellent. We instill within them a passion for life-long learning.

Through our affiliated hospitals and clinics, the Department faculty members are committed to providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. We have nationally recognized surgeons and leaders in the many subspecialty areas of the conditions we treat.  Our practice philosophy incorporates a multidisciplinary approach, often partnering with providers from other disciples such as neurosurgery, orthodontics, speech pathology, and prosthodontics to name just a few.  This allows for the most comprehensive as well as collaborative approach to patient conditions that we care for and is unmatched in the state. This includes Oklahoma’s only approved Cleft and Craniofacial team which is housed in the department.  Every member of our team is a respected leader in their field of expertise, combining experience with superb clinical skills.

Our goal is to be at the forefront of oral and facial healthcare delivery and to embrace innovation to help shape the future. We remain focused on delivering the highest quality care to our patients, to providing our trainees with excellence in surgical education, and to serve as an invaluable resource for our fellow healthcare practitioners and the community at large.  I invite you to learn more about our clinical expertise, clinical research, and educational training opportunities. Thank you for your interest in the OU College of Dentistry Department of Surgical Sciences.

Sincerely,

Paul Tiwana DDS, MD, MS, FACS

Division Head, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

OU College of Dentistry