Continuing education for oral and maxillofacial surgeons--new expectations.

The Continuing Education (CE) activity of all members of the Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (RACDS) for 1994 was surveyed. There was an 78.1 per cent response rate. The total average CE activity was 165.9 per cent hours per year, range 0 hours to 992 hours. This was the sum of attendance and participation in national and international meetings; self education and journal reading; professional committee activity and examining. There was also a high level of teaching, both undergraduate and postgraduate; examining; research; publications and professional committee involvement. Further analysis involved weighted scores and factors contributing towards low and high CE activity. Possession of the qualification of FRACDS (OMS) was associated with the highest level of CE. It was concluded that Australian and New Zealand oral and maxillofacial surgeons generally had a high degree of CE activity.