The future of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the United States.

This paper explores the past, present, and future of the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the United States as viewed through the eyes of the author. Many changes have occurred over the past ten years that have changed the complexion of the entire health care industry. The overall effect of these changes is to decrease the amount of funding that will be available for our services. These changes have caused challenges for the specialty. How will we cope? Will we survive? Are we relevant? The challenges facing the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery as practised in the United States are discussed, and recommendations for change are put forth.