20 Best Dental Schools in the United States for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 2026: Programs That Prepare Students for Competitive Surgical Residencies
20 Best Dental Schools in the United States for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 2026: Programs That Prepare Students for Competitive Surgical Residencies
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is widely considered the most competitive specialty in dentistry. Oral surgeons perform complex surgical procedures involving the mouth, jaw, face, and skull. These procedures include wisdom tooth removal, dental implant surgery, facial trauma reconstruction, jaw realignment surgery, and treatment of oral cancers.
Becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon requires completing dental school followed by a rigorous residency that lasts four to six years. Some programs also include earning a medical degree and completing hospital surgical rotations.
Students interested in oral surgery must attend dental schools that provide strong surgical exposure, hospital based training, and active oral surgery departments. Schools affiliated with large medical centers often offer the best preparation for these competitive residencies.
Below are twenty dental schools widely recognized for strong oral surgery preparation and residency placement.
20 Best Dental Schools for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Cambridge Massachusetts
Harvard offers strong integration between dental and medical education and produces many graduates who enter oral surgery residencies.University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Penn’s oral and maxillofacial surgery department is internationally recognized and provides extensive surgical research opportunities.Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
New York New York
Students train within Columbia University Irving Medical Center, providing exposure to hospital based surgical cases.University of Michigan School of Dentistry
Ann Arbor Michigan
Michigan has one of the most respected oral surgery departments in the world and strong research funding.University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry
Chapel Hill North Carolina
UNC offers excellent preparation for oral surgery through strong surgical departments and hospital rotations.University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry
Los Angeles California
UCLA provides strong clinical training and research opportunities in oral and maxillofacial surgery.University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry
San Francisco California
UCSF operates a major hospital based oral surgery department and trains many future surgeons.University of Washington School of Dentistry
Seattle Washington
Washington is well known for craniofacial surgery research and surgical residency programs.University of Maryland School of Dentistry
Baltimore Maryland
Maryland’s dental school is closely connected with major medical centers that provide surgical training.New York University College of Dentistry
New York New York
NYU’s large hospital network provides exposure to complex oral surgery cases.University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh offers strong research in oral biology and surgical training.Boston University Henry M Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Boston Massachusetts
Boston University provides extensive hospital based oral surgery training.Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Boston Massachusetts
Tufts maintains strong oral surgery programs and surgical research.University of Florida College of Dentistry
Gainesville Florida
Florida offers strong clinical exposure and surgical training opportunities.University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry
Houston Texas
Houston’s dental school benefits from being located in the Texas Medical Center, one of the largest medical complexes in the world.Baylor College of Dentistry at Texas A and M University
Dallas Texas
Baylor provides strong clinical training and surgical case exposure.University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry
Chicago Illinois
UIC produces many graduates who enter oral surgery residencies.Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry
Richmond Virginia
VCU’s dental school is closely integrated with hospital surgical programs.Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine
Cleveland Ohio
Case Western provides strong oral surgery training through affiliated hospitals.University of Alabama Birmingham School of Dentistry
Birmingham Alabama
UAB offers extensive surgical training and strong residency programs.
What Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Do
Oral surgeons treat complex medical and dental conditions involving the head and neck.
Common procedures include removal of impacted wisdom teeth, placement of dental implants, jaw reconstruction surgery, treatment of facial trauma from accidents, corrective jaw surgery, and removal of cysts and tumors.
Some oral surgeons also treat sleep apnea using surgical techniques that reposition the jaw.
Hospital based oral surgeons may also assist in treating cancer patients or performing reconstructive surgery after trauma.
Why Oral Surgery Is the Most Competitive Dental Specialty
Oral surgery residencies are extremely selective. Programs often accept only two to six residents per year.
Applicants must typically graduate near the top of their dental school class and demonstrate strong clinical ability.
Research experience, externships with oral surgery departments, and strong faculty recommendations significantly improve residency competitiveness.
Students also need excellent performance on national board examinations.
Training Path for Oral Surgeons
The pathway to becoming an oral surgeon typically involves several stages.
First students complete four years of dental school.
After graduation they apply to oral and maxillofacial surgery residency programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Residencies last four years for dental focused programs or six years for programs that also grant a medical degree.
During residency surgeons receive intensive training in anesthesia, trauma surgery, pathology, reconstructive surgery, and implant dentistry.
Career Outlook and Salary
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are among the highest paid professionals in dentistry.
Many surgeons earn between three hundred thousand and six hundred thousand dollars per year depending on practice setting and surgical specialization.
Demand remains strong due to increasing need for dental implants, facial trauma treatment, and complex jaw surgery.
For dental students seeking one of the most challenging and rewarding specialties, attending a dental school with strong oral surgery training and hospital affiliations can provide the best pathway into this elite surgical field.
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High value sources
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons education resources
https://www.aaoms.org
Commission on Dental Accreditation oral surgery programs
https://coda.ada.org
American Dental Association oral surgery overview
https://www.ada.org
American Dental Education Association dental school statistics
https://www.adea.org
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics dentist career outlook
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm
