If you are running a dental practice and you want to extend it by hiring a maxillofacial surgeon, you probably want to make sure that the person you employ is the very best. Conducting an interview with the candidates is surely the most efficient way for finding that out – here are some questions to ask.

Credentials, Qualifications and Professional Track Record

As you probably know already, the people who want to become maxillofacial surgeon Buffalo Grove needs to follow a specific training path that is usually longer than in the case of other medical specializations. Most oral surgeons study for four years in college, then for another four years in medical school, followed by further specialization and a full residency in oral surgery. The process is not complete even after the residency: to be allowed to practice, oral surgeons need to obtain a state license and they also need to become board-certified. While asking the candidate in front of you to tell you about their training and qualifications is essential, you also need to check their credentials and to ask them to provide copies of all their diplomas.

Questions about Professional Experience

Oral surgery being the vast and complex discipline that it is, you cannot expect any maxillofacial surgeon to be equally skilled in all fields. Ask the candidates about their specialty – if you need a surgeon who specialized in implantology, a doctor who has never installed a dental implant, but is an expert in facial reconstruction would be of very little use for you.

Questions to Reveal Personality Traits

Oral surgery can cause lots of stress to the patient and it is the doctor’s responsibility to reduce that stress not only by working efficiently, but also by being able to calm patients. Ask your candidates how they would handle difficult patients, about the techniques they would employ to calm them and to comfort them. Avoid candidates who lack empathy and who have poor communication skills.

Questions about Professional Knowledge

Oral surgeons usually perform lots of routine interventions, such as dental extractions or salivary gland removals, but difficult situations might also emerge. If the patient has underlying physical conditions, such as hemophilia, cardiovascular issues or allergies, that were not mentioned or known beforehand, the doctor needs to be able to react fast. Figure out a couple of such situations, for example an adverse reaction to an anesthetic, and ask the candidates to tell you how they would handle it – the answers will reveal how well they work under extreme stress and how much experience and knowledge they have in emergency treatments.

Questions about Interest in Professional Development

A good maxillofacial surgeon is a doctor who is continuously looking for ways to extend their professional knowledge and to find out about the latest industry developments, such as new tools and treatment methods. Ask your candidates how they keep up with the latest developments in oral surgery, whether they have or are planning to attend conferences, either as a participant or as a speaker, whether they are interested in research.