American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
A United States professional association representing oral and maxillofacial surgeons and advancing the surgical specialty of dentistry.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) is a nonprofit professional association representing the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the United States. Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the surgical branch of dentistry, covering procedures and clinical care involving the mouth, jaws, face, head and neck. The association serves practicing surgeons, residents, students and affiliated professionals through professional representation, education, specialty development, publications and organized membership activities. AAOMS traces its origins to 1918, when 29 dentists whose work centered on tooth extraction formed an organization for the emerging field of oral surgery. In 1919, the group was formally recognized by the American Dental Association under the name American Society of Exodontists. The organization changed its name in 1921 to the American Society of Oral Surgeons and Exodontists, reflecting the broadening of its professional scope beyond extraction alone. In 1978, it adopted the name American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the name it uses today. The specialty developed during a period when the United States did not yet have a dedicated Dental Corps. During the First World War, dentists volunteered alongside medical colleagues and gained experience treating complex surgical injuries, including facial trauma. A number of early practitioners held both dental and medical degrees, helping establish oral surgery as a broader surgical discipline. Figures associated with the development of the field include Varaztad Kazanjian, Robert H. Ivy and Carl W. Waldron, while Simon Hullihen and James Garretson are also recognized for important contributions to oral surgery. AAOMS has contributed to the development of specialty governance and professional standards. In 1946, it created the Board of the American Society of Oral Surgeons. That body was later renamed the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 1978, becoming a distinct institution associated with specialty certification. AAOMS also helped establish an American journal devoted to oral surgery. With assistance from the American Dental Association, it produced the first American edition of the Journal of Oral Surgery in 1943. In 1981, AAOMS acquired the journal from the ADA, giving the association greater control over a central scholarly publication for the specialty. The publication is now known as the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. In addition to the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the broader field is represented in publications such as Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology, which has published relevant research since 1948. AAOMS also recognizes achievement in education through the Daniel M. Laskin Award for an Outstanding Predoctoral Educator. AAOMS operates as a national membership organization with a broad component structure. Its network includes state component societies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as eight regional component societies. The association reports an affiliation base of more than 9,000 fellows, members and residents in the United States, together with approximately 250 affiliate members from other countries. It also reports that more than 90 percent of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States belong to the organization. Its current role is therefore both representative and infrastructural: it connects practitioners, supports training and scholarship, publishes specialty literature, and provides a national framework for the advancement of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
History
AAOMS was established in 1918 by 29 dentists specializing in tooth extraction. The organization initially reflected the narrower identity of exodontia, the practice of removing teeth, but its mission expanded as oral surgery developed into a broader surgical specialty. In 1919, it became formally recognized by the American Dental Association as the American Society of Exodontists. Two years later, it adopted the name American Society of Oral Surgeons and Exodontists. The specialty's early development occurred against the background of military and medical change. During the First World War, the United States did not yet have a Dental Corps, so dentists volunteered and worked with medical colleagues in surgical settings. Practitioners with dental and medical training contributed to the treatment of facial trauma and helped demonstrate that oral surgery extended beyond routine dental extraction. Varaztad Kazanjian, Robert H. Ivy and Carl W. Waldron are associated with the growth of the specialty, while Simon Hullihen and James Garretson are also recognized for foundational contributions to oral surgery. Institutional development continued after the Second World War. In 1946, the association created the Board of the American Society of Oral Surgeons. The board's name changed to the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 1978. That same year, the association itself changed its name from the American Society of Oral Surgeons and Exodontists to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, aligning its formal identity with the wider scope of the specialty. Publishing has been a significant part of AAOMS's institutional role. With assistance from the American Dental Association, the association helped create the first American edition of the Journal of Oral Surgery in 1943. The journal provided a dedicated venue for research and clinical discussion in oral surgery. In 1981, AAOMS purchased the publication from the ADA, increasing its control over the journal. It subsequently became known as the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. A separate publication, Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology, has also carried research relevant to oral surgery since 1948. AAOMS currently operates from Rosemont, Illinois, and serves as a national membership and professional organization. Its network includes state societies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, plus eight regional component societies. The association reports more than 9,000 U.S. fellows, members and residents and approximately 250 affiliate members from other countries. It also states that over 90 percent of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States belong to the organization. Its activities include professional representation, education, specialty publications, member services and recognition of educational achievement, including the Daniel M. Laskin Award for an Outstanding Predoctoral Educator.
- 1981
Acquisition of the specialty journal
[1]AAOMS purchased the Journal of Oral Surgery from the American Dental Association, later developing it as the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
- 1978
Name and board changes
[1]The association adopted the AAOMS name, and its board became the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
- 1946
Creation of specialty board
[1]AAOMS created the Board of the American Society of Oral Surgeons.
- 1943
American journal initiative
[1]AAOMS, working with the American Dental Association, helped establish the first American edition of the Journal of Oral Surgery.
- 1921
Renamed American Society of Oral Surgeons and Exodontists
[1]The association changed its name to reflect a broader oral-surgery remit.
- 1919
Adoption of the American Society of Exodontists name
[1]The organization was formally recognized by the American Dental Association under the name American Society of Exodontists.
- 1918
Organization founded
[1]Twenty-nine dentists specializing in tooth extraction established the organization that became AAOMS.
Products and positioning
A national professional association and specialty infrastructure organization for oral and maxillofacial surgeons, combining member representation, education, scholarly publishing, professional standards support and advocacy.
Scholarly medical journal · 1943
Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
AAOMS's principal scholarly publication for the oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty. It originated as the Journal of Oral Surgery, developed with assistance from the American Dental Association, and was acquired by AAOMS in 1981. The publication provides a formal channel for research, clinical knowledge and professional discussion in the field.
Professional membership · 1918
AAOMS Membership
Membership connects oral and maxillofacial surgeons, residents and other eligible participants with a national professional organization and its component-society structure. The offering supports professional representation, education, publications, networking and participation in the development of the specialty.
Professional award
Daniel M. Laskin Award for an Outstanding Predoctoral Educator
An AAOMS recognition program honoring achievement in predoctoral education. The award reflects the association's role in supporting teaching and the preparation of future dental and oral-surgery professionals.
Brand decisions
1981
Purchased the Journal of Oral SurgeryOtherBackground
AAOMS sought greater control over the principal journal associated with the specialty.
Action taken
The association acquired the journal from the American Dental Association.
Aftermath
The publication became a more directly managed AAOMS platform and is now known as the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
1978
Adopted the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons nameStrategyBackground
The specialty had expanded to encompass surgery involving the mouth, jaws, face and related structures.
Action taken
The association changed its name from American Society of Oral Surgeons and Exodontists to American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.
Aftermath
The current name positioned the organization around the modern oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty.
1921
Broadened the organization's name and professional scopeStrategyBackground
The founding identity centered on exodontia, while oral surgery was developing into a wider specialty.
Action taken
The organization changed its name from American Society of Exodontists to American Society of Oral Surgeons and Exodontists.
Aftermath
The new name signaled a broader professional remit beyond tooth extraction.
Recent events
AAOMS maintains a national membership and component-society network[1]
Other
The association reports more than 9,000 fellows, members and residents in the United States, approximately 250 international affiliate members, component societies in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and eight regional component societies.
AAOMS publishes the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery[1]
Other
The association publishes the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, a scholarly publication that developed from the Journal of Oral Surgery established with assistance from the American Dental Association.
Sources2 sources
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