My year working in Maxillofacial surgery - was it worth it?

I've now returned to general dental practice after completing a year in max fax. But it was only after leaving I realised that during the course of the whole year, I hadn't actually taken the time to reflect on why I wanted to do it and what I'd actually gained from it.

It's only now that I'm no longer working as an SHO that I've realised how beneficial it really was for both my personal choices and  my future dentistry skills.

As a young dentist, there are a lot of decisions you are expected to make. Back when you were 17, you thought that getting a dental degree would be the end of that decision making. You would get your qualification allowing you to practice dentistry, and that would be all you would need. Not quite so, because half way through VT, you have to start deciding how you want your career to progress, and whether you want it to be in the primary or secondary setting. Some choose to remain in general practice, others choose specialities, and some might veer off at tangents. For me, I wasn't ready to make that choice, so I went into max fax to open up my options.

Why did I want to do it in the first place? I was fortunate enough to be able to see and practise a wide variety of dentistry in FD. But I still felt  I was missing the exposure and consistency required to carry out certain dental procedures. I also felt like there were some gaps in my clinical knowledge. Not because I didn't have the knowledge, but because I hadn't seen enough to make confident clinical judgements. It would mean the chance to add to my skills with the backing of trainers in a hospital setting.

What did I learn? For starters, I saw things that I might never have come across in general dental practice. I  found out how  to hone my skills at certain procedures. I learnt the difference between what does and doesn't need to be seen in hospital. I managed both dental and medical emergencies. I ascertained what to look for in history taking. I learnt the importance of competent and careful prescribing.

But all those things are clinical. Yes they are important, but the role also had a huge impact on me personally. It really made me prioritise and become more organised. It made me look at the bigger picture of patients and what healthcare means to them. It made me more aware of the importance of team work and communication. It made me realise the significance of good, contemporaneous, accurate record keeping. It helped me to understand the process of the referral system. It highlighted the boundaries of my competency and working within my limits.

But most importantly of all, it helped me decide on the path I want to try and take in my dental career. Some of those that are intent on only ever being in general practice may consider doing a year such as this a waste of time. There are other SHO posts around that focus on dental specialities too, but oral surgery was always a personal interest of mine, even as a student. So to me, doing max fax made sense. OK, so I didn't decide to stick with it or use it to progress towards another speciality, but most SHO's don't either. Most are there for the experience and to learn, before applying their own personal and clinical gains in general practice roles. I can say that I feel much more confident and competent in general practice now, certainly more so than if I had gone straight into it following FD.

So finally, in answer to the question I ask in the title 'My max fax year - was it worth it?'. It most definitely was and I encourage others to at least have a taste. You never know, you might even like it enough to want more!