Maxillofacial surgery should become a specialty of medicine.

The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the Royal Colleges have rightly responded over the years to pressures within, and outside dentistry for higher levels of training in oral and maxillofacial surgery. There has been adoption of a series of qualification as, at first desirable, then mandatory for a trainee to be considered suitable to hold the rank of consultant. Over the last 20 years there has been a concomitant change in both the title held by consultants in our field, and the range of work they have expected, and been expected to undertake. I believe that although each individual step in these processes is understandable, and seems sensible, the overall effect is not as beneficial as had been hoped. Further, as the process seems to be continuing and possibly accelerating, the time has come to reevaluate the relationship of maxillofacial surgery to dentistry and the form of training best suited to producing maxillofacial surgeons.