Survey of Australasian oral and maxillofacial surgeons 2011--scope and workforce issues.

This study examined the qualifications, training, and practice patterns of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia in 2011. This information was compared to similar studies performed in 1986 and 1995. It was found that dentoalveolar surgery comprised the greatest proportion of practice. There had been major growth in dental implantology, orthognathic surgery, and management of pathology. These increases were directly related to the standardization and increase in qualifications and training. The workforce had increased at the highest rate predicted, but was only just keeping up with the increases in population and the number of general health practitioners.