Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS)

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is the surgical specialty that treats conditions, defects, injuries and aesthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaws and face. It is a complex specialty requiring dental, medical and surgical expertise. The Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) is the professional organisation that represents oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Australia and New Zealand.

The history of oral and maxillofacial surgery is closely tied to modern warfare. The carnage which resulted from the First and Second World Wars required specialist surgical treatment from plastic or maxillofacial surgeons and dentists in the treatment of facial injuries. Plastic surgeons dealt with the soft tissues, while the hard tissue structures of the teeth and facial bones were managed by dental surgeons. Many pioneering techniques and treatments were developed.

In Australia, the formation of a specialist Oral Surgery Society was talked about in the 1950s and finally came to fruition in 1959 when the Australian Society of Oral Surgeons was formed at a meeting in Adelaide. This Society subsequently became the Australian & New Zealand Society of Oral Surgeons (ANZSOS).

In 1983 ANZSOS became the Australian & New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) and from 1996 all Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons were required to hold both Medical and Dental degrees to reflect the complex nature of their surgery.