Following their residency, OMSs have the opportunity to pursue fellowships or postdoctoral degree programs to further their knowledge and skills in a particular area of interest. These are not required for practice but may be beneficial to the individual OMS depending upon his/her career objectives. Although the majority of OMSs are in private practice, the specialty offers a variety of other practice options.

Academia
Academic OMS practice offers a wide range of challenges for oral and maxillofacial surgeons, including:

• Research and publishing opportunities. Academic OMSs are often on the cutting edge of developing new treatments and procedures.
• Wide ranging clinical experience that offers opportunities for performing clinically challenging surgery in the academic setting.
• Mentoring residents and fellows, and regular interaction with other faculty, administrators, and medical specialists.

Military Service
All branches of the Defense Department employ military dentists at different bases throughout the U.S. and the world. Dentists are commissioned initially for a period of two to four years, depending on the branch's specific entrance requirements. During their military service they may be eligible to obtain specialty training in one of the specialty programs sponsored by the military.