Oral Surgery Residency Truths, Taking Call, DAT Controversy & Will AI Replace Surgeons?

Top 5 Topics:- Getting Into Dental School & OMFS (Foreign Trained Dentists + Residency Secrets)- Life in Residency (The Harsh Reality of Call Shifts & Burnout)- AI & the Future of Surgery (Will AI Replace Surgeons?)- The DAT Controversy (Why Physics Makes No Sense + Hand Skills Debate)- Building a Career & Community (Networking, Hospital Privileges, and Taking Call)Top 8 Viewers on this Episode on TikTok LIVE #77 Q&A:1st - G, @gurjot.02nd – ZACHKALNIZ, @zachkalniz 3rd – Nicolas Rodriguez, @_nico_rod_4th – Lesly Soriano, @leslysoriano15th – Jed, @jeddaplaymaker 6th - Roise Lee, @zariarose5 7th - Hazzy, @therealhamza23 8th - John Jay, @jj1234327 Quotes & Wisdom:[10:17] “There were months I took call five times a month as a second-year. It sucked—but it taught me exactly what I want my career to look like.”[15:57] “On interviews you connect on like-minded stuff. One of mine turned into a conversation about basketball—and that mattered.”[18:58] “Add a hand-skills portion to the DAT. These are future dentists; they need to be good with their hands.”[18:58] “Who decided physics belongs on the DAT? Hand skills would predict clinical success better.”[19:00] “Minimize your commute. When you’re sleep-deprived and getting paged nonstop, long drives are a dangerous recipe.”[22:08] “I love surgery—but I won’t take call for free. Surgeons should be compensated for the value they bring.”[23:14] “Before dental school I worked as an OMFS surgical assistant. Learning the lingo helped me crush interviews.”[25:43] “If you’re bleeding after extractions: don’t panic—compress with gauze for 30 minutes at a time.”[31:00] “AI won’t replace surgeons- yet; it’ll be an adjunct. The human-to-human connection in surgery matters.”[32:09] “If you can’t manage the complications of IV sedation, you shouldn’t be doing IV sedation.”[34:30] “Thirty minutes of study before work—when your mind is sharp—can change your trajectory.”[35:17] “Interviews are conversations. Be early, be presentable, be succinct. Connect like a human.”[36:00] “Pay residents fairly and a lot of systemic problems will disappear!”[41:00] “Community matters. I’m born and raised on Long Island—I want to do great work with and for this community.”Questions:[00:00] “As a foreign-trained dentist, can I get into OMFS without an advanced-standing program?”[05:04] “Do you still perform jaw surgery in private practice?”[10:17] “How much free time did you actually have during residency?”[15:57] “What advice would you give someone applying to dental school?”[18:58] “Should the DAT add physics—or should it test hand skills instead?”[29:00] “Is specializing (e.g., orthodontics) truly ‘worth it’ if my D2 grades are strong?”[32:09] “Can providers safely do IV sedation without full anesthesia training—how do you think about complications?”[35:17] “Best tips for OMFS residency interviews—how should I present without freezing up?”Now available on:- Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast & YouTube ChannelMy watch in this episode = Citizen Grand Touring Sport, Leather Clasp Band from Amazon- 9.2025#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher