2016 Annual Meeting: http://www.aaoms.org/meetings-exhibitions/annual-meeting/98th-annual-meeting/

The Prevalence of Substance Abuse Among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residents

Pasquale P. Eckert BA Boston, MA, USA
Matthew Finkelman PhD Boston, MA, USA
Morton Rosenberg DMD Boston, MA, USA
Purpose:          To assess the prevalence of substance abuse in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) training programs in the United States (US) over a ten-year period to compare rates of abuse to earlier studies.  Substance abuse is a major concern in many medical training programs such as anesthesiology, surgery, and emergency medicine; however, despite similar risks, the horror of substance abuse is less discussed and documented in OMS residencies. In the US, anesthesia residencies have reported rates of resident abuse of 2.2% and 1.6% based on random urinalysis and chairperson survey, similar to this study.[i],[ii]  This study also aimed to determine which substances are most abused in OMS residencies.  Knowledge of the most abused substances will lead to early identification of impaired residents by program heads, a crucial element in quick intervention and effective rehabilitation.

Materials and Methods:      A prospective study was conducted by sending an online questionnaire to the program directors and chairpersons of the 101 OMS graduate training programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).  This content and validity tested survey asked respondents to recall substance abuse cases over the last ten years, 2006 - 2015, at their programs. Additional questions asked opinions on substance abuse incidence; education on abuse; and the impact abuse may have on an OMS’s successful career.

Results:          Of 101 US CODA Accredited Advanced Education Programs in OMS contacted, 46 (45.5%) of the OMS training programs responded. Sixteen of the responding 46 programs (34.8%) reported at least one suspected or encountered incident of substance abuse, with 19 total cases of reported abuse.  Among the respondents noting abuse, the most abused substances were alcohol and narcotics, with at least nine (47.4%) and six (31.6%) incidents of abuse, respectively.  Substance abuse education was taught at 27 (58.7%) of the respondents’ programs.  The overall prevalence of substance abuse over the decade studied was estimated to be 1.2%.

Conclusion:   As in other medical specialty residencies, substance abuse is a concern in OMS.  The prevalence of programs reporting abuse has decreased since Rosenberg’s initial study in 1986, but the estimated percentage of the resident abuse rate has gone unchanged.[iii]  It is imperative for faculty to be aware of the possibility of abuse among their residents and provide education, wellness programs, and appropriate early diagnosis and treatment of suspected or confirmed substance abusers to protect them and their patients.



[i] Fitzsimons, M., Baker, K., Lowenstein, E., and Zapol, W. Random drug testing to reduce the incidence of addiction in anesthesia residents: preliminary results from one program. International Anesthesia Research Society. 2008; 107 (2): 630-635.

[ii] Booth JV, Grossman D, Moore J, Lineberger C, Reynolds JD, Reves JG, Sheffield D.  Substance abuse among physicians: a survey of academic anesthesiology programs. Anesth Analg. 2002; 95:1024–30.

[iii] Rosenberg, M. Drug abuse in oral and maxillofacial training programs. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1986; 44:458–462.

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