Understanding Health Policy and Its Importance in Residency Education for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Health policy shapes the delivery of surgical care and the reimbursement of oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs). Understanding broad principles of health policy will better allow surgeons to develop policies that will ultimately affect surgical practice. The growing presence of corporate and private equity investments in OMS practice management as well as expanding interests in value-based reimbursement models has innumerable implications for OMSs and patients. A standardized health policy curriculum for educating OMS trainees in key health policy principles may encourage OMSs to actively participate in health care advocacy efforts and shape the policies that may affect their future scope of practice.