📍It’s the 2nd half of 2025, I just graduated residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in June, now starting to work at All County Oral Surgery in Melville on Long Island, NY. I’ll be an associate surgeon here & working toward a personal goal of becoming a partner one day. Outside of dentistry, I have side projects & companies to bring my passions to life, including mentorship, education, and life strategy, and I obnoxiously share a lot of content on it all as I go hahahaha
👉 Keep an eye out for my weekly TikTok LIVE Q&A Session (usually Sunday evenings) and the monthly Q&A session on Instagram (end of every month). Let me know how I can help you
🌎 *** PreDent Mentor Map is now LIVE, at predentmentormap.org ! *** it’s a free resource for predental students to use for data on every dental school, and to connect with current dental students for personalized mentoring.
🙋🏼♂️ If you’re an organization or club at a school and you’d like to discuss a partnership, event or conference, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn- that is the best way to contact me directly
❤️ MOST importantly: THANK YOU. Mentoring is what got me here, and it is how I’ll help you achieve your dream goals as best I can. You are a MASSIVE part of this journey to me, more than you know
🤠 Sincerely, Brendan @doctorgallagher
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
Top 5 Topics:
- Oral Surgeon Pay & Contracts (Base vs Percentage)
- Fee-for-Service vs Insurance: What Patients Don’t See
- Oral OMFS Board Exam & Hospital Privileges (Friction vs Benefits?)
- “This Isn’t Chuck E. Cheese”—Real Talk on Surgical Safety & Boundaries in Residency vs Private Practice
- CBSE Strategy, DAT 21/22, GPA Myths, Study Hacks, Passion Over Checkbox in Undergrad, Interview Key Essentials!
Top 8 Viewers on this Episode on TikTok LIVE #78 Q&A:
1st - @mfountain75
2nd – ajc, @ajc1826
3rd – hayes, @purphaze
4th – natalia, @natalia.baba
5th – Blake, @blakedeevers
6th - @user82639362820
7th - Jfcjdbddj, @_maka_303
8th - mani, @deadbunnydonttalk
Quotes & Wisdom:
“This isn’t Chuck E. Cheese. This is surgery. If I can’t ensure safety for the patient, my team, and myself, I won’t do it.”
• “Bread-and-butter surgery—teeth, titanium, sedations, implants—this is exactly what I wanted to do: build my reputation and serve patients.”
• “Residency gave me thick skin. You still want the best for patients—even when someone treats you poorly. You learn to keep going.”
• “Don’t fall for the base salary. Look at the percentage. That’s where you actually share in the work you do.”
• “Why so much friction? If there’s no benefit to the friction, why do it? Focus effort where it truly pays off.”
• “Be a good person, a good classmate, a good teammate. Give your best effort. What you get is what you get.”
• “Don’t run away from your passions. They’re what you’ll talk about in interviews—and remember for life.”
• “Some patients are amazing. Others degrade you and then ask for a discount. You balance both and keep serving.”
• “Know your numbers: how much money comes in, how much goes out—make that a habit early.”
• “I want a good life around friends and family. Urban or rural—what matters is quality of life and the ability to serve well.”
Questions:
How is practice going? — ≈02:06
How much do new OMFS usually make? — ≈02:30
Is private practice better than residency? — ≈05:58
Why is the oral boards exam so hard to schedule, and what do you actually gain from being board-certified? — ≈08:56
How should I prepare for the CBSE (resources/courses)? — ≈19:20
Do you do your own IV sedations (and how will private-practice sedations compare to residency)? — ≈20:10
What was your DAT score? — ≈20:30
Would you choose OMFS again if you could go back? — ≈22:10
What’s the hardest thing about private practice? — ≈26:00
What GPA/habits/advice matter most for undergrads and residency applicants? — ≈28:10
Now available on:
- Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast & YouTube Channel
My watch in this episode = Citizen Promaster Diver Day Date
- 9.2025
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
📍It’s the 2nd half of 2025, I just graduated residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in June, now starting to work at All County Oral Surgery in Melville on Long Island, NY. I’ll be an associate surgeon here & working toward a personal goal of becoming a partner one day. Outside of dentistry, I have side projects & companies to bring my passions to life, including mentorship, education, and life strategy, and I obnoxiously share a lot of content on it all as I go hahahaha
👉 Keep an eye out for my weekly TikTok LIVE Q&A Session (usually Sunday evenings) and the monthly Q&A session on Instagram (end of every month). Let me know how I can help you
🌎 *** PreDent Mentor Map is now LIVE, at predentmentormap.org ! *** it’s a free resource for predental students to use for data on every dental school, and to connect with current dental students for personalized mentoring.
🙋🏼♂️ If you’re an organization or club at a school and you’d like to discuss a partnership, event or conference, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn- that is the best way to contact me directly
❤️ MOST importantly: THANK YOU. Mentoring is what got me here, and it is how I’ll help you achieve your dream goals as best I can. You are a MASSIVE part of this journey to me, more than you know
🤠 Sincerely, Brendan @doctorgallagher
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
Topics:
🦷 General Dentistry INBDE Boards Question Concepts
🔬Oral Pathology
🫀Anatomy
🧾Dental Insurance
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
📍It’s the 2nd half of 2025, I just graduated residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in June, now starting to work at All County Oral Surgery in Melville on Long Island, NY. I’ll be an associate surgeon here & working toward a personal goal of becoming a partner one day. Outside of dentistry, I have side projects & companies to bring my passions to life, including mentorship, education, and life strategy, and I obnoxiously share a lot of content on it all as I go hahahaha
👉 Keep an eye out for my weekly TikTok LIVE Q&A Session (usually Sunday evenings) and the monthly Q&A session on Instagram (end of every month). Let me know how I can help you
🌎 *** PreDent Mentor Map is now LIVE, at predentmentormap.org ! *** it’s a free resource for predental students to use for data on every dental school, and to connect with current dental students for personalized mentoring.
🙋🏼♂️ If you’re an organization or club at a school and you’d like to discuss a partnership, event or conference, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn- that is the best way to contact me directly
❤️ MOST importantly: THANK YOU. Mentoring is what got me here, and it is how I’ll help you achieve your dream goals as best I can. You are a MASSIVE part of this journey to me, more than you know
🤠 Sincerely, Brendan @doctorgallagher
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
Topics:
🦷 General Dentistry INBDE Boards Question Concepts
🔬Oral Pathology
🫀Anatomy
🧾Dental Insurance
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
🎙️ Clip from TikTok LIVE #77
👉 Full episode on Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube Channel
🏆 Top 5 Longest Viewers of the TikTok LIVE get a shoutout in the caption!
🗓️ I do TikTok LIVE’s usually on Sunday evenings randomly between 6:00-9:30pm EST (or Monday evenings, if I’m in the OR or presenting early Monday morning) so stay tuned on my TikTok @doctorgallagher_
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
*PODCAST EXCLUSIVE* - 9.27.25
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
📍It’s the 2nd half of 2025, I just graduated residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in June, now starting to work at All County Oral Surgery in Melville on Long Island, NY. I’ll be an associate surgeon here & working toward a personal goal of becoming a partner one day. Outside of dentistry, I have side projects & companies to bring my passions to life, including mentorship, education, and life strategy, and I obnoxiously share a lot of content on it all as I go hahahaha
👉 Keep an eye out for my weekly TikTok LIVE Q&A Session (usually Sunday evenings) and the monthly Q&A session on Instagram (end of every month). Let me know how I can help you
🌎 *** PreDent Mentor Map is now LIVE, at predentmentormap.org ! *** it’s a free resource for predental students to use for data on every dental school, and to connect with current dental students for personalized mentoring.
🙋🏼♂️ If you’re an organization or club at a school and you’d like to discuss a partnership, event or conference, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn- that is the best way to contact me directly
❤️ MOST importantly: THANK YOU. Mentoring is what got me here, and it is how I’ll help you achieve your dream goals as best I can. You are a MASSIVE part of this journey to me, more than you know
🤠 Sincerely, Brendan @doctorgallagher
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
🎙️ Clip from the April 2025, Monthly Insta Story Q&A sessions I do at the end of every month- stay tuned the last week of the month on my Instagram @doctorgallagher 🙌
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
📍It’s the 2nd half of 2025, I just graduated residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in June, now starting to work at All County Oral Surgery in Melville on Long Island, NY. I’ll be an associate surgeon here & working toward a personal goal of becoming a partner one day. Outside of dentistry, I have side projects & companies to bring my passions to life, including mentorship, education, and life strategy, and I obnoxiously share a lot of content on it all as I go hahahaha
👉 Keep an eye out for my weekly TikTok LIVE Q&A Session (usually Sunday evenings) and the monthly Q&A session on Instagram (end of every month). Let me know how I can help you
🌎 *** PreDent Mentor Map is now LIVE, at predentmentormap.org ! *** it’s a free resource for predental students to use for data on every dental school, and to connect with current dental students for personalized mentoring.
🙋🏼♂️ If you’re an organization or club at a school and you’d like to discuss a partnership, event or conference, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn- that is the best way to contact me directly
❤️ MOST importantly: THANK YOU. Mentoring is what got me here, and it is how I’ll help you achieve your dream goals as best I can. You are a MASSIVE part of this journey to me, more than you know
🤠 Sincerely, Brendan @doctorgallagher
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
Top 5 Topics:
- From New York to Nowhere: Life in Rural America, Soon To Be Back In Westchester!
- The Hidden Crisis in Dentistry: Insurance, Fees & Patient Deception
- Comparison is the Thief of Joy: Mental Health in Dentistry
- DSOs, Dental Schools & Debt: The Future of Dentistry at Risk
- Empowering the Next Generation: Why Mentorship Matters MOST
Quotes & Wisdom:
• 15:59 — Dr. Patel: “I was looking for validation and love externally—when really it all comes from within.”
• 16:55 — Dr. Patel: “Sit with your thoughts, figure out your goals, and reverse-engineer your path.”
• 18:27 — Dr. Patel: “Change is hard. Change is scary. But it’s necessary.”
• 20:11 — Dr. Patel: “Think for yourself. Don’t get carried away by ‘everyone is doing it, so I must.’”
• 20:42 — Dr. Patel: “Dentistry still manages to be the best small business in healthcare.”
• 26:05 — Dr. Patel: “I tell patients their dental insurance is a coupon from the 1970s.”
• 48:15 — Dr. Patel: “Being busy and being productive are two different things.”
• 50:22 — Dr. Patel: “Be teachable—constantly. There’s so much out there to learn.”
• 51:46 — Dr. Patel: “Sharing information and data is empowering—and never a bad thing.”
• 52:14 — Dr. Patel: “There is still so much good in this profession.”
• 12:45 — Brendan: “Comparison is the thief of joy… comparing yourself to another has nothing to do with your day-to-day.”
• 46:52 — Brendan: “The American dream is opportunity—hang a shingle, build a practice. We need to protect that.”
Questions:
14:05 — “Residents feel isolated and overwhelmed—what do you think about all that?”
19:52 — “Post-COVID, what focused changes or trends matter most to you—and why?”
21:57 — “What’s a DPO, and how is it different from a DSO?”
37:59 — “With consolidation and more dental schools opening, what have you seen, where is it going, and how does it fizzle out?”
41:18 — “Who actually enforces the ‘dentist-owned practice’ rule—who carries it?”
48:37 — “Where can people follow you, learn from you, and catch your lectures, writing, and soon-to-launch podcast?”
55:50 — “Pregnant patient needs pain control—if ibuprofen is out and Tylenol is in question, what do we give?”
Now available on:
- Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast & YouTube Channel
- Dose of Dental Podcast #179
My watch in this episode = Citizen Promaster Diver Day Date
- 9.2025
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
🎙️ Clip from the May 2025, Monthly Insta Story Q&A sessions I do at the end of every month- stay tuned the last week of the month on my Instagram @doctorgallagher 🙌
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
Top 5 Topics:
- BSSO Technique Breakdowns
- Surgical Complications & How to Survive Them
- *** Side Note On Life After Residency (at the end of the podcast) ***
- Unfiltered Surgical Teaching / Studying
- Balancing Career, Boards, & Life
*** These are live recordings of my review sessions for the oral OMFS boards that I’ll be taking in January 2025 - I can get answers and concepts wrong! Please comment, DM me, or text me with any corrections, additions, or your own board prep tips on these topics so we can learn from my mistakes. ***
- Wanna sponsor these episodes? Let me know in my LinkedIn DM or Instagram DM.
Questions & Topics:
00:01 – What’s the first structure you see after a horizontal vestibular incision in a BSSO?
01:10 – How do you know if you’re too far back on the posterior cut of a BSSO?
01:55 – What instrument saves you when the saw gets stuck?
02:20 – Why can’t you perform a Le Fort I in patients with a short palate?
02:50 – What’s the best way to prevent mandibular relapse after a BSSO setback?
03:42 – First symptom of a pterygoid venous plexus bleed during a split?
04:10 – Most common cause of velopharyngeal insufficiency after maxillary advancement?
04:40 – Absolute contraindication to bimaxillary surgery in a Class III patient with OSA?
05:05 – Role of coronoidectomy in BSSO setbacks.
05:50 – Best predictor of relapse after BSSO setback.
Now available on:
- Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast & YouTube Channel
My watch in this episode = Citizen Promaster Diver Day Date
- 9.2025
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
🎙️ Clip from the May 2025, Monthly Insta Story Q&A sessions I do at the end of every month- stay tuned the last week of the month on my Instagram @doctorgallagher 🙌
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
*PODCAST EXCLUSIVE* - 9.24.25
- An audio elaboration of this Threads/X thought or idea I just posted:
“As surgeons, while in training we’re ‘marshmallow kids’—we delay gratification. After graduation, you need a window to ‘eat your marshmallow’ or you’ll miss it.”
- from Dose of Dental Podcast #178, U.S. Doctors Podcast #4 with @doctor.hanna
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
Top 5 Topics:
- Jawlines, Implants, and Aesthetic Surgery in Manhattan
- Life After Residency: Surviving the 6-Month Storm
- From Marshmallows to Mastery: Lessons in Delayed Gratification
- AI vs. Surgeons: The Future of Medicine
- Watches, Cybertrucks, and Success: What Hard Work Buys
Quotes & Wisdom:
“In training we’re marshmallow kids—we delay gratification. After graduation, you need a window to ‘eat your marshmallow’ or you’ll miss it.”
“I don’t look at the specialty label; I look at the individual—training, vision, safety, and results.”
“Find colleagues whose treatment philosophy matches yours. The patient experience is best when like-minded people care for them.”
“I’m obsessive about details. If something isn’t perfect, it irks me—and everyone on the team buys into that standard.”
“Derms are great at skin; surgeons are great at surgery. The patient wins when each expert does what they do best.”
“As you reduce orbital volume, the globe moves forward; fix position and the lid often improves from support alone.”
“I define myself as a surgeon. The medical and dental degrees gave me foundations—the identity is surgical.”
“A rising tide lifts all ships. More fellowships and growth help everyone in OMFS.”
“If you don’t grow, you die.”
“Time is important. Hard work should buy you the freedom to enjoy the things that make you smile.”
— Success is time well spent.
Questions:
“How did studying sculpture in Florence shape how you see facial anatomy today?” — 07:53
“Which face & jaw procedures excite you most right now—and why?” — 12:34
“When you hire or collaborate, what matters more—specialty label or the individual’s philosophy and standards?” — 27:12–29:43
“If not OMFS, which medical and dental specialties would you choose—and why?” — 46:37–48:14
“Biggest issue OMFS faces today (dual vs single degree, fellowships, growth) and how do we move forward?” — 53:45–55:46
Now available on:
- Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast & YouTube Channel
- Dose of Dental Podcast #178
- U.S. Doctors Podcast #4
My watch in this episode = Citizen Promaster Diver Day Date
Dr. Hanna’s watch = Rolex Daytona
- 9.2025
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
Quick Review #285 - #surgery #surgeon #doctorgallagher #oralsurgery #oralsurgeon #omfs #dentist #dentistry #dental #orthognathics
When evaluating the complications of a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) for mandibular setback, it is important to distinguish between what residents often recall first—relapse—and what examiners emphasize as the single most significant complication: temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc displacement.
TMJ Disc Displacement occurs when the condyle is improperly seated during fixation or when excessive manipulation of the proximal segment alters joint mechanics. Patients present with preauricular pain, deviation on opening, joint sounds, and limited motion. This makes it the “red flag” complication of BSSO setback on board exams. Prevention relies on precise condylar positioning, meticulous split technique, and avoiding torque across the joint during fixation.
Relapse, although common, is more of a long-term skeletal adaptation rather than an acute postoperative complication. After setback, the suprahyoid musculature (genioglossus, geniohyoid, digastrics) tends to pull the mandible forward, causing gradual drift. Relapse is most pronounced in large setbacks (>7 mm) and in patients with high mandibular plane angles. Rigid fixation provides short-term stability but increases risk if condyles are not perfectly seated. On exams, relapse is tested as a stability issue, not the “biggest complication.”
Inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury is another known complication, presenting as numbness or paresthesia of the lower lip and chin. However, this is generally considered a frequent but expected risk rather than the most serious complication.
Finally, airway considerations play an important role in orthognathic planning. Setbacks reduce oropharyngeal airway space, which can worsen sleep apnea risk. Yet, this is viewed more as a long-term functional consequence than the immediate intraoperative complication tested.
Key distinctions for exams:
- Most significant complication: TMJ disc displacement
- Most common neurosensory deficit: IAN injury
- Most common skeletal consequence: Relapse (due to suprahyoids, large setback, high angle cases)
Stability hierarchy studies by Proffit & Turvey also remind us that mandibular setbacks are among the least stable procedures, reinforcing the need for surgical precision and careful patient selection.
References:
1. Pocket Dentistry. (n.d.). Correction of dentofacial deformities (Chapter 30). Pocket Dentistry. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://lnkd.in/eN6Y8D6h
2. Proffit, W. R., & Turvey, T. A. (2003). Stability of surgical treatment for mandibular prognathism. Seminars in Orthodontics, 9(1), 2–9.
3. Miloro, M., Ghali, G. E., Larsen, P. E., & Waite, P. (Eds.). (2022). Peterson’s Principles of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (4th ed.). Springer.
4. ChatGPT.2025
- 9.23.25
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
*PODCAST EXCLUSIVE* - 9.23.25
- An audio elaboration of this Threads/X thought or idea I just posted:
“If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.”
- from Malpractice Case #4 ; Dose of Dental Podcast #178 - a malpractice case review with Dr. Marc Leffler of MedPro
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
📍It’s the 2nd half of 2025, I just graduated residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in June, now starting to work at All County Oral Surgery in Melville on Long Island, NY. I’ll be an associate surgeon here & working toward a personal goal of becoming a partner one day. Outside of dentistry, I have side projects & companies to bring my passions to life, including mentorship, education, and life strategy, and I obnoxiously share a lot of content on it all as I go hahahaha
👉 Keep an eye out for my weekly TikTok LIVE Q&A Session (usually Sunday evenings) and the monthly Q&A session on Instagram (end of every month). Let me know how I can help you
🌎 *** PreDent Mentor Map is now LIVE, at predentmentormap.org ! *** it’s a free resource for predental students to use for data on every dental school, and to connect with current dental students for personalized mentoring.
🙋🏼♂️ If you’re an organization or club at a school and you’d like to discuss a partnership, event or conference, DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn- that is the best way to contact me directly
❤️ MOST importantly: THANK YOU. Mentoring is what got me here, and it is how I’ll help you achieve your dream goals as best I can. You are a MASSIVE part of this journey to me, more than you know
🤠 Sincerely, Brendan @doctorgallagher
🔗 Links to my platforms: https://linktr.ee/doctorgallagher/
#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher
