Get Involved

Looking to find ways to help end the prophylactic removal healthy impacted wisdom teeth and/or support more research for headaches?

Write to Congress

Click here to write to congress.

Contact the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Click here to contact AAOMS

AAOMS states on their website that their mission statement is

"The mission of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons is to promote, protect and advance oral and maxillofacial surgery to assure excellence for surgeons and their patients."

This mission statement has been updated as of mid to late 2009. The former mission statement of AAOMS is

" to provide a means of self-government relating to professional standards, ethical behavior and responsibilities of its fellows and members; to contribute to the public welfare; to advance the specialty; and to support its fellows and members through education, advocacy and research."

By promoting the idea of removing healthy impacted wisdom teeth in teenagers they are not living up to their mission statement, are being unethical, irresponsible, and contributing to the public health hazard that is facing many Americans.

According to a California dentist AAOMS placed a 4-page advertising supplement in USA Today urging the extraction of wisdom teeth with no mention of risk of potential injury or negative outcome.

Sample Letter

Here is a sample of what you cand send to either Congress and/or AAOMS.

"The British National Institute for Clinical Excellence is unequivocal in its recommendation, adopted by the National Health Service: “The practice of prophylactic removal of pathology-free impacted third molars should be discontinued. . . . There is no reliable evidence to support a health benefit to patients from the prophylactic removal of pathology free impacted teeth.

By promoting the idea of removing healthy impacted wisdom teeth the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are not living up to their mission statement, are being unethical, irresponsible, and contributing to the public health hazard that is facing many Americans.

Each year thousands of Americans are left with permanent disability as a result of elective oral surgery to remove their wisdom teeth. This practice is not justified by any scientific evidence and is a tragedy that is continuing in America."