WALKING THE WALK

Not every South Florida plastic surgeon in the country is double board-certified like Dr. Eberle. In fact, some are not even board certified at all! Dr. Eberle is part of an even more exclusive collection of Surgeons who are trained in Oral and Maxillofacial, General Surgery, and Plastic Surgery, with fewer than 100 surgeons with these credentials throughout the entire United States. Dr.Eberle is also an active Member of the ABOMS helping with the certification process for new Surgeons. You do not have to be board-certified to practice medicine - you just have to be licensed in the state where you practice. Board certification is a way for surgeons to demonstrate their competency to their patients and to their peers by going above and beyond the minimum approvals to practice medicine. It requires dedication, study, and skill, and it is by no means a sure thing.

BOARD-CERTIFIED: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Most “Boards” are nonprofit organizations dedicated to maintaining the integrity of their fields of specialty. When a surgeon or doctor is “board-certified”, that means that physician has passed that organization's criteria for certification - in effect, that the organization trusts that doctor to operate under their seal of approval. These approval processes differ slightly from one board to the next, but usually include a written and oral examination components, for which certain educational and training benchmarks must be achieved to even sit for the exams. Double board-certified Miami plastic surgeon Dr. Eberle, meaning that he has been certified by two different boards - The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Don’t think that once a Surgeon becomes certified the process is over, from then on the Surgeon must perform yearly certification procedures to retain Board-certified status. Understanding what it takes to be certified by each of these organizations can help you make better choices on which surgeon you trust with healthcare desires.

AMERICAN BOARD OF PLASTIC SURGERY

The American Board of Plastic Surgery has issued over 9,000 certifications since 1937, meaning that just over 100 surgeons a year are accepted as diplomates of this prestigious organization. To become an ABPS diplomate, surgeons must meet the following requirements:

Training

All surgeons must graduate from an accredited medical school in either the United States or Canada, or receive certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates before being considered. They must also complete five (5) years of training in an approved residency program following graduation, where they must gain extensive operating experience and expand their knowledge of health and disease management.

Application and examination

Following residency, surgeons can apply for certification. If approved initially, they can proceed to the exam phase. All applicants must also have current U.S. or Canadian medical licenses before beginning their exams.

Surgeons must pass both a written qualifying exam and an oral exam. These Qualifying and Certifying exams are extensive and test the surgeons’ practical knowledge as well as their ability to diagnose and treat a litany of surgical issues and potential complications. If they pass both exams, they are deemed “board-certified” and may call themselves diplomates.

In addition to these initial training and certification requirements, The ABS mandates that all surgeons undergo “continuous certification” - a program with ongoing requirements for testing and continuing education programs that surgeons must pass to keep their certifications.

The Only ADA Recognized Certifying Board for the Specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the U.S.

The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) is the certifying board for the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the United States and is recognized and approved by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association. Overseen by an eight-member Board of Directors, the objective of ABOMS is to elevate the standards of oral and maxillofacial surgery through a certification and maintenance of certification process that fosters excellence and encourages learning, thus promoting the delivery of superior health care.

Our certification process assures the public that certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons have successfully completed a rigorous peer evaluation process by requiring surgeons to present and maintain appropriate professional credentials, and demonstrate the requisite training, experience, and knowledge.

Diplomates of ABOMS

Commitment to Lifelong Learning, Knowledge, and Growth Diplomates of the American Board of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) are committed to
lifelong learning, keeping current in knowledge and skills, and practicing in a safe and contemporary manner. ABOMS assures our Diplomates' commitment to these goals through the Certification Maintenance process.

Board Certification by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) requires successful completion of the Qualifying and Oral Certifying Applications and Examinations. Once certified by ABOMS, the Candidate will become a Diplomate of the Board and must participate in the Certification Maintenance process.

Board Certification Examinations

Qualifying Examination (QE)

Oral Certifying Examination (OCE)

Ongoing Process of Learning and Assessment