Everyday Oral Surgery

Valuable Partners: The Impact of NPs and PAs on an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Practice, with Dr. Paul Shivers

Grant Stucki - oral and maxillofacial surgeon

Running an oral surgery practice can be grueling work, which is why it’s so important to include partners who will help you build a robust practice that can function optimally for years to come. Joining us today to discuss the powerful impact of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) on oral and maxillofacial surgery practices, is Dr. Paul Shrivers, MD, DMD. We talk with Paul about his residency experiences, how he came to specialize, and his early interest in neck oncology. He shares what he learned about the many benefits of using NPs and PAs in surgeons’ practices, their impressive flexibility, and how their roles can be expanded beyond training assistants, like helping with patient care and administrative burdens. Paul also shares his advice for dental students considering a fellowship, why he wants to dispel the notion that you need to be an academic surgeon, and how to choose something that is going to be consistent with your career goals and work-life integration. To learn more about the impact of NPs and PAs on surgery practices and how to ensure longevity for your practice, be sure to tune in!

Key Points From This Episode:

  • Get to know today’s guest, Dr. Paul Shivers.
  • Paul’s residency, his interest in neck oncology, and how he came to specialize.
  • The role of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in oral surgery.
  • Growing practices with limited resources and the powerful impact of NPs and PAs.
  • How NPs and PAs can help residents get the most out of their residency.
  • An overview of the flexibility of NPs and PAs.
  • The expanded role they can have beyond training assistants.
  • How they can help with patient care and delegation.
  • The benefits of using NPs and PAs in surgeons’ practices.
  • Paul’s one-year fellowship at UVA and what the experience was like for him.
  • Why he wants to dispel the notion that you need to be an academic surgeon.
  • His advice to anyone thinking about a fellowship: get involved early and often.
  • Paul answers our rapid-fire questions!


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Paul's email — pshivers@med.umich.edu
Paul Shivers MD, DMD at Michigan Medicine — https://www.uofmhealth.org/profile/1972913382/paul-l-shivers-md-dmd

Bill Simmons sports podcast — https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-bill-simmons-podcast/id1043699613

Revisionist History — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revisionist-history/id1119389968

The Rewatchables — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rewatchables/id1268527882

Resident Series: Osteomyelitis (with Dr. Benjamin Hechler) — https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast/resident-series-osteomyelitis-with-dr-benjamin-hechler/id1535284898?i=1000580659795
Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/
Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.com

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059