In continuation from our last post introducing Dr. Shin, this time we have conducted an interview with Dr. Kim. You can find the interview with Dr. Kim below, or if you haven't read the interview with Dr. Shin yet, you can click here.
1) Self-introduction
Hello, I'm Dr. Kim Jong Yun- an oral and maxillofacial surgeon of EU Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
2) Why did you choose to perform double jaw and facial bone contouring surgeries?
Our anesthesiologist is Korea's 3560th anesthesiologist, and our orthodontist is Korea's 322nd orthodontist.
The system of specialists in the dental field hasn’t been around for long.
Just because someone is a specialist doesn’t necessarily mean they can work in every area. There also need to be patients who are suitable for that specialty in order for the specialist to showcase their skills.
Coincidentally, the environment for performing facial contouring surgery became more favorable at the same time the system was introduced, and since it is the area I am most confident in, I think that’s why I chose it.
There is a second reason as well.
Facial contouring and double jaw surgery are specialized fields that exclusively fall under oral and maxillofacial surgery.
While dental implants are a major area of oral and maxillofacial surgery, there are other specialties within dentistry, such as prosthodontics and periodontics, that also specialize in implants. So, it wouldn’t be accurate to say that only oral and maxillofacial surgeons handle implants.
I had a goal of focusing on what I can do best within my own field.
3) Did you learn anything other than oral and maxillofacial surgery?
In oral and maxillofacial surgery, you can primarily focus on implants or wisdom tooth extractions.
However, that wasn’t the situation I found myself in.
In a way, I had fewer opportunities to perform wisdom tooth extractions or implant surgeries.
What I mean by having fewer opportunities is that because I was constantly doing double jaw and facial contouring surgeries, I didn’t have time to do anything else.
4) What do you to make sure you're in good condition?
In our hospital, we participate in a marathon every year.
We consider running to be an important form of exercise.
As for me, I try to maintain my health by swimming, golfing, and skiing in the winter as hobbies.
5) Is there a fact that you feel should be more widely known?
Being "good at surgery"
In a world where basic medical knowledge is widely known, and the number of surgeons performing surgeries has increased, what really matters now is how many surgeries a doctor has performed safely.
When it comes to double jaw and facial contouring surgery, there are hardly any surgeons who have performed as many surgeries as I or Dr. Shin have. It’s unfortunate that this hasn’t been more widely known.
Since every patient is different, being able to respond quickly and lead to a good outcome in unexpected situations can only be achieved through extensive surgical experience.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons do facial bone surgery better
We, as oral and maxillofacial surgeons, have spent more time working in the field of plastic surgery than in dentistry.
This means that compared to other oral and maxillofacial surgeons, we have much more experience and skills in facial contouring surgery while still having a solid foundation in oral health.
The mix of specialized knowledge in oral health and long experience in plastic surgery leads to great results. I hope this aspect becomes more widely known.
If you come and have a brief conversation with us and look at our cases, you’d think, “This is the place that really does it well, the results will be great.”
6) How can patients select a clinic that is good at facial bone surgery?
If you look online, some people include their residency period as part of their experience.
But in reality, residency isn’t something you lead on your own; it’s a learning process, so I think it’s better to exclude that time.
Also, male doctors often serve as military doctors for three years after finishing their residency.
During those three years, they can’t perform the cases they want to.
After that period, you could say they begin to build their actual professional experience.
- Opening a Private Clinic
- University Professor Background
- Large Hospital Background
Afterward, there are three main paths to choose from.
- You could open your own clinic,
- You could further your academic credentials at a university hospital,
- Or, you could gain experience at a larger, well-established hospital.
Dr. Shin and I are both from large hospitals with a very high number of patients, where we encountered countless cases before opening our own clinic.
The hospital is one of the well-known large hospitals, so if you ask during a consultation, I will be happy to share the name with you.
"Difference in Structure"
As I mentioned earlier, practical experience is key. So, which of the three environments is best for gaining a lot of experience?
The answer is large hospitals.
A solo clinic requires you to do everything on your own, and you don't have a steady stream of patients. University hospitals, on the other hand, have more than just surgeries as their main task.
"Just because someone has 10 years of experience doesn’t mean they are the same"
If some people perform one case a day for 10 years, while others perform three cases a day, the gap in skill levels naturally widens.
Even with the same amount of time, I believe the difference in experience could be at least three times as much.
Not all university hospitals are the same, but I was impressed when I saw a banner showing the number of double jaw surgeries performed by a professor who was retiring from a university hospital. The number of cases was actually higher than the number I had performed during my years of training and after becoming a specialist.
In other words, I had more experience than the professor, who had spent their entire career in academia.
Of course, this alone doesn’t make me the expert, but in a university hospital, there are time constraints. Professors are required to teach students, conduct research, and write papers, which limits the time they can spend performing surgeries.
7) How large was the hospital you used to work at?
Among the plastic surgery clinics in Gangnam ranked by size, the top 3 had about 20 to 30 doctors.
The reason such a large-scale hospital with so many patients could exist in Korea is because of the influx of many international patients.
Each hospital had its own specialty, and that hospital was particularly focused on bone surgeries, like double jaw and facial contouring.
Dr. Shin and I, as oral and maxillofacial surgeons, have played many roles in this field.
At that time, we actually performed surgeries on patients who appeared on makeover shows. Some even won the show, which helped the clinic gain more fame, and, as a result, more patients came to us.
8) What's another reason for your rapid growth?
Before I became a specialist, there was a common perception that double jaw surgery was a large surgery that could only be done at university hospitals, and it wasn’t widely known to the public.
At that time, if you went to a plastic surgeon, they often didn’t even know what the surgery was, but the doctor would say, "You need to have this surgery," and that’s when people would realize, "Oh, this kind of surgery exists."
Coincidentally, after I became a specialist, it started becoming more widely known to the public.
Thanks to that, people started to realize, by watching broadcasts or browsing the internet, that they might need double jaw surgery after identifying their symptoms.
Moreover, with advancements in medical technology, anesthesia safety, and hospital facilities, it became possible to perform surgeries safely without the need for a university hospital.
During this period, when the number of people wanting to undergo surgery increased exponentially due to these benefits, I was able to naturally accumulate a lot of surgical experience.
9) Why is facial bone contouring is more favored?
"The Standards of Effective Communication"
Most people who are considering contour surgery are younger individuals.
Through my experience in clinical practice, I’ve come to understand the concerns and discomforts that patients face more deeply, and this has helped me provide better care for them.
"Aesthetic Perspective"
Aesthetic considerations are subjective, which makes it a challenging area for many surgeons.
However, through my years of performing surgeries, I’ve seen many instances where the results I personally consider beautiful are also widely appreciated by patients and the public.
These experiences have likely helped me gain more confidence and focus in my work.
10) Who is one memorable patient you had?
1) A Makeover TV show winner
There was a patient in a makeover show that you probably heard of who won the contest in the show.
2) A business owner who became a model
There was a man who came on TV as a regular person. After he received surgery, he continued his business but also became a model.
3) A person who became a celebrity
I cannot reveal their name, but a person who underwent surgery with me became famous - not just an influencer but a celebrity. There are many patients who become famous after surgery whom I cannot say their names but I can show who they are during an in-person consultation.
11) Patient-centered hospital structure
"Buried in Surgery"
Even when I'm not performing surgery, the space I occupy is positioned in between patients.
My office is located between the operating room and the patient rooms.
So, even when I'm doing administrative work, patients are right next to me on either side. Because of this, I feel that I must be the first to respond to any situation. I believe this is why I designed the hospital’s flow and layout in this way.
It's all with the intention of being able to focus more on surgery and care for the patients.
12. What is your approach to patients?
"Like Family, But More Specific"
In the beginning, I often said that I treat my patients like family when performing surgery.
These days, I try to relate the situation to my own family. For example, if the patient is a woman in her 30s, I think of her as a niece or cousin in my family, and I consider how I would plan and approach the surgery for her.
I believe that by doing this, I am able to focus better and achieve better results.
13. Is there anything you'd like to say to those considering surgery?
"Not Everyone Who Needs Surgery Should Have Surgery"
While surgery isn’t absolutely necessary, I always tell my patients that there are definitely benefits to be gained from it.
For cases like orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery), patients often come in with the expectation that their personal complexes will be addressed. These days, there is so much information available, and generally, the information is quite accurate.
However, many patients are understandably concerned before the surgery. They often worry about complications or whether they will achieve the results they desire.
On these two points, I want to assure them that there have been significant advancements. Medical technology continues to progress rapidly.
In fact, the speed at which the field is evolving is so fast that even I, as a surgeon, have to work hard to keep up. As a result, many of the past complications and uncertainties surrounding surgery are being addressed and reduced.
If you are still worried about these aspects, I encourage you not to hesitate and to go ahead with the surgery if it will help you achieve what you want.
"Please Let the Doctor Handle It"
I think saying this can be a bit risky.
When choosing a clinic for contour surgery, I believe communication with the surgeon is extremely important.
There is a high chance that if the patient doesn’t express what they want, the consultation could turn into a "just follow me" type of approach, where the surgeon leads without truly understanding the patient’s goals.
Not only can the results of the surgery be influenced by this, but the recovery process can also be affected by the surgeon's subjective viewpoint.
If the patient feels something isn't right or experiences pain and expresses it, and the surgeon responds with "It's fine, this will pass," during recovery, that can be very unsettling and difficult for the patient.
Therefore, I would recommend a clinic where there is good communication between the surgeon and the patient, where both parties can openly exchange and understand each other’s views.
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