Image of surgeons walking in a hospital corridor.

Maxillofacial Program at NMCSD Restores Form, Function, and Readiness

Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Moreno (left), oral maxillofacial residency program assistant director, and Cmdr. Daniel Hammer (right), maxillofacial surgeon and Maxillofacial Restoration Program director, walk through a corridor at Naval Medical Center San Diego as they head to the ICU to check on their jaw-in-a-day patient two days after surgery.
Surgeons using an operating microscope to perform microvascular surgery during a jaw reconstruction.

Maxillofacial Program at NMCSD Restores Form, Function, and Readiness

Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Moreno (left), oral maxillofacial surgery residency program assistant director, and Cmdr. Samuel Frasier (right), department chair of the ear, nose, and throat program, work under an operating microscope during the microvascular portion of a jaw-in-a-day procedure at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Jaw-in-a-day is an advanced reconstructive surgery in which surgeons with the Maxillofacial Restoration Program remove the damaged part of the jaw and rebuild it in the same operation using a piece of the patient’s lower leg bone that still has its blood vessels attached.
A surgeon positions a 3D-printed surgical guide and secure implants onto a newly reconstructed jaw during a jaw-in-a-day procedure.

Maxillofacial Program at NMCSD Restores Form, Function, and Readiness

Lt. Cmdr. Aaron Barto, maxillofacial prosthodontist, left, and Lt. Cmdr. Austin LaBanc, center, chief resident of the ear, nose, and throat program, position a 3D-printed surgical guide and secure implants onto a newly reconstructed jaw during a jaw-in-a-day procedure at Naval Medical Center San Diego. The prefabricated guide ensures precise alignment of the bone and dental prosthesis, allowing the patient to wake from surgery with a functional, provisional set of teeth.
A surgeon marks the surgical site on a patient's leg with a black marker.

Maxillofacial Program at NMCSD Restores Form, Function, and Readiness

Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Moreno, oral maxillofacial surgery residency program assistant director, marks the surgical site on a patient’s leg where the fibula will be harvested for reconstruction during a jaw-in-a-day procedure at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
Surgeons using a dopler to prepare a surgical site on a patient's leg.

Maxillofacial Program at NMCSD Restores Form, Function, and Readiness

Lt. Cmdr. Kyu Choi, left, chief resident in oral and maxillofacial surgery, and Lt. Cmdr. Austin LaBanc, right, chief resident of the ear, nose, and throat program, mark the surgical site on a patient’s leg where the fibula will be harvested to reconstruct a patient’s jaw during a jaw-in-a-day procedure at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
A surgical team in the operating room at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Maxillofacial Program at NMCSD Restores Form, Function, and Readiness

Cmdr. Daniel Hammer, maxillofacial surgeon and director of the Maxillofacial Restoration Program, works alongside the surgical team during a jaw-in-a-day procedure at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
Surgeons in the hallway near an operating room at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Maxillofacial Program at NMCSD Restores Form, Function, and Readiness

Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Moreno, oral maxillofacial residency program assistant director, gathers with surgeons from Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Maxillofacial Restoration Program outside an operating room before a jaw-in-a-day surgery at the medical center.

Maxillofacial Restoration Center of Excellence 

The Maxillofacial Restoration Center of Excellence (CoE) at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) is leading the way in comprehensive maxillofacial restoration, offering a groundbreaking approach to treating a wide range of conditions affecting the mouth, face, and jaws.

As a formally recognized CoE, our program serves as one of two regional hubs — alongside Brooke Army Medical Center's Maxillofacial Restoration Program — within the Military Health System (MHS) for eligible beneficiaries requiring specialized maxillofacial (jaw, mouth, and face) restoration. By centralizing this highly specialized care at NMCSD, we ensure that our service members and beneficiaries receive the highest standard of treatment available.

Your First Choice for Facial and Jaw Restoration

While traditional surgery often focuses only on the initial repair, the Maxillofacial Restoration CoE prioritizes your total well-being and full recovery. We are dedicated to restoring health and function to patients after major reconstructive surgery for facial or jaw conditions caused by illness, injury, or birth defects. 

Our patient-centered program takes a revolutionary approach, focusing on complete restoration, not just basic reconstruction. We understand that recovery involves more than just surgery; it includes regaining function, appearance, and your overall well-being.

Who We Serve

We provide specialized jaw and face repair for patients needing both advanced reconstructive surgery and major dental restoration. The Maxillofacial Restoration Program treats:
 
- Active-duty service members from all branches
- TRICARE-eligible beneficiaries
- Veterans

Restoration to Readiness

The establishment of the CoE is a direct response to the growing need for expert care that combines advanced surgery and dental work. Given that maxillofacial (jaw, mouth, and face) injuries account for 30-40% of casualties in recent conflicts due to new technology like drones making these injuries even more likely, our work is essential to keeping our military healthy and ready for the future.

The CoE designation acknowledges NMCSD's unprecedented outcomes in maxillofacial restoration, including a 94% return-to-duty rate for active-duty service members and treatment timelines that significantly exceed civilian sector standards.

Our Services

A Patient-Centered Approach: Restoration, Not Just Reconstruction

Unlike traditional reconstruction, our program focuses on your complete restoration rather than just basic repair. From day one, we combine surgery, dental care, and healing support to ensure the best possible results for your health and appearance. We don’t just look at the surgery; we plan for your long-term ability to speak and eat, as well as your social and emotional well-being. We are here to help you face the world and confidently return to your normal, daily life and the activities you love.

Comprehensive, Integrated Care

Originally established in November 2020, our program utilizes nine integrated clinical care pathways and a dedicated team of over 125 specialists to restore patients to health. We offer dental rehabilitation coupled with microvascular reconstructive surgery, as well as intraoral and extraoral prosthetic rehabilitation (with or without surgical reconstruction). Through this multidisciplinary collaboration, we achieve exceptional outcomes for patients facing complex facial injuries, congenital conditions, and disease-related defects.

Our Multidisciplinary Team

Care is delivered through a coordinated, multidisciplinary team tailored to the patient’s individual care needs. Our team-based approach supports continuity of care from initial evaluation through recovery and rehabilitation. 

Clinical Services

- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery
- Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
- Prosthodontics and Specialty Dentistry
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Physical and Occupational Therapy
- Mental Health (Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, and Licensed Clinical Social Work) 
- Nutrition

Support Services

Research, Clinical Trials, and Education

- [INSERT APPROPRIATE INFORMATION]

Referrals 

Interested patients should talk with their provider to find out if a referral to the Maxillofacial Restoration CoE is right for them. 

MTF providers may initiate a referral for a virtual consultation at the CoE using MHS GENESIS Referral Management 2.0. 

Managed care support contractors should work with the TRICARE Health Plan and the DHA Integrated Referral Management and Appointment Center to determine potential patients' eligibility to receive care at this CoE. 

Travel and Lodging

Located on the grounds of Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) within walking distance of the main hospital wards, the two San Diego Fisher Houses provide comfortable, cost-free lodging for families of patients receiving care.
 
- Two houses (opened 1992 and 2008) featuring 9 private guest suites each.
- Fully equipped kitchens, living and dining rooms, laundry facilities, and outdoor seating.

For more information, please visit the San Diego Fisher House website. 

Active-Duty Service Members

- Qualifying patients may be able to get travel funding through your unit.
- Your referral must be coordinated with your primary care manager and/or local referring military medical treatment facility's associated specialty care department.
- Your command must approve your travel.

All Other TRICARE Beneficiaries

- Your travel and lodging expenses may not be fully covered.
- Please refer to the Defense Health Agency's Patient Travel Instruction (DHA Procedural Instruction 7000.100) for details about patient travel

VA Patients

[INSERT APPROPRIATE INFORMATION]

FAQ

Contact Us

Dental Clinic: (619) 532-8600
Location: Building 1, 2nd Floor
Address: 34800 Bob Wilson Drive
San Diego, CA 92134

Multidisciplinary Departments

Mental Health: (619) 532-5761 / (619) 532-9225
Nurse Case Management and Care Coordination: (619) 531-1434 (Medical Support Assistant)
Pain Medicine: (619) 532-8937
Physical and Occupational Therapy: (619) 532-7100
Plastic Surgery: (619) 532-6950, ext.1

 

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