As a specialty, surgeons started the implant revolution 40 years ago and have been at the forefront of innovation and progress ever since. While technically any dentist may place implants, oral surgeons have 4 to 6 years of additional specialty training in surgical and implant care. Implant patients may need more than just the implant and additional procedures such as bone grafting or soft tissue (gum) refinement may be necessary to get an ideal result. These procedures are rarely part of the training for generalists but are a routine part of implant care for your surgeon. Oral surgeons will typically place hundreds of implants each year gaining experience and expertise along the way.