How to Find Oral Surgeons by Zip Code
Data sourced from live CMS NPI Registry API v2.1 queries, run June 13, 2026. All provider counts are real API responses. Raw query results are available for download. See methodology below.
taxonomy_description=Oral+%26+Maxillofacial+Surgery — the exact CMS string with the ampersand (NUCC 204E00000X). "Oral Surgery" returns zero results. Oral surgeons are a sparse specialty; no market we queried hit the API's 200-record cap, which means the counts below are complete totals. This guide covers the correct string, real counts from 9 markets, degree-class notes (DDS/DMD/DMD+MD), and what implant and surgical device products map to this call list.
•
taxonomy_description=Oral+Surgery → 0 results•
taxonomy_description=Oral+and+Maxillofacial+Surgery (spelled-out "and") → partial match, unreliable•
taxonomy_description=Oral+%26+Maxillofacial+Surgery (ampersand) → complete resultsThe official NUCC name includes both the oral and maxillofacial components. A rep who queries "Oral Surgery" concludes the specialty isn't in the registry — it is, but the string must match exactly.
Oral surgeons in the NPI registry: real counts from 9 markets
These counts come from direct CMS NPI API v2.1 queries run June 13, 2026 using
taxonomy_description=Oral+%26+Maxillofacial+Surgery. No market hit the 200-record cap —
all counts are complete totals for that geography.
| Market | Query scope | NPI records returned | At 200-record cap? |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | City filter | 57 | No (complete) |
| Los Angeles, CA | City filter | 38 | No (complete) |
| Chicago, IL | City filter | 42 | No (complete) |
| Houston, TX | City filter | 32 | No (complete) |
| Phoenix, AZ | City filter | 11 | No (complete) |
| Nashville, TN | City filter | 21 | No (complete) |
| Memphis, TN | City filter | 4 | No (complete) |
| Vermont (statewide) | State filter | 4 | No (complete) |
| Wyoming (statewide) | State filter | 5 | No (complete) |
Source: CMS NPI API v2.1, June 13, 2026. Download raw counts (JSON).
The Memphis city count of 4 reflects the billing-address filter. Oral surgeons at hospital systems or suburban practice locations may bill from non-Memphis addresses and would be missed by a strict city filter but captured by a zip radius. For this specialty, always use radius search rather than city or state filters.
Entity type: 3 NPI-1 (individual surgeons) / 1 NPI-2 (group practice)
Credential breakdown: DDS, DMD, DMD/MD (one provider held the dual degree)
Key insight: The dual-credential "DMD, MD" entry reflects an oral surgeon who completed both dental and medical school — a pattern common in hospital-based oral surgery programs. For implant device reps, degree class does not affect call priority; for hospital-system accounts, the MD component may affect credentialing pathways.
Taxonomy strings for this specialty
| String to query | NUCC code | Result (June 2026) |
|---|---|---|
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery | 204E00000X | Records in all markets — use this |
Oral Surgery | — | 0 results — wrong string |
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | — | Partial match — unreliable |
Dentist (sibling, general) | 122300000X | 200+ in all markets — separate query |
How to search oral surgeons by zip code — step by step
Open the NPI registry
Go to npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov or open the getdork physician search. In the API, URL-encode the ampersand as %26 in the taxonomy_description parameter.
Set the taxonomy string to Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
In getdork, the correct string is sent automatically when you select "Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery" from the specialty dropdown. In the raw API, the parameter must include the ampersand encoded: taxonomy_description=Oral+%26+Maxillofacial+Surgery.
Use a generous radius — oral surgeons are sparse
Memphis city filter returned 4; statewide Wyoming returned 5. For this specialty, start with a 50-mile radius in most markets. In major metros (NYC at 57, Chicago at 42), 20–25 miles is sufficient. Rural territories should plan 75–100 miles to build a workable list.
Cross-reference with the dentist list for implant-placement accounts
General dentists who place implants do not appear in an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery query — they enumerate under the base Dentist code. For a complete implant-placement call list, combine both queries. See the dentists guide for that data.
Export to CSV (Pro)
Oral surgeon lists are small enough that a manual review is often feasible — but CSV export captures NPI, name, credential, address, and phone in a single import-ready file. Useful for CRM deduplication when supplementing an existing dentist list.
Radius guidance for oral surgery territory planning
Oral surgeons are one of the sparser specialties in this guide. Radius strategy should reflect that:
| Market type | Recommended radius | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Dense urban (NYC, Chicago) | 15–25 miles | 57 and 42 records respectively — city filter captures most |
| Mid-size metro (Nashville, Houston) | 25–40 miles | 21–32 records; radius catches suburban hospital-based surgeons |
| Small metro (Memphis, Phoenix) | 40–60 miles | 4–11 records city-only; radius is essential to capture full market |
| Rural / small state | 75–100 miles | Vermont and Wyoming: 4–5 statewide; plan the full state as one territory |
Build your oral surgery call list from the federal NPI registry. No sign-up required.
Search oral surgeons by ZIP — free
Frequently asked questions
Why does "Oral Surgery" return zero results in the NPI registry?
The CMS NUCC taxonomy uses the full specialty name: Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery — with the ampersand. "Oral Surgery" is the shortened common name; it has no matching NPI taxonomy string. We confirmed live on June 13, 2026: taxonomy_description=Oral+Surgery = 0 results.
What NUCC code identifies oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and does specifying the code in the API work?
NUCC code 204E00000X identifies oral and maxillofacial surgeons. However, the NPI API v2.1 silently ignores the numeric taxonomy= parameter — passing this code returns unfiltered results. Filtering only works via taxonomy_description=Oral+%26+Maxillofacial+Surgery.
What credentials do oral surgeons hold, and are there DMD/MD dual-degree surgeons in the NPI data?
Oral surgeons hold DDS or DMD, and some programs award a joint DMD/MD. In our Memphis dataset, one of the four providers held a "DMD, MD" combined credential. All three credential types enumerate under the same NUCC 204E00000X. Degree class does not affect call priority for most surgical device reps; it may matter for hospital credentialing contacts.
How sparse is the oral surgeon call list, and what radius is realistic for a surgical device territory?
Oral surgeons are sparse. Complete totals (not capped): New York 57, Chicago 42, Los Angeles 38, Houston 32, Nashville 21, Phoenix 11, Memphis 4, Vermont 4, Wyoming 5. Use 25–50 mile radius in most markets. Rural territories require 75–100 miles for a workable list.
Do oral surgeons appear in a general dentist NPI query or a plastic surgery query?
No — unless a provider holds multiple NPI enrollments. Oral surgeons enumerate under 204E00000X, separate from the Dentist base code (122300000X) and Plastic Surgery (208200000X). Each specialty requires its own independent query.
What implant and surgical device products map to an oral surgeon call list?
Oral & maxillofacial surgeons are the primary target for: dental implant systems and components, bone grafting materials and membranes, piezoelectric surgical units, orthognathic surgery hardware (fixation plates, screws, distraction devices), in-office sedation anesthesia monitoring, and CBCT imaging systems. For facial trauma hardware shared with plastic surgeons, cross-reference with the plastic surgery guide. General dentists who place implants are captured in the Dentist base query separately.
Methodology
All counts come from direct CMS NPI API v2.1 queries run June 13, 2026 using
taxonomy_description=Oral+%26+Maxillofacial+Surgery. The API returns up to 200 records per
request. No market in this specialty hit the cap — all counts are exact totals. The ampersand must be
URL-encoded as %26 in query strings; the getdork tool handles this encoding automatically.
The gotcha string Oral+Surgery was verified to return 0 results on the same date.
Downloads: npi-counts-oral-maxillofacial-surgery.json · npi-oral-surgery-memphis-tn-raw.json · npi-oral-surgery-vermont-raw.json · collection script (.ps1)