Work Hard and Find Your Team – Amy Kuhmichel, DMD, FICD

For more than 20 years, Amy Kuhmichel, DMD, FICD, has been passionate about treating patients. She is well-known throughout her community and the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) specialty for her skills and compassion – and it all started with an ice cream cone and a conversation.

“It was the end of my first year of college. I was pre-med, and it was the first week of finals. A friend of mine talked me into having an ice cream cone, which is something I never eat,” recalls Dr. Kuhmichel. “When I bit into the cone, I broke off part of a tooth, so I had to have my tooth fixed. My dentist asked me about college and, since I was taking so many pre-med classes, suggested I consider dental school.”

“With that in mind, I shadowed my dentist that summer. It was an amazing experience. I liked helping patients and working with my hands. I knew I wanted to keep that going, so I went to dental school,” continues Dr. Kuhmichel. “While at dental school, I was introduced to OMS and I knew right away that I’d found my calling. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Dr. Kuhmichel earned her bachelor’s degree at Carnegie Mellon University, graduating with honors, and her dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After which, Dr. Kuhmichel completed a four-year residency in OMS at Emory University and went into private practice.

Today, Dr. Kuhmichel is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon with Peachtree Dunwoody Oral and Facial Surgery PC – a USOSM partner practice with two locations. One is in Atlanta, and one is in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Dr. Kuhmichel treats both pediatric and adult patients and her care philosophy centers on patient safety, comfort and results. She provides a full scope of OMS procedures, such as wisdom teeth removal, dental implants and maxillofacial reconstruction.

Currently, Dr. Kuhmichel has staff privileges at Emory University Hospital Midtown, Children’s Egleston Hospital, Children’s Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta and Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital. She is diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and is certified in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), pediatric advanced life support (PALS) and basic life support (BLS).

Dr. Kuhmichel is actively involved with a number of professional organizations. She is a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Georgia Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Dental Association, the Georgia Dental Association and the International College of Dentists. In addition, she is on the volunteer staff at Grady Memorial Hospital, where she teaches residents and covers call several times a year, treating traumas, fractures, pathology cases and other OMS needs.

“One of the best pieces of advice I can give OMS students is to work hard and find your team,” adds Dr. Kuhmichel. “Meet your referrals where they are. Find orthodontists, general dentists and other professionals, who want to work on the same kinds of cases you do. You can’t do everything yourself, but if you find your team and work well together, you can do so much more. The work will be more enjoyable, you’ll be more successful, you’ll have help on complex cases – it’s better for you, better for your referrals and better for your patients.”