Meet Your Consultant: Dr Michael Giffen

In our last post, we introduced The Oral Surgery Clinic. This time, we’re answering a question people often have before booking: who will I actually be seeing?

Dr Michael Giffen is a consultant oral surgeon and a specialist in oral surgery. His story begins with qualifying in dentistry and taking hospital surgical posts in Scotland, where head and neck surgery shaped his early practice. Those years in hospital led to specialist training in oral surgery, and then a consultant post. Today that path adds up to 20 years of clinical experience, more than a decade of it as a specialist. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and also holds Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and Specialist Membership in Oral Surgery with the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

A path shaped by surgical training

Dr Giffen graduated from the University of Glasgow and took hospital surgical posts in Scotland, working in oral and maxillofacial surgery units and building experience in hospital practice.

With that experience he was accepted into specialist training in oral surgery at one of the largest UK hospitals on the south coast of England, during which he gained his specialist membership in oral surgery with the Royal College of Surgeons of England and was recognised as a specialist in the UK. His hospital work included orthognathic surgery, temporomandibular jaw joint work, complex medically compromised patients and referrals that needed specialist assessment and multidisciplinary team planning, including chronic pain and orthodontics.

His career has also included years in primary dental care, both in general practice and as an oral surgeon receiving referrals from other dentists. In that referral role he saw the complex cases that general practices send on, the kind of treatment that sits beyond what a practice can comfortably offer. Understanding the referral pathway from both sides shapes how he works with your own dentist today.

He was then appointed as a consultant oral surgeon. That appointment is not simply another title. It is the point at which a surgeon is judged ready to take full responsibility for patients' surgical care, and it followed years of training, working alongside other specialties and learning how to assess a problem carefully before recommending treatment.

Specialist training is built from years of study as well as practice.

His work today brings together NHS and private practice

Dr Giffen is the lead consultant for oral surgery in the NHS locally. He also chairs NHS England’s Oral Surgery Managed Clinical Network for four counties, which brings professionals together to support joined-up oral surgery services. Alongside his clinical work, he works to train the next generation of surgeons.

The day job: hospital surgical practice alongside the clinic.

His teaching roles have included serving as a Senior College Clinical Educator for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and supervising specialist trainees, dental core trainees and undergraduate students in hospital practice. His training in medical education supports this work, and he also works as a medical appraiser, supporting the professional development of other clinicians.

Explaining clearly: assessment and discussion before any decision is made.

These roles give him experience across a broad range of oral surgery, including cases that need input from more than one specialty. At The Oral Surgery Clinic, that experience informs a personal approach: your care is planned around your symptoms, examination and circumstances, rather than a single pathway for everyone.

The problems he sees are varied

Oral surgery can involve much more than removing a tooth. People come for help with a specific concern, or because they have symptoms that are proving difficult to understand. Dr Giffen’s clinical interests include:

• Teeth that are impacted or out of position, including wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth are the most common teeth to become impacted, and some need careful planning to remove or uncover, particularly when orthodontics is involved. In those cases Dr Giffen works with the orthodontic team, so the surgical and orthodontic parts are considered together.

• Changes in the soft tissues of the mouth. Ulcers, lumps and red or white patches may need assessment, and a small tissue sample can be taken if appropriate. A change does not automatically mean something serious, but persistent changes are worth having checked.

• Planning before radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Dental planning before radiotherapy can be an important part of wider care, carried out in coordination with the other clinicians involved.

• Facial pain, including trigeminal neuralgia. Pain in the face can have different causes, and assessment helps clarify what may be contributing and what options are appropriate. For some people with trigeminal neuralgia, nerve block techniques may form part of a plan.

• Surgery around dental implants. Many implant problems are surgical problems. Dr Giffen’s knowledge of implant planning and management, including bone grafting, is built on advanced training in the UK and Europe. Where an implant needs assessment, or the bone around one needs building up, a surgical opinion can clarify the options.

• Jaw bone healing and MRONJ. Some medicines prescribed for bone health, such as bisphosphonates and other antiresorptive drugs, can affect how the jaw bone heals after dental treatment. If you take one of these medicines and need a tooth removed, or have an area of exposed jaw bone, careful planning and a specialist assessment help clarify the safest way forward.

• Sinus problems that start with the teeth. The top back teeth sit close to the sinus above them, so infection in a tooth can spread into it, and removing a back tooth can occasionally leave a small opening between the mouth and the sinus. Dr Giffen assesses and manages these problems, from sinus infection that traces back to a tooth to openings that need careful repair.

If a biopsy is appropriate, a small tissue sample is sent for examination in the laboratory.

For some complex cases, cone beam CT provides detailed three-dimensional views of the jaws. Dr Giffen will explain whether this imaging would help plan your care.

Imaging can support assessment and planning in selected complex cases.

You’ll know who is responsible for your care

At The Oral Surgery Clinic, Dr Giffen assesses, operates and follows up with you. Having the same consultant throughout means you can discuss your plan with the person responsible for your treatment and return to that person with questions.

We know that planning to have surgery can feel like a lot to take in. Dr Giffen explains findings and options in plain English, so you can understand what is being recommended and why. The aim is to reach an accurate diagnosis and plan treatment carefully, rather than rush to a procedure or pass a problem on.

If you feel anxious, you can say so. Dr Giffen takes a calm, unhurried approach and will discuss suitable options without putting pressure on you. He has trained in sedation and is an IACSD-accredited sedation mentor, so ways of staying comfortable are part of the conversation from the start, not an afterthought. Local anaesthetic is used for many procedures. General anaesthetic may be an option for some people and procedures, following assessment. The right choice depends on your health, the treatment needed and the risks and benefits involved.

If you are worried about a mouth lump, patch or ulcer, the priority is to assess it properly. Dr Giffen will explain what he finds and whether any tests or follow-up are needed. The purpose is to provide a clear clinical assessment, not to alarm you or make assumptions before examining the area.

Your care can also involve your own dentist or GP. Dr Giffen works with them where appropriate, sharing relevant information so that your care is joined up. If you have already had scans, letters or other assessments, they can help provide a fuller picture.

Experience shared: training the next generation of surgeons.

Booking an appointment

You can book directly with the clinic, or ask your dentist or GP to refer you. The clinic sees self-pay patients and patients using Bupa, WPA, Aviva, Cigna, Allianz, AXA Health and Vitality, among a growing list of insurers.

The Oral Surgery Clinic serves patients across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, south Shropshire and Monmouthshire. To explore the next step, visit our patient information and booking page, or see our professional referrals page if you are a dentist or GP.

If you’re still finding your way around the clinic, you can return to our welcome post. We’re here to make the next step clear, whether you’re ready to book or simply want to ask a question.