Professional Summary
Dr. Melissa Amundson is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon specializing in Trauma Reconstruction. Her professional and academic history has taken her around the country, exposing her to a broad spectrum of injury patterns and current treatment approaches. Dr Amundson takes a special interest in ballistic injuries (gunshot wounds) and complex secondary repair of the facial skeleton using virtual surgical planning and customized implants which she has published on extensively.
She is currently a full-time hospital based maxillofacial trauma surgeon at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital-Florida State University College of Medicine. Her extensive international experience includes long-term projects in Honduras, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. She is currently a consultant surgeon for both Medicines Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders and Mercy Ships
Dr Amundson lectures frequently at a national level and remains active in medical education with the Florida State University medical students at all levels.
Education & Certifications
Education
- 2020 — University of Florida Gainesville, Florida Master’s Public Health (MPH)
- 2015-2016 — Head and Neck Institute, Legacy Emanuel Hospital Portland Oregon Fellowship – Trauma and Advance Craniomaxillofacial Surgery,
- 2008-2012 — University of Miami Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency
- 2007-2008 — University of Pennsylvania Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Internship
- 2003-2007 — University of Illinois – Chicago Doctor Dental Surgery (DDS)
- 1995-1999 — University of Wisconsin – Madison Bachelors of Science, Molecular Biology
Certifications
- American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS) 2012 – Current
- General Anesthesia 2012 – Current State of Florida
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Honors and Awards
- 2024 — University of Wisconsin–Madison, Luminary Award
- 2022 — Tallahassee Memorial ICARE Award
- 2021 — University of Illinois–Chicago, Rising Star Leadership Award
- 2018 — American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery GIVE Travel Stipend
- 2014 — Government of Honduras, Commitment of Excellence Award
- 2012 — University of Miami Excellence in Surgical Skills Award
- 2007 — University of Illinois-Chicago, Larry D. Seldin Excellence in Oral Surgery Award
Memberships
- Fellow – American College of Surgery
- Diplomate – American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Fellow – American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Fellow – American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Member – Florida Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Member – Southeastern Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Member – International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Member – American College of Craniomaxillofacial Surgery
- Member – Strasbourg Osteosynthesis Group (SORG)
- Member – AO Foundation
Administrative Appointments
- 2025 — American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ACOMS) President Elect
- 2024-Current — American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Junior Board Examiner
- 2024-Current — American College of Surgery
- International Relations Committee
- Health Outreach Program for Equity in Global Surgery (H.O.P.E)
- Longitudinal Course Subcommittee
- 2024 — American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ACOMS) – Vice President
- 2024-Current — Mercy Ships Surgical Consultant
- 2020-Current — Florida State University College of Medicine Clinical Assistant Professor
- 2019-2023 — American College of Oral and Max Surgery – Board Regent
- 2018-2020 — G4 Alliance Permanent Council
- 2018-2019 — Fellowship Director Head and Neck Institute, Advanced Trauma and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery
- 2019-2020 — Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic, Medicine Nova Southeastern University Clinical Assistant Professor
- 2019-2020 — Department of Surgery, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Clinical Assistant Professor
- 2017-2019 — Oregon Health Sciences University Assistant Professor
- 2016-2019 — Oregon Health Sciences University, Legacy Emanuel Medical Center Residency Program Site Director
- 2016-Current — Medcins San Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders Surgical Consultant
- 2016-2023 — Nigeria Ministry of Health Medical and Dental License
- 2011-2012 — Chief Resident University of Miami
Publications
- Cuddy KK, Khatib BN, Bell RB, et al. The Impact of Intraoperative CT on Decision Making in Craniomaxillofacial Trauma Surgery. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2017;75(10):e368-e369. DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2017.07.071. Khatib B, Gelesko S, Amundson M, et al. Updates in Management of Craniomaxillofacial Gunshot Wounds and Reconstruction of the Mandible. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am 2017;25(4):563-576. DOI: 10.1016/j. fsc.2017.06.007.
- Khatib BN, Cuddy KK, Gelesko SL, et al. Application of Virtual Surgical Planning to Staged Management of Self- Inflicted Gunshot Wounds to the Maxillofacial Skeleton: The Oregon Protocol. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2017;75(10):e367-e368. DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2017.07.070.
- Kupfer P, Cheng A, Patel A, Amundson M, Dierks EJ, Bell RB. Virtual Surgical Planning and Intraoperative Imaging in Management of Ballistic Facial and Mandibular Condylar Injuries. Atlas Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am 2017;25(1):17-23. (In eng). DOI: 10.1016/j.cxom.2016.05.012.
- Shumate R, Portnof J, Amundson M, Dierks E, Batdorf R, Hardigan P. Recommendations for Care of Geriatric Maxillofacial Trauma Patients Following a Retrospective 10-Year Multicenter Review. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2018;76(9):1931-1936. DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2017.10.019.
- Fagin AP, Dierks EJ, Bell RB, Cheng AC, Patel AA, Amundson MS. Infection prevalence and patterns in self- inflicted gunshot wounds to the face. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2019;128(1):9-13. (In eng). DOI:
- 10.1016/j.oooo.2019.02.022.
- Govind A, Dierks E, Bell RB, Amundson M. Four Practical Reconstructive Techniques Using the Transantral Approach to the Orbital Floor Without the Need for an Endoscope. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2019;77(10):2074-2082. DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2019.05.018.
- Khatib B, Patel A, Dierks EJ, Bryan Bell R, Amundson M, Cheng A. Reconstruction of Maxillary Defects. In: Melville JC, Shum JW, Young S, Wong ME, eds. Regenerative Strategies for Maxillary and Mandibular Reconstruction: A Practical Guide. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2019:175-200.
- Amundson M. 3-D Computer-assisted Surgical Planning, Manufacturing, Intraoperative Navigation and CT in Maxillofacial Trauma. Atlas of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America 2020(Computer Aided Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery).
- Dennis P, Govind A, Demirel S, Amundson M. Orbital Volume Correction in Orbital Floor Fractures: A Comparison of Transorbital and Transantral Techniques. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2020;78(3):430 e1-430 e7. DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2019.10.028.
- Cuddy K, Dierks EJ, Cheng A, Patel A, Amundson M, Bell RB. Management of Zygomaticomaxillary Complex Fractures Utilizing Intraoperative 3-Dimensional Imaging: The ZYGOMAS Protocol. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2021; 79(1):177-182. DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2020.08.028.
- Khatib B, Gelesko S, Amundson M, et al. Updates in Management of Craniomaxillofacial Gunshot Wounds and Reconstruction of the Mandible. Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am 2021;33(3):359-372. DOI: 10.1016/j. coms.2021.04.005.
- R. Bryan Bell LT, Melissa Amundson. Contemporary Management of Mandible Fractures. In: Micheal Miloro GEG, Peter E. Larson, Peter Waite, ed. Peterson’s Principles of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Springer Nature; 2022:581-649.
- Braimah RO, Taiwo AO, Olasoji HO, et al. Braimah-Taiwo et al New Classification System and Treatment Algorithm of Mandibulo-Maxillary Synostosis Related to Noma. Field Experience From Noma Children Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria. Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction 2023;0(0):19433875231214071. DOI: 10.1177/19433875231214071.
- Govind A, Demirel S, Lee K, Amundson M, Bell RB, Dierks E. Predictors of Intraoperative Difficulty and Postoperative Examination Abnormalities in 164 Orbital Operations. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joms.2023.08.171.
- Patrick MM, Amundson MS. A Case of Profound Obstructive Sleep Apnea Secondary to an Unrecognized Lingual Angiomyxoma. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2024;82(10):1295-1303. DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2024.06.163.
Abstracts
- 2024 AACMFS Amundson, M : A New Classification System. Maxillofacial Synostoses and noma.
- 2022 Amundson, M : The Utility of Patient Specific Implants in the Trauma Setting
- 2022 Amundson, M: Quality of Data Published 2009-2019 on Noma, Can We Do Better?
- 2019 Marshall F. Newman, DMD (Presenter), Eric J. Dierks, MD, DMD, FACS, FACD, FRCS, R. Bryan Bell, MD, DDS,
- FACS, Melissa S. Amundson, DDS: Augmented Reality Applications in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery
Amundson, Melissa, and Arianna Elmquist . “Current Management of Mandibular Ameloblastoma.” Current Opinion in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery.
Specializing In
Acute Fractures of the Facial Skeleton
- Zygoma (Cheek bone)
- Mandible (Lower Jaw)
- Maxilla/Midface (Lefort I/II/III)
- Orbits (Eye Sockets)
- Frontal Sinus (Forehead)
Virtual Surgical Planning and Patient Specific Implants
Gun Shot wounds
- Acute and Secondary Repair
Trauma Reconstruction of the Facial Structures
Secondary repair complex orbit fractures
Dog Bites and complex wounds of the face
Benign Tumors of the Maxilla and Mandible
Intraoperative Navigation and Imaging
Joint Ankylosis
Featured Articles & Interviews
Humanitarian Surgery
Fall 2024
On Wisconsin Magazine
Interview
December 16 2023
STATnews.com
ACOMS Review, Volume 4
December 2022
Dr. Melissa Amundson: Noma Intervention in Nigeria With Doctors Without Borders
Invited Lectures
Surgical Perspective in the Management of Noma
04/2025
Noma Action Group
Point Counterpoint, Approaches to Orbital Reconstruction
10/2024
ACOMS
Maxillofacial Trauma, The Dura to Pleura Practice
07/2024
Ohio State University Graduate Medical Education