Choosing a maxillofacial surgeon in Germany involves more than simply “finding a doctor.” It requires selecting a specialist who can effectively restore bite function, protect facial nerves, and improve appearance. Whether the case entails jaw reconstruction after cancer, addressing complex facial fractures, performing TMJ surgery, managing implant-related bone deficits, or corrective jaw surgery, the stakes are high and immediate. Essential functions like eating, speaking, breathing, sensation, and facial symmetry all rely on the precision and expertise of the surgical team.

Many patients soon realize that the same diagnosis can be treated differently by one doctor from another. According to the German Medical Association (BÄK), there are approximately 1,895 practicing specialists in oral & maxillofacial surgery in Germany.<ref>1</ref>

The surgeon’s expertise and the facility's infrastructure significantly influence the entire treatment process. Key differences can be seen in the use of imaging, the reconstruction techniques, and the prevention of complications. Analyses of complex facial and jaw surgeries in German hospitals consistently reveal measurable differences in outcomes across various centers.<ref>2</ref><ref>3</ref> These differences are influenced by factors such as the volume of procedures performed, the coordination among multidisciplinary teams, and access to advanced intraoperative and reconstructive techniques.<ref>2</ref><ref>4</ref>

That is exactly why the ranking of the top oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Germany can be useful. The goal of this shortlist is to help patients and referring clinicians filter for doctors who are repeatedly associated with high-complexity maxillofacial work in Germany, supported by clear selection criteria and a small layer of numerical context.

Leading Maxillofacial Surgeons

If you are looking for a focused shortlist of oral maxillofacial surgeons in Germany for complex jaw, facial, or head-and-neck procedures, the table below highlights leading specialists and what they are known for. You will see each surgeon’s main clinical focus and the type of maxillofacial surgery they routinely perform, years of experience, and academic involvement.

Rank	Name	AiroScore	UserScore	Experience	Publications	Skills & Expertise*
1	Prof. Dr. med. dent. Max Heiland	5.0	Pending	29 years	445	facial paresis, osteointegration, maxillofacial trauma, reconstructive surgery, craniomaxillofacial surgery, orbital floor fracture, head and neck cancer, oral cancer, orthognathic surgery, flap surgery
2	Prof. Dr. med. Klaus Dietrich Wolff	4.95	4.87	42 years	435	oral microsurgical free flap reconstruction, craniomaxillofacial surgery, oncologic reconstructive surgery, oral cancer, salivary gland tumor, cleft lip and palate, tungue surgery, osteosynthesis, mandibular cancer, maxillary cancer
3	Univ. Prof. Dr. med. dent. habil. Robert Sader	4.95	Pending	39 years	336	genioplasty, reconstructive surgery, craniofacial deformities, maxillary advancement, palatoplasty, jaw cyst, facial reanimation, pierre robin sequence, midface fracture, facial burn
4	Prof. Dr. med. dent. Denys J. Loeffelbein	4.7	4.91	22 years	67	facial plastic surgery, facial contour augmentation, facial reconstruction, parry-romberg syndrome, microvascular reconstruction, orthognathic surgery, facial symmetry, cleft lip, botulinum toxin, craniofacial anomalies
5	Prof. Dr. med. dent. Martin Gosau	4.85	Pending	31 years	158	microvascular flaps, implant, orthodontic, temporomandibular joint, jaw claudication, oral cancer, orofacial pain, cancer surgery, bone tissue engineering, salivary gland cancer

*The skills & expertise of the doctors were clarified by removing irrelevant mentions to highlight the maxillofacial surgery sub-speciality.

Get to Know The Doctors

Now we explore what makes each of the mentioned specialists special. Below, patients can check the main features and key data for our oral & maxillofacial surgeons, what sets them apart, and who they are known for.

Some of the doctors listed below are internationally recognized and are often cited by peers and professional associations as among the best maxillofacial surgeons in the world.

Prof. Dr. med. dent. Max Heiland

Prof. Max Heiland is a German maxillofacial oral surgeon with dual medical and dental doctorates who serves as medical director of the clinic for oral and maxillofacial surgery at University Hospital Charité. Since 2017, he has held a professorship alongside his leadership role at Charité, following prior senior academic-director positions in Hamburg.<ref>5</ref>

Clinically, his profile aligns with the high-complexity end of the specialty: he is board-certified in oral & maxillofacial surgery and holds the additional qualification in plastic surgery. The doctor is also a specialist in oral surgery, with a focus on implantology. The portfolio explicitly includes tumor treatment (e.g., oral cavity cancer), complex trauma, and facial malformations (including cleft-related care), supported by modern workflows such as virtual surgical planning, navigation, and intraoperative imaging, advanced craniofacial surgery, and complex reconstruction after tumor resection.<ref>5</ref><ref>6</ref>

What distinguishes Prof. Heiland beyond the title is his long-standing leadership in the professional ecosystem of craniomaxillofacial care. He has been the speaker of the German Trauma Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Section of AO since 2012, a member of the AOCMF Europe Board since 2015, served as the congress president of the 66th German Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (DGMKG) annual congress, and has been on the DGMKG Board since 2018.

In addition, Prof. Max Heiland has 11 approved projects listed in Charité’s research database under his profile.<ref>7</ref>

Prof. Dr. med. Klaus Dietrich Wolff

Prof. Dr. med. dent. Klaus-Dietrich Wolff is one of the best-known maxillofacial surgeons working in German university hospitals, serving as a director of the clinic for oral and maxillofacial surgery at TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar since 2007.<ref>8</ref> In addition to leading the clinic, he is also listed as head of the head & neck tumor center within the Comprehensive Cancer Center Munich structure.<ref>9</ref>

What differentiates Prof. Wolff is the combination of surgical oncology and reconstruction: his clinic explicitly spans tumor care and reconstruction, and he holds the additional qualification in plastic operations, which is highly relevant when the treatment plan requires tumor resection followed immediately by functional and aesthetic restoration.<ref>10</ref> His academic profile emphasizes plastic-reconstructive facial surgery and the advancement of microsurgical tissue transfer, including work on perfusion/oxygenation concepts and perforator flaps.

Professor Wolff has made significant contributions to the field of advanced oral cancer management. He is a co-author of a peer-reviewed paper that discusses surgical strategies and reconstruction techniques for advanced oral cancers, particularly tongue cancer.<ref>11</ref> The paper emphasizes the importance of microvascular reconstruction as a crucial component of post-tumor removal care.

The doctor has also held significant leadership positions in his specialty throughout Europe. Notably, he was elected president of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery (EACMFS) in 2017, demonstrating his international presence beyond his home institution.<ref>12</ref>

Univ. Prof. Dr. med. dent. habil. Robert Sader

Prof. Dr. med. dent. Robert Sader is a well-established figure among oral and maxillofacial surgeons and is widely recognized in Germany as a specialist providing high-complexity university-level care. He is the director of the clinic for oral, maxillofacial, and plastic facial surgery at the University Hospital Goethe in Frankfurt.<ref>13</ref> It is a German university hospital and academic teaching hospital. Additionally, the doctor has also been a medical director of the Carolinum University Dental Institute since 2014.<ref>14</ref>

From a patient perspective, what matters is that his department is not “narrow oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS)”. It explicitly covers core pillars that international referrals typically look for: orthognathic surgery (jaw deformities, malocclusion), facial trauma surgery (midface, orbital, mandibular fractures), oncologic and reconstructive cases, and craniofacial and skull-base work within a highly networked university setting.

The University Hospital Frankfurt reports that Prof. Sader built Europe’s largest cleft-treatment center on his surgical concept, with more than 200 primary cleft operations per year and up to 200 newborn referrals annually coming to Frankfurt for treatment.<ref>15</ref><ref>16</ref>

Prof. Dr. med. dent. Denys J. Loeffelbein

Prof. Dr. med. dent. Denys J. Loeffelbein is a Munich-based oral maxillofacial surgeon known for combining oncologic, reconstructive, and corrective jaw surgery in a high-volume clinical environment. He has been the chief for oral and maxillofacial plastic surgery at Helios Hospital Munich-West since 2016.<ref>17</ref>

In his published clinical focus areas, orthognathic surgery (jaw correction and dysgnathia), cleft and malformation surgery, and advanced facial reconstruction after trauma or tumor disease are central pillars, including microvascular reconstruction and navigation-controlled approaches for complex defects and orbital trauma.

Alongside the university-hospital track, Prof. Loeffelbein is also the medical & dental director of MCLINIC in Munich, a position that reflects the increasingly complex management of craniofacial issues by multidisciplinary surgical teams that integrate OMFS, facial plastic surgery, orthodontics, and restorative planning.<ref>18</ref>

On credentials, the doctor holds an additional qualification in plastic surgery, plus European board recognition (FEBOMFS) since 2018, and a current academic role at the Technical University of Munich.

Prof. Dr. med. dent. Martin Gosau

Prof. Dr. med. dent. Martin Gosau is the most visible oral and maxillofacial surgeon in northern Germany, primarily because he leads one of the country’s largest OMFS university-certified surgical centers. Since September 2018, he has served as the clinic director of the clinic and polyclinic for oral, maxillofacial, and facial surgery at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.

From a patient perspective, his profile is firmly established in head and neck surgery, focusing on immediate reconstruction and rehabilitation. The clinic, led by Prof. Martin Gosau, is the largest university specialty clinic of its kind in Germany and Europe, offering a comprehensive range of services in dental, oral, and maxillofacial surgery, as well as plastic surgery for the head and neck.<ref>20</ref> Central to the clinic's offerings is its oncologic program for head and neck tumors, which includes a specific focus on salivary gland tumors. The clinic also performs over 100 microvascular reconstructions each year, over 80 orthognathic operations annually, and “dental rehabilitation” is an integral part of the reconstruction process.<ref>19</ref>

His research and clinical experience connect directly to dental implants and rare head-and-neck entities. On the implant side, he is an author on peer-reviewed work in implant-related infection control (e.g., peri-implantitis biofilm disinfection).<ref>21</ref> On the oncology side, the surgeon has published on salivary gland cancer, including predictors of cervical lymph node metastasis, relevant for surgical staging and treatment planning.<ref>22</ref>

Ranking Methodology

To build an unbiased ranking for maxillofacial surgeons located in Germany, Airomedical applies a multi-factor model that blends objective performance data with trusted user signals and expert checks. Each doctor’s final position is a composite, normalized score calculated from the five core factors and additional minor metrics below. We routinely refresh, adjust, and apply safeguards to ensure data completeness and prevent gaming.

Doctors cannot pay to influence placement. Sponsored content, if any, is clearly labeled and kept separate from scoring. For full definitions, data sources, and factor-level math, consult the corresponding Help Centre pages.

Physicians must have a verifiable identity and provide a minimum of sufficient data to be ranked. We reprocess inputs on a rolling basis and re-run the model when material updates occur (e.g., new performance data, outcomes releases, or personal achievements).

All factors are placed on comparable scales and weighted to determine a general doctor rating—emphasizing patient-important outcomes, safety, and validated care quality, while also reflecting access, transparency, and user experience. Ties are broken in the order of clinical outcomes, then safety, and finally, access. When data are incomplete, we apply conservative estimates or omit that metric to avoid unfair bias; missing data never improves a doctor’s rank.

Core Metrics

Below is a brief overview of the core metrics that drive our rankings: AiroScore, UserScore, Personal Performance, External Rating Signals, and Editorial Verification. This section summarizes what each captures and how it fits into the composite score; it’s intentionally high-level. Technical deep-dives for each factor are available in our Help Centre.

Integrated AiroScore

AiroScore is our unified metric that combines verified doctor profile data, such as accreditation, scope of services, clinician strength and academic activity, offerings, service quality, profile completeness, and freshness, with aggregated user-behavior signals to create a single, comparable score. It is worth noting that UserScore (below) is one of AiroScore’s sub-components; however, AiroScore also captures broader professional characteristics and achievements. Inputs are standardized to comparable scales, weighted by demonstrated impact on outcomes and patient decision-making, then aggregated into a single score.

Experience Quality via UserScore

UserScore evaluates the credibility and substance of user feedback - not just star averages. Each review is assigned a TrustScore based on the integrity of its source, reviewer signals, and the quality of its content. We also model credibility over time (periodicity and history), reviewer diversity, case complexity, review volume and recency, and textual specificity (e.g., mentions of specific operations and outcomes). The result is a robust user-experience measure that resists outliers and fake or low-information reviews.

Personal Performance

This factor summarizes a personal doctor’s performance and volume, as reported by trusted statistical sources. It spans outcomes and patient safety, experience and access, personal techniques, education and innovation, technology/data compliance, and key specialty process checks. Metrics are normalized and, where relevant, case-mix adjusted, then rolled into a single doctor-performance subscore.

External Rating Signals

We incorporate calibrated signals from reputable third-party rankings to improve coverage and triangulate areas our model may not directly observe. External inputs are de-duplicated, mapped to standard definitions, down-weighted if methodologies overlap with ours, and time-decayed so that fresher, high-quality signals exert more influence. This adds breadth without letting any single external list dominate.

Editorial Verification

Before publication, our editorial team conducts manual checks to verify identities, resolve data discrepancies, confirm unusual values, and review borderline rank changes. Editors verify critical details (e.g., accreditations, performance data) and approve the final list to minimize technical errors. Human oversight remains an essential safeguard.

Additional Factors

To ensure the list reflects a broad spectrum of German-based maxillofacial surgeons, we also review each skill and expertise within the Airomedical tag-based system. This does not reward or penalize the doctors themselves; it helps avoid overconcentration and ensures the final selection serves the varied needs of patients.

FAQ

<faq>Who is the best maxillofacial surgeon in Germany? Based on your AiroScore ranking, Prof. Dr. med. dent. Max Heiland is #1 and is presented as the top overall pick.

What are the top oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Munich? Munich-based leaders are Prof. Dr. med. Klaus Dietrich Wolff, TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar, und Prof. Dr. med. dent. Denys J. Loeffelbein from Helios Hospital Munich West.

What doctors specialize in facial paresis and Bell's palsy facial reanimation surgery? Facial paresis is explicitly listed under Prof. Max Heiland. Facial reanimation is mentioned under Univ. Prof. Dr. med. dent. habil. Robert Sader, making these two the most directly aligned with facial reanimation surgery.

Who is the most experienced surgeon? Prof. Dr. med. Klaus Dietrich Wolff has the longest stated experience in the current ranking.

Which specialist shows expertise in salivary gland tumor surgeries? Prof. Dr. med. Klaus Dietrich Wolff and Prof. Dr. med. dent. Martin Gosau is listed with salivary gland tumor expertise, which signals salivary-gland oncology and surgical management.

What doctor has facial plastic and cosmetic surgeries among the top priorities? Prof. Dr. med. dent. Denys J. Loeffelbein is the clearest match because “facial plastic surgery” and facial contour/aesthetic-related work are explicitly included in his skills profile.

Where are these leading oral & maxillofacial specialists based? Berlin reflects a top-tier university center with broad multidisciplinary maxillofacial care. Munich appears twice because it concentrates major high-volume programs for oncology, reconstruction, and corrective jaw surgery. Frankfurt am Main is a major academic teaching hospital hub for complex reconstruction and orthognathic cases. Finally, Hamburg is home to a major university center known for surgical throughput.

Who is best aligned with cleft and craniofacial deformity care? Prof. Klaus Dietrich Wolff lists cleft lip and palate, Prof. Denys J. Loeffelbein lists cleft and craniofacial anomalies, and Univ. Prof. Robert Sader lists craniofacial deformities plus cleft-related procedures, so these three are the most relevant for craniofacial/cleft surgeries.

Who has the most extensive academic publications input? Prof. Dr. med. dent. Max Heiland has the highest publication count.

Who is best for oral cancer and head & neck tumor surgery in this shortlist? Prof. Max Heiland and Prof. Martin Gosau explicitly list oral cancer, and Prof. Klaus Dietrich Wolff lists oral cancer, tongue surgery, and expertise in mandibular/maxillary cancer, so these three align most directly with oncologic diseases.

Who is top aligned with implant-related expertise? Prof. Max Heiland (implantology focus) and Prof. Martin Gosau (implants listed in skills) are the most directly aligned with implant-driven treatment needs.</faq>

References

Bundesärztekammer. (2024). Ärztestatistik zum 31. Dezember 2024. Retrieved January 2026.
Kyzas, P. (2022, September 10). The impact of volume and surgical throughput on outcomes in head and neck reconstruction: a systematic review. Frontiers of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, 4, 23. doi:10.21037/fomm-20-60. Retrieved January 2026.
Eskander, A., Irish, J., Groome, P. A., Freeman, J., Gullane, P., Gilbert, R., et al. (2014). Volume-outcome relationships for head and neck cancer surgery in a universal health care system. Laryngoscope, 124(9), 2081–2088. doi:10.1002/lary.24704. Retrieved January 2026.
Alkhayatt, N. M., Alzahrani, H. H., Ahmed, S., Alotaibi, B. M., Alsaggaf, R. M., ALAlmuaysh, A. M., & Alomair, A. A. (2024, March). Computer-assisted navigation in oral and maxillofacial surgery: A systematic review. The Saudi Dental Journal, 36(3), 387–394. doi:10.1016/j.sdentj.2023.12.002. Retrieved January 2026.
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Max Heiland. Retrieved January 2026.
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Leistungen und Schwerpunkte der Klinik für Mund-, Kiefer-, Gesichtschirurgie. Retrieved January 2026.
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Expert innenprofil. Retrieved January 2026.
Technical University of Munich. Prof. Dr. Dr. Klaus-Dietrich Wolff. Retrieved January 2026.
Comprehensive Cancer Center München TUM. Onkologisches Zentrum/Organtumorzentren. Retrieved January 2026.
TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar. Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie. Retrieved January 2026.
Kansy, K., Mueller, A. A., Mücke, T., Koersgen, F., Wolff, K. D., Zeilhofer, H.-F., Hölzle, F., Pradel, W., Schneider, M., Kolk, A., Smeets, R., Acero, J., Haers, P., Ghali, G. E., & Hoffmann, J. (2018, March). A worldwide comparison of the management of surgical treatment of advanced oral cancer. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 46(3), 511–520. doi:10.1016/j.jcms.2017.12.031. Retrieved January 2026.
Wolff, K.-D. (2017, March 1). NEW YEAR 2017 – Message from our President. European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery (EACMFS). Retrieved January 2026.
Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt. Klinik für Mund-, Kiefer-, Plastische Gesichtschirurgie. Retrieved January 2026.
Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt. Verwaltung (Carolinum Zahnärztliches Universitäts-Institut gGmbH). Retrieved January 2026.
Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt. (2025, September 4). Medizinische Innovation & humanitäre Mission: Frankfurt wird Zentrum der weltweiten Spaltchirurgie. Retrieved January 2026.
Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt. (2023, August 25). Bundesverdienstkreuz für Direktor der Klinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Plastische Gesichtschirurgie. Retrieved January 2026.
Helios Klinikum München West. Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Denys J. Loeffelbein. Retrieved January 2026.
MCLINIC. Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Denys J. Loeffelbein. Retrieved January 2026.
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Zahlen & Fakten. Retrieved January 2026.
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Behandlungsangebot. Retrieved January 2026.
Gosau, M., Hahnel, S., Schwarz, F., Gerlach, T., Reichert, T. E., & Burgers, R. (2010). Effect of six different peri-implantitis disinfection methods on in vivo human oral biofilm. Clinical Oral Implants Research, 21(8), 866–872. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0501.2009.01908.x. Retrieved January 2026.
Ettl, T., Gosau, M., Brockhoff, G., Schwarz-Furlan, S., Agaimy, A., Reichert, T. E., Rohrmeier, C., Zenk, J., & Iro, H. (2014). Predictors of cervical lymph node metastasis in salivary gland cancer. Head & Neck, 36(4), 517–523. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.23332. Retrieved January 2026.

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Top Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons In Germany