Patients looking for the best cosmetic or plastic surgeon in the Atlanta Georgia area have a wide selection of surgeons to choose from. It is important to carefully evaluate the qualifications of these surgeons before selecting one for your cosmetic surgery.
Did you know that any physician may call him or herself a cosmetic surgeon without any surgical training?
There is no standard for becoming a “cosmetic surgeon” in the United States.
So who is your cosmetic surgeon? Board certified in what?
Beware of bogus certifications.
There is only one American Board of Plastic Surgery. Cosmetic Surgery is not a specialty. Cosmetic surgery is part of Plastic surgery. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) defines which specialties are board certified.
If you are thinking about having cosmetic surgery performed, we suggest you evaluate the following criteria when choosing the best cosmetic or plastic surgeon.
IS THE COSMETIC SURGEON BOARD CERTIFIED IN PLASTIC SURGERY?
Your best cosmetic surgeon should be board certified in plastic surgery by The American Board of Plastic Surgery. This is important because a physician can be board certified without being board certified specifically in plastic surgery. Any licensed physician may perform cosmetic surgery, regardless of whether he or she has specialty training in this area. Board certification by The American Board of Plastic Surgery ensures your cosmetic surgeon has graduated from an accredited medical school, undergone a minimum of five years additional residency training, and is trained specifically in the medical specialty area of plastic surgery.
An experienced board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Okoro is an established leader in the plastic surgery field. Given Dr Okoro’s academic training and surgical skills, he has attained the highest level of achievement in surgical training, continuing education and clinical experience.
WHERE WILL YOUR COSMETIC SURGERY BE PERFORMED?
Find out if your surgery will be performed in a hospital or at a private surgery center. If it is to be performed in a hospital, ask the cosmetic surgeon where he or she has hospital privileges and verify these. If it is to be performed in a private surgery center, ensure it is a certified ambulatory surgical facility with a licensed team available to assist with anesthesia, surgery, and recovery.
IS YOUR COSMETIC SURGEON LICENSED TO PERFORM PLASTIC SURGERY IN THIS LOCATION?
Your cosmetic surgeon should have a valid medical license in the state or district where you are having the surgery performed. Does your surgeon have a privilege to perform the procedure in any hospital? Hospital will only allow properly trained and license surgeon to use their facility. If your surgeon cannot perform the same office procedure in a hospital (even though he/she chooses to perform it in the office), you may want to find out why and do a little more research.
WHO WILL BE PROVIDING YOUR ANESTHESIA CARE?
If you plan to undergo a major plastic surgery procedure that requires heavy sedation or general anesthesia, find out the qualifications of the person who will be administering your anesthesia and monitoring your vital signs. This person is as critical to your safety as the plastic surgeon, and there are significant differences in qualifications among the various anesthesia professionals.
Dr. Okoro uses only board-certified, hospital anesthesiologists (medical doctors) for all procedures that require general anesthesia or monitored sedation. These doctors, many of whom have secondary board-certification in another specialty area, practice anesthesia on a daily basis in hospital settings and have the up-to-date skills necessary to handle emergencies should they arise.
HOW MANY PROCEDURES LIKE YOURS HAS THE COSMETIC SURGEON PERFORMED? CAN YOU VIEW BEFORE-AND-AFTER PICTURES?
The cosmetic surgeon you choose should be experienced at performing your specific procedure and have performed it numerous times. Ask to see before-and-after pictures of the cosmetic surgeon’s work and find out if you can speak with prior patients who have had this procedure done.
DOES THE COSMETIC SURGEON BELONG TO ANY MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS?
Physicians must meet certain criteria to be granted membership to most medical associations, including meeting a minimum number of continuing education hours per year. Membership in these organizations is also considered prestigious.
HAS THE COSMETIC SURGEON EVER BEEN DENIED MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE BY A PROVIDER?
Doctors are required by law to carry a certain level of medical malpractice coverage as defined by individual state regulations. Ask whether the cosmetic surgeon has ever been denied coverage or had coverage suspended or revoked. The answer you’re looking for is “no.”
HOW COMFORTABLE DO YOU FEEL WITH THE COSMETIC SURGEON?
Your cosmetic surgeon should openly and honestly answer all of your questions, listen to your goals, and advise you of all options and risks associated with the procedure. You should not feel rushed during your consultation or pressured to say yes to any treatments. You are an individual with unique needs. It is critical that you be treated as such during this highly personal process and that you feel completely comfortable with your cosmetic surgeon. Ultimately, it is not just the surgeon’s skill that determines the success of your surgery, but also the quality of doctor-patient communication that sets the goals and expectations underlying your surgery.
WHY CHOOSE US
Cosmetic surgery means different things to different people. Both the patient’s experience and the result with a plastic surgery procedure can vary from one person to another. One thing, however, remains the same for any cosmetic surgery procedure: the single most important factor in the success of cosmetic surgery is choosing the best surgeon.
An art as well as a science, successful cosmetic surgery requires the right combination of training, experience, skill, and comprehensive patient care – a combination that countless satisfied patients have found with Dr Stanley Okoro. His approach to plastic surgery merges the most advanced surgical techniques with the highest level of attention to every detail.
Dr. Stanley Okoro is:
- Board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Board certified by the American Board of Surgery
- A member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (F.A.C.S.)
- Licensed to perform plastic surgery in Georgia
- A residency trained plastic surgeon
- An experienced surgeon with more than 15 years experience performing surgical procedures
- A frequent lecturer on plastic surgery topics for community and physicians groups
- A patient-centered cosmetic surgeon committed to technical excellence and a special sensitivity to each patient’s needs
OUR PLASTIC SURGERY OFFICE
The Practice of Dr. Stanley Okoro puts your safety above all other considerations. Most minor procedures are performed at our center. Dr. Okoro also has hospital privileges at many local area hospitals where major procedures are performed.
CONTACT OUR COSMETIC SURGERY PRACTICE
If you would like to learn more about selecting a cosmetic surgeon in the Atlanta area or to meet with Dr. Stanley Okoro in person to discuss his credentials, please contact us today . Our professional staff would be happy to give you further information about evaluating and verifying a surgeon’s credentials, while Dr. Okoro would gladly meet with you personally to answer any of your questions and show you before-and-after pictures of his work.
All data and information provided within this website and related blog is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Georgia Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, PC makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Treatment information and medical recommendations must be made on a case-by-case basis; it is recommended that you seek personalized care from a board certified medical doctor for any medical questions or health issues you may have. Some photos in this website feature models for illustrative purposes. Photos of actual patients can be found in the before and after photo gallery.
