Kirk Fridrich, head of the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS), was named a Patient’s Choice Provider for FY23. This is the second straight year a provider from OMS was named a recipient of this award.

Each year, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) recognizes providers as Patient’s Choice Awardees for their excellence in patient experience. The awardees are selected based on patient responses. Only UIHC providers with an aggregate score in the top 10% nationally were recognized.

"I am grateful to have received the Patient's Choice Award for 2023," Fridrich said. "Providing patients with high-quality care and service is a top priority, and I am pleased my patients feel their needs are being met."

All UIHC providers receiving 30 or more completed medical practice surveys in FY23 were eligible. Recognition is based upon five questions within the “Care Provider” section of the survey:

1. Concern showed for your questions or worries
2. Explanations given to you about your problem or condition
3. Efforts to include you in decisions about your care
4. Discussion of any proposed treatment (options, risks, benefits, etc.)
5. Likelihood of your recommending care provider to others

Fridrich joined the department in 1989 and has been serving as the head of the department since 2000. Fridrich was inducted into the American College of Surgeons in 2016. He is a member of the Iowa Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Academy of Osseointegration, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, American Cleft Lip and Palate Association, International Association for Dental Research, Iowa Dental Association, American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, and American Dental Association.