Dr. Randall M. Wilk is one of the best trained Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in the state with a national and international reputation. Previously in full time academic positions he is in private practice in Gretna, Louisiana.

His undergraduate degree is from Rutgers College with a BA in biology. He graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry (now part of the Texas A&M system) with a DDS. He was awarded an NIH sponsored fellowship to obtain his PhD in anatomy from the LSU Medical Center in New Orleans. He completed a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans. Following that he obtained his MD from the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans. He did his general surgery training at the Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans which was followed by a head and neck surgery fellowship at the Legacy Hospital System in Portland Oregon.

Selected accomplishments and appointments:

  • Program Director of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency
  • Board examiner for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Authored multiple textbook chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals
  • Recipient of over $750,000 in research grants
  • Served on the CDC Oral cancer workgroup developing a national strategic plan for oral cancer control
  • Reviewer for the journals JOMS, OOO, Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal, Radiology

Pioneered many advances in the medicine and dentistry:

  • Produced first MRI image of the human TMJ (1984)
  • PhD Thesis established the neuromuscular etiology of anterior displaced TM discs (1991)
  • Won the Gold Medal from the American Roentgen Ray Society for MRI work (1985)
  • First whole genome screen of oral SCCA with an Affymetrix microarray (2004)
  • Developed a laser capture microdissection lab (2000)

Selected Book Chapters:
1. Wilk RM, Harms SE. MR Clinical Program, Case Study reports: MR Evaluation of the Temporomandibular Joint. Technicare: September, 1985.

2. Harms SE, Wilk RM. Magnetic Resonance of the Temporomandibular Joint, Challenges 9 & 10. MRI Update Series, Volume 2, Book 5, 1986, pp 1-28.

3. Wilk RM. Current Imaging Modalities of the TMJ with Emphasis on MRI. Alton Ochsner TMJ Update Series, 1990.

4. Wilk RM. Adaptation of the Porcine Retrodiscal Tissue Following Anterior Displacement. 1992, Louisiana State University Press, Doctoral Dissertation.

5. Wilk RM, Dierks EJ. Facial Skin Lesions. In: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Volume 5, Fonseca and Walker, Eds., 1999.

6. Ziccardi VB, Wilk RM. Anterior and Posterior Maxillary Osteotomies. In: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Volume 2, Fonseca and Walker, Eds. 1999.

7. Wilk RM. Bony Reconstruction of the Jaws. In: Peterson’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2nd Ed., Chapter 39 pp. 783-801, 2004.

Selected Journal Articles:
1. Harms SE, Wilk RM, Wolford, et al. The Temporomandibular Joint: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Surface Coils. Radiology 1985;157:133-136.

2. Wilk RM, Harms SE, Wolford LM, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Temporomandibular Joint Using a Surface Coil. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1986;44;12:935-943.

3. Chiles DG, Wilk RM, Harms SE. Case reports: Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Temporomandibular Joint Disease. J CranioMand Pract 1986;4:4:306-311.

4. Harms SE, Wilk RM. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Temopromandibular Joint. Radiographics 1987;7:3:521-542

5. Wilk Rm, Harms SE. Temporomandibular Joint Imaging: Multislab, Three-dimensional Fourier Tranform MR Imaging. Radiology 1988;167:3:861-863.

6. Wilk RM, Potter BE. Soft Tissue Reconstruction of Tumor Defects in Head and Neck Surgery. Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin N Amer 1997;9:3:477-488.

7. Wilk RM. Discussion of: Prognostic factors in the recurrence of Lip Cancer Following Treatment. J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 1998;56:7:820

8. Wilk RM Physiology of the Maxillary Sinus. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America, 1999;11:1:15-19.

9. Wilk RM. Discussion of: Delayed Primary Closure of Skin Cancer Defects. J Oral Maxillofacial Surg 1999;57:3:279-280.

10. Moss S, Domingo J, Stratton D, Wilk RM. Asymptomatic palatal masses. J Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, 2001;59:6:655

11. Toruner, GA, Ulger, C, Alkan, M, Galante, AT, Rinaggio, J, Wilk, R, Tian, B, Soteropoulos, P, Hameed, MR, Schwalb, MN and Dermody JJ. (2004) Association between gene expression profile and tumor invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics 154, 27-35.

12. Laughlin RM, Block MS, Wilk RM, Malloy R, Kent J. Resorbable plates for the fixation of mandible fractures: A prospective study. JOMS, 2007;65:1:89-96.

Selected Research Grants:
1. Principal Investigator – “Comparison of sensate versus insensate radial forearm free flaps in reconstruction and rehabilitation of tongue and floor of mouth defects”; UMDNJ Foundation, $25,000. 7/01/98 – 7/01/01

2. Principle Investigator – Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel Study Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of 200mg QD and 400mg (2 x 200mg) QD Doses of Tramadol Hydrochloride Controlled Release 200mg Tablets with Ultram 50mg QID, 100mg (2 x 50mg) QID, and Placebo over a 24-Hour Period in Patients with Postsurgical Dental Pain” 2/15/98 – 7/31/98. Purdue Frederick Company $265,500

3. Principal Investigator –“ A Randomized Investigator Masked Multicenter Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Nystatin Oral Suspension and Nystatin Frozen Oral Suspension (“Popsicle”) in the treatment of patients with Oral Candidiasis” (Protocol NYS400), Pan American Laboratories, Inc., 09/25/98 – 6/30/99, $40,528.25

4. Principle Investigator – “OralScan CDx Computer Assisted Analysis of Brush Biopsy of Oral Mucosal Lesions in Patients with a History of Oral Cancer” Multicenter trial sponsored by OralScan CDx. 7/01/01-9/30/01

5. Principle Investigator – “Laser Capture Microdissection Core Laboratory” Delta Dental of New Jersey – $120,000; UMNNJ Office of Vice-President for Research, 8/16/00- 9/1/2002), $40,000

6. Co-Investigator – “ Whole Genome Screen for Genetic Changes in Tumors using DNA Microarray Based Comparative Genomic Hybridization”, PI- James Dermody, PhD, 05/09/01 – 9/1/2001

7. Principle Investigator – “Evaluation of the Inion CPS system for the fixation of mandibular fractures in trauma patients”. (Protocol CR00002) Inion, Ltd. December 2002 – May 2004. $76,375.00