In 1990, Dr. Rod VanSurksum graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and resigned his commission in the Iowa Army National Guard, where he was part of an airborne infantry unit, and accepted a commission in the U.S Air Force, where he was selected for a one-year hospital residency in advanced dental training at Ehrling Bergquist Strategic Hospital. He then practiced full-scope general dentistry in the Far East and the Middle East. After a 12-year career serving in the U.S. military, “Major” VanSurksum resigned his commission and was accepted into the oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He graduated with distinction in 2000. He became board certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in 2003 and remains board certified. With his wife, Amy, Dr. Van raised his family in central Minnesota from 2000 till 2020. He practiced full-scope oral and maxillofacial surgery and was on staff with the CentraCare Hospital system for 20 years, where he covered facial trauma calls and was the oral surgeon for the cleft lip and palate treatment team. Dr. Van is a fellow with the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is a participating member of Health Volunteers Overseas and was selected to travel to Ho Chi Mihn City and teach Vietnamese oral surgeons at their national university in all aspects of complex orthognathic surgery.