Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

What the job really is

Perform surgery and related procedures on the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions to treat diseases, injuries, or defects. May diagnose problems of the oral and maxillofacial regions. May perform surgery to improve function or appearance.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-1022
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Administer general and local anesthetics.
• Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment.
• Evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to determine whether problems exist currently or might occur in the future.
• Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants and to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues.
• Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth.
• Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck.
• Remove tumors and other abnormal growths of the oral and facial regions, using surgical instruments.
• Provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones.
• Treat problems affecting the oral mucosa, such as mouth ulcers and infections.
• Restore form and function by moving skin, bone, nerves, and other tissues from other parts of the body to reconstruct the jaws and face.
• Perform surgery on the mouth and jaws to treat conditions such as cleft lip, cleft palate, and jaw growth problems.
• Perform minor cosmetic procedures, such as chin and cheekbone enhancements.

Tools and technology

Ada, Alveolar forceps, Anesthesia machines, Anesthetic injectors, Angled scalpels, Anterior periotomes, Apexo elevators, Apical forceps, Apteryx Imaging Suite, Articulating paper forceps, Automated external defibrillators AED, Bandage scissors

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Pediatric Surgeons
• Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
• Prosthodontists
• Dentists, General
• Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
• Dermatologists
• Orthodontists
• Urologists

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.