Occupation Details
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$188,460.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$0.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$0.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
420
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
480
+6 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
18
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
More School - Graduate or advanced degree
Experience Requirements
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education Requirements
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Training Details
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
New York State requires workers in this occupation to hold a license or certification.
Dentist
Learn MoreSkills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Alveolar forceps
- Anesthetic injectors
- Angled scalpels
- Anterior periotomes
- Apexo elevators
- Articulating paper forceps
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Bandage scissors
- Bone calipers
- Bone crushers
- Bone files
- Bone mills
- Bone tampers
- Capnograph monitors
- Cheek retractors
- Chisel scalers
- Compass microsaws
- Crown lengthening gauges
- Crown spreaders
- Curtis elevators
- Curved dental scissors
- Curved hemostats
- Curved iris scissors
- Curved osteostomes
- Dean scissors
- Dental aspiration syringes
- Dental aspirators
- Dental bone rasps
- Dental cone beam computed tomography CT scanners
- Dental cryosurgery units
Technology
- Ada
- Apteryx Imaging Suite
- DecisionBase TiME for OMS
- DentalEye
- Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions Dolphin Management
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- prepare patient reports
- use medical equipment in direct patient care
- communicate technical information
- make presentations on health or medical issues
- observe patient condition
- monitor patient's condition
- interpret medical laboratory test results
- interpret x-rays
- write technical health or medical documents
- conduct patient assessments
- calculate medical dosages
- identify body response variations
- understand properties or composition of drugs
- understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
- analyze dental data
- prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices or other forms of treatment
- collect dental laboratory diagnostic data
- obtain information from clients, customers, or patients
- make decisions
- use clinical problem solving techniques
- follow confidentiality procedures
- use dental treatment procedures
- use emergency medical treatment procedures
- follow infectious materials procedures
- use interpersonal communication techniques
- use medical diagnostic techniques
- follow dental or medical office procedures
- follow dental or medical x-ray procedures
- follow operating room procedures
- follow patient care procedures
- use research methodology procedures in health care
- use sanitation practices in health care settings
- use knowledge of medical terminology
- follow clinical radiation safety procedures
- use knowledge of dental terminology
- follow surgical procedures
- administer anesthetics
- administer injections
- administer medications or treatments
- diagnose or treat oral diseases
- diagnose or treat oral injuries
- conduct medical tests
- take vital signs
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- 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.
- Perform minor facial rejuvenation procedures, including the use of Botox and laser technology.
- Treat snoring problems, using laser surgery.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Dentists
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More