Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Salary Overview

Salary exceeds BLS reporting threshold ($239,200/yr). Values shown are based on mean annual wage.

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Key Skills

Knowledge Areas

What They Do

• Evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to determine whether problems exist currently or might occur in the future.
• Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth.
• Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck.
• Provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones.
• Administer general and local anesthetics.
• Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment.
• Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants and to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues.
• Remove tumors and other abnormal growths of the oral and facial regions, using surgical instruments.

Tools & Technology

★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)

Education Requirements

Typical entry-level education: On-the-Job Training

Related Careers

Featured In

Careers with the highest skill compatibility from Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

A Day in the Life

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon's day typically starts early with hospital rounds to check on post-surgical inpatients or prepare for operating room cases involving complex reconstructive procedures, orthognathic surgery, or facial trauma repair. Morning surgical cases in the hospital may include jaw reconstruction, tumor removal, or treatment of facial fractures sustained in accidents or assaults. The transition to the office practice in the afternoon brings a mix of consultations, third molar extractions, dental implant placements, and biopsies performed under local anesthesia, IV sedation, or general anesthesia. Between procedures, they review diagnostic imaging including panoramic radiographs, cone beam CT scans, and 3D surgical planning software to prepare for upcoming complex cases. Patient consultations require careful explanation of surgical options, risks, and recovery expectations, often involving anxious patients facing significant procedures. Emergency calls for facial trauma, severe dental infections, or hemorrhage can interrupt scheduled activities at any time, requiring rapid assessment and intervention. Administrative responsibilities include dictating operative notes, managing referral relationships with general dentists and physicians, and overseeing practice operations.

Work Environment

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons split their time between office-based surgical suites and hospital operating rooms, each demanding different levels of procedural complexity and team coordination. Office-based surgery suites are equipped with anesthesia delivery systems, monitoring equipment, and surgical instruments for procedures performed under IV sedation or general anesthesia administered by the surgeon. Hospital operating rooms provide the infrastructure for complex cases involving prolonged general anesthesia, extensive blood loss potential, and overnight post-operative monitoring. The physical demands are significant, requiring prolonged standing, precise hand movements, and sometimes physically demanding tissue manipulation during lengthy procedures. The work environment carries inherent exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and sharp instruments, necessitating strict adherence to infection control protocols and personal protective equipment. On-call responsibilities for trauma centers mean that some nights and weekends are spent managing emergency cases, which can be physically and emotionally draining. The practice setting is typically fast-paced and high-stakes, demanding constant vigilance for patient safety while managing the complexities of anesthesia and surgery simultaneously.

Career Path & Advancement

The path to becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is one of the longest in healthcare, beginning with a four-year undergraduate degree followed by four years of dental school to earn a DDS or DMD degree. After dental school, candidates enter a four- to six-year oral and maxillofacial surgery residency, with six-year programs incorporating a medical degree (MD) alongside surgical training. Obtaining a medical degree in addition to a dental degree is increasingly common and expands the scope of practice to include cosmetic facial surgery and more complex reconstructive procedures. Board certification through the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery requires passing rigorous qualifying and oral examinations after residency completion. Early career options include joining established OMS practices, hospital-based positions, or academic appointments at dental schools. Many surgeons eventually transition to partnership or solo practice ownership, building referral networks with general dentists in their communities. Some pursue additional fellowship training in areas such as craniofacial surgery, head and neck oncologic surgery, or cosmetic facial surgery for further subspecialization.

Specializations

Dentoalveolar surgery encompasses the most common procedures performed by oral surgeons, including wisdom tooth removal, surgical tooth extractions, and pre-prosthetic surgery to prepare the mouth for dentures or implants. Dental implantology has become a major focus, involving the surgical placement of titanium implants and related bone grafting procedures including sinus lifts and ridge augmentation techniques. Orthognathic surgery corrects jaw deformities through precisely planned osteotomies that realign the upper and lower jaws to improve function and facial aesthetics. Facial trauma surgery involves the repair of fractures to the mandible, midface, orbital floor, and zygomatic complex commonly resulting from motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, and interpersonal violence. Head and neck pathology includes the diagnosis and surgical management of cysts, tumors, and cancers of the oral cavity and associated structures. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery addresses disorders of the jaw joint through arthroscopy, arthroplasty, or total joint replacement when conservative treatments fail. Cosmetic facial surgery, including rhinoplasty, facelifts, and injectable treatments, represents a growing aspect of practice for dual-degree surgeons.

Pros & Cons

Industry Insight

The oral and maxillofacial surgery field is being transformed by digital surgery planning, with 3D printing of surgical guides and patient-specific implants enabling unprecedented precision in orthognathic and reconstructive procedures. Computer-aided surgical navigation systems are being adopted for complex procedures, allowing real-time tracking of instrument position relative to critical anatomical structures. The dental implant market continues to expand rapidly, with new implant designs, surface technologies, and regenerative biomaterials creating improved outcomes for patients with compromised bone. Minimally invasive techniques, including endoscopic approaches to TMJ surgery and facial fracture repair, are reducing patient morbidity and recovery times. The integration of cone beam CT technology into office practices has revolutionized pre-surgical planning and made complex procedures more predictable. There is growing overlap with plastic surgery in cosmetic facial procedures, creating both opportunities and competitive dynamics in the aesthetic market. Research in tissue engineering and growth factors holds promise for regenerating bone and soft tissue, potentially eliminating the need for donor site harvesting in reconstructive cases.