Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
SOC 29-1022.00 · ESCO 2261 · OSCA 263131
Role snapshot
Overview
Performs surgical procedures on the mouth, jaw, and face, including wisdom-tooth extractions, corrective jaw surgery, and trauma repair. Works in operating rooms and dental offices, managing complex cases that require both medical and dental expertise. This specialty involves diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries, and defects of the head, neck, face, jaws, and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.
Significantly improves patients' quality of life by restoring function, aesthetics, and alleviating pain related to facial and oral conditions, trauma, and congenital defects. Plays a critical role in emergency care and reconstructive surgery.
On the job
- Conduct comprehensive patient evaluations, including medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic imaging.
- Perform complex surgical procedures such as dental implant placement, corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery), facial trauma repair, and tumor removal.
- Administer general anesthesia and sedation, and manage post-operative care, including pain management and infection control.
- Collaborate with other healthcare professionals, including dentists, orthodontists, plastic surgeons, and oncologists, for integrated patient care.
- Educate patients and their families about surgical procedures, risks, benefits, and recovery processes.
Tools & technology
Average salary
Job outlook
GrowingJob growth is expected to be above average over the next five years.
Education & training
Requires completion of dental school (DDS or DMD), followed by medical school (MD) or a specialized oral and maxillofacial surgery residency program, typically 4-6 years, often including a medical degree.
AI impact outlook
Note — this is our current view. AI is moving fast, so we revisit these ratings.
Show how this was assessed Hide the detail
Note — this is our current view. AI is moving fast, so we revisit these ratings.
Show how this was assessed Hide the detailWhy this role received this rating
Core task exposure
moderate
How much of the role’s important work could AI perform?
AI provides substantial support in 3D imaging analysis, surgical planning, and outcome prediction, but the manual execution of surgery is untouched.
End-to-end automation
low
Can AI complete the work without substantial human involvement?
While planning can be highly automated, the surgical execution, anesthesia administration, and patient management require a human in the loop.
Adoption pressure
high
How likely are employers to introduce AI into this work?
High adoption for diagnostic and planning tools is driven by precision, but direct surgical automation is constrained by safety and regulation.
Human dependence
strong
How much does success depend on human judgement, relationships and accountability?
Intricate surgical skill, nuanced patient communication, and ultimate responsibility for facial and oral health outcomes are paramount.
Protective — a higher rating lowers the overall score.
Role adaptability
strong
How easily can the role evolve as AI takes on more tasks?
The field rapidly adopts advanced imaging, virtual planning, and new surgical techniques to improve precision and patient outcomes.
Shown for context — not part of the score.
What AI may take on
These are the parts of the role most likely to be automated or significantly accelerated.
- Analyzing complex CBCT/MRI scans for precise anatomical mapping
- Generating virtual surgical plans for implant placement or corrective jaw surgery
- Predicting aesthetic and functional outcomes of surgical interventions
- Automating preliminary patient evaluations and risk assessments
- Optimizing anesthesia protocols based on patient profiles
Where people remain essential
These parts continue to depend heavily on human judgement, relationships and accountability.
- Performing complex surgical procedures such as dental implant placement and trauma repair
- Administering general anesthesia and managing patient vitals
- Conducting comprehensive patient evaluations requiring clinical judgment
- Managing post-operative care, including pain management and infection control
- Collaborating with other specialists for integrated patient care plans
- Educating patients and families about procedures, risks, and recovery processes
How the role may evolve
Bridging virtual planning with surgical reality.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons will integrate virtual surgical planning and 3D modeling more deeply, transforming pre-operative preparation while retaining the critical human role in execution and patient interaction.
Strengthen your future fit
- Expertise in 3D imaging interpretation and virtual surgical planning software
- Mastery of advanced surgical techniques and instrument handling
- Proficiency in administering and monitoring anesthesia
- Strong communication skills for patient education and multidisciplinary collaboration
- Continuous learning in facial anatomy and surgical innovations
- Assessment horizon
- 3–7 years
- Confidence
- High
- Last reviewed
- August 2026
- Methodology
- v1.0
This assessment reflects current AI capabilities and expected adoption patterns. Actual impacts will vary by industry, employer and the way each role is performed.
Career pathways
WHERE YOU COULD GO
CURRENT ROLE
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Medical & Clinical
ADJACENT MOVES
STARTING POINTS
Who thrives here
Interest profile
investigative · IRS
Individuals who thrive on complex problem-solving, meticulous surgical execution, and patient care in a highly specialized medical field often find this role rewarding. It requires a strong investigative mind, realistic hands-on skills, and effective communication with patients and colleagues.
Personality characteristics
Meticulous
Approaches surgical procedures and diagnostic analysis with extreme attention to detail and precision, ensuring patient safety and optimal outcomes.
Composed
Maintains calm and clear decision-making under high-pressure situations, suchs as emergencies or complex surgical complications.
Analytical
Systematically diagnoses complex conditions, evaluates treatment options, and interprets diagnostic imaging to formulate precise surgical plans.
Collaborative
Works effectively with diverse medical teams, including anesthesiologists, nurses, and other specialists, to ensure coordinated patient care.
Decisive
Makes timely and confident judgments, especially during surgery, to address unexpected challenges and ensure patient well-being.
Best for
- Individuals who excel at complex problem-solving and highly technical, hands-on procedures.
- Professionals who are driven by a desire to improve patient health and quality of life through surgical intervention.
- Those who can maintain composure and make critical decisions in high-pressure, fast-paced clinical environments.
Watch out for
- The work involves high-stakes situations and requires significant emotional resilience and low neuroticism to manage stress effectively.
- Requires extensive and demanding education and training, including long residency hours and continuous professional development.
- On-call duties and emergency surgeries can lead to unpredictable work hours, impacting personal life.
A week in the life
A representative working week for an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon — where the deep work, meetings, and admin actually land.
Real people. Real results.
Thousands of people
can't be wrong.
Frequently asked questions about Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles
What does an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon do?
An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon performs surgical procedures on the mouth, jaw, and face, including wisdom-tooth extractions, corrective jaw surgery, and trauma repair. Works in operating rooms and dental offices, managing complex cases that require both medical and dental expertise. This specialty involves diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries, and defects of the head, neck, face, jaws, and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. Significantly improves patients' quality of life by restoring function, aesthetics, and alleviating pain related to facial and oral conditions, trauma, and congenital defects. Plays a critical role in emergency care and reconstructive surgery.
How much does an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon earn?
An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon earns a median of $300,000 per year in the US, typically ranging from $200,000 to $500,000.
What qualifications do you need to become an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
To become an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, requires completion of dental school (DDS or DMD), followed by medical school (MD) or a specialized oral and maxillofacial surgery residency program, typically 4-6 years, often including a medical degree. State dental license.
What personality suits an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles tend to suit people who are highly conscientious — precise, organised and strong on follow-through (Conscientiousness 90/100) and steady under pressure — deadlines and setbacks do not rattle them easily (Emotional Stability 70/100). The traits that matter most in the role are Meticulous, Composed, Analytical and Collaborative. Approaches surgical procedures and diagnostic analysis with extreme attention to detail and precision, ensuring patient safety and optimal outcomes. On interests, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon maps to an IRS Holland Code profile — individuals who thrive on complex problem-solving, meticulous surgical execution, and patient care in a highly specialized medical field often find this role rewarding. It requires a strong investigative mind, realistic hands-on skills, and effective communication with patients and colleagues.
Who does an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon role suit?
An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon role is usually a strong fit for these reasons. Requires a highly investigative and realistic approach, aligning with the core demands of complex surgical planning and execution. High conscientiousness is crucial for the precision, discipline, and patient safety required in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The role offers significant impact by restoring patient function and aesthetics, appealing to those motivated by tangible, life-changing outcomes.
What are the downsides of being an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles come with trade-offs worth weighing up. The work involves high-stakes situations and requires significant emotional resilience and low neuroticism to manage stress effectively. Requires extensive and demanding education and training, including long residency hours and continuous professional development. On-call duties and emergency surgeries can lead to unpredictable work hours, impacting personal life.
What is the work environment like for an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
Work as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is mostly clinical-based with onsite arrangements common, highly structured, with set processes and deadlines and high exposure to clients or stakeholders. Around 54% of the week is focused deep work.
What skills do you need to be an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
Core skills for an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon include Advanced surgical techniques, Diagnostic interpretation (radiology), Patient management and communication, Anesthesia administration, Emergency response and critical care and Reconstructive surgery principles.
How do you become an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
Common entry routes into Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles include Medical Student, Dental Student and Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Resident.
What career progression is there for an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
From an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon role, common next steps include Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Department Chair, Maxillofacial Surgery; lateral moves include Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and Craniofacial Surgeon.
What is the job outlook for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles?
The outlook for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles is currently rated growing. Job growth is expected to be above average over the next five years.
Will AI replace Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles?
Traitstack rates automation risk for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon roles at 38 out of 100, which is low. Sophisticated AI tools will advance diagnostic imaging and surgical planning, yet the precise physical execution of facial and oral surgery, along with patient management, remains a human domain. AI is most likely to take on analyzing complex cbct/mri scans for precise anatomical mapping, generating virtual surgical plans for implant placement or corrective jaw surgery and predicting aesthetic and functional outcomes of surgical interventions. Performing complex surgical procedures such as dental implant placement and trauma repair, administering general anesthesia and managing patient vitals and conducting comprehensive patient evaluations requiring clinical judgment stay with people. Bridging virtual planning with surgical reality. That score measures how much of the work could change, not the likelihood the job disappears. It is Traitstack's current view, revisited as AI capability moves.