Healthcare practitioners
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.
Median pay
$352,220
Growth to 2035
+6%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
200
Time to qualify*
7 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Exposure to disease
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons: 42% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Administer general and local anesthetics.
- Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth.
- Evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to determine whether problems exist currently or might occur in the future.
- Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck.
- 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.
- Provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones.
Also called: DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor) · Maxillofacial Surgeon · Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Resident · Oral Surgeon · Surgeon
Outlook and AI
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons held 5,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 5,900 by 2035 (+6%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Pediatric surgeon
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Prosthodontist
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Dentist
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Dermatologist
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Orthodontist
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Physician (other specialties)
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Podiatrist
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeons vs. Emergency medicine physician