Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Stan T.Career, Overview

Oral Surgeons

Oral 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.

Salary
$234990
Becoming One
Very Hard
Education
Doctoral degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match



Job description

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.

  • 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.
Read more about what does an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$242370 per year

Average hourly wage
$117 per hour


Oral Surgeons with little to no experience tend to make between $61570 and $177650 while the more experienced ones can earn over $208,000 per year.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
Doctoral degree

We asked other Oral Surgeons what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Post-Doctoral Training followed by a PhD.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program
Read more about how to become an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work
Suitable for people who wants independence and likes to work on their own and make decisions
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Demand for this career is growing very fast
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience is required for this career.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
74%

Is this job meaningful
82%


74% of Oral Surgeons said they were satisfied with their job and 82% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Builders and The Helpers

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.



Learn more about Oral Surgeons

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Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

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