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Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth

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.

What you’d do

  • 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.

Skills that matter

  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Listening
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Monitoring

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

  • DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor)
  • Maxillofacial Surgeon
  • Oral Surgeon
  • Surgeon
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Resident

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