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.
Sample of reported job titles:
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMS), Oral Surgeon, Surgeon
Occupation-Specific Information
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.
- 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.
Technology Skills
- Development environment software:Ada
- Graphics or photo imaging software:Apteryx Imaging Suite,DentalEye,Gendex Dental Systems VixWin PRO,Kodak Dental Systems Kodak Cosmetic Imaging Module,Planmeca Oy Dimaxis,Sirona SIDEXIS XG
- Medical software:DecisionBase TiME for OMS,Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions Dolphin Management,DSN Software Oral Surgery-Exec
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others:Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public:Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems:Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Detailed Work Activities
- Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.
- Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
- Operate on patients to treat conditions.
- Treat acute illnesses, infections, or injuries.
Work Context
- Exposed to Disease or Infections:97% responded"Every day"
- Physical Proximity:96% responded"Very close (near touching)"
- Telephone:94% responded"Every day"
- Face-to-Face Discussions:94% responded"Every day"
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled:94% responded"Every day"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Complex Problem Solving:Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Judgment and Decision Making:Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Critical Thinking:Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension:Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Learning:Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry:Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Biology:Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Psychology:Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 72%Post-Doctoral Training
- 20%Doctoral Degree
- 8%First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Arm-Hand Steadiness:The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Finger Dexterity:The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Control Precision:The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Deductive Reasoning:The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Interests
- Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Social:Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Investigative:Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Work Values
- Independence:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Achievement:Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Recognition:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Self-Control:Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Concern for Others:Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
More Information
Get yourself a new skill