Oral or Maxillofacial Surgeon
Other Titles
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Oral Surgeon
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.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons diagnose and treat various conditions and diseases of the oral and maxillofacial region. Such surgeons may perform minor and major surgeries as part of the treatment. In this role, they carefully examine the mouth and maxillofacial region to determine the symptoms and diagnose the condition. They also work with other healthcare professionals, such as dentists, to determine the best treatment. A part of their job is to see if one or more teeth may be impacted by the treatment, or if the wisdom tooth may create complications for the patient in the future. They also restore damaged face and jaw structure.
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.
Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth.
Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck.
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.
Treat problems affecting the oral mucosa, such as mouth ulcers and infections.
Restore form and function by moving skin, bone, nerves, and other tissues from other parts of the body to reconstruct the jaws and face.
Perform surgery on the mouth and jaws to treat conditions, such as cleft lip and palate and jaw growth problems.
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.
Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness→ Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Science→ Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.
Systems Analysis→ Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Operations Analysis→ Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Systems Evaluation→ Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
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.
Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others→ Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Developing and Building Teams→ Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Controlling Machines and Processes→ Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles.
Monitoring and Controlling Resources→ Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Performing General Physical Activities→ Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Staffing Organizational Units→ Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Selling or Influencing Others→ Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Operate on patients to treat conditions.
Treat acute illnesses, infections, or injuries.
Treat dental problems or diseases.
Treat medical emergencies.
Treat chronic diseases or disorders.
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.
Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Manual Dexterity→ The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Selective Attention→ The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Flexibility of Closure→ The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Multilimb Coordination→ The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Originality→ The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Visual Color Discrimination→ The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
Visualization→ The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Fluency of Ideas→ The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Perceptual Speed→ The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
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.
Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - 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.
Chemistry→ Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Education and Training→ Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Administration and Management→ Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Personnel and Human Resources→ Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Therapy and Counseling→ Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Mathematics→ Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Computers and Electronics→ Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles→ Automated external defibrillators AED
Bandage scissors or its supplies→ Bandage scissors
Blood pressure cuff kits→ Sphygmomanometers
Crown or bridge removers→ Crown removers; Crown spreaders
Dental absorbent holders→ Dental gauze packers; Towel clamps
Dental anesthesia sets or accessories→ Anesthesia machines; Anesthetic injectors; Nitrous oxide delivery systems
Dental burs→ Dental surgical burs; Trephine burs
Dental cord packers→ Gingival cord packers
Dental cryosurgical units→ Dental cryosurgery units
Dental cutting or separating discs→ Dental reciprocating saws; Dental sagittal saws; Oscillating microsaws; Osseoscalpel microsaws; Compass microsaws
Dental dam supplies→ Rubber dam clamp forceps; Rubber dam clamps; Rubber dam frames; Rubber dam punches
Dental dehydrators→ Dental aspirators
Dental depth gauges→ Bone calipers; Crown lengthening gauges; Endodontic gauges
Dental elevators→ Apexo elevators; Cryer elevators; Curtis elevators; Gouge elevators; Heidbrink elevators; Luxating elevators; Periosteal elevators; Potts elevators; Root elevators; Serrated elevators; Stout elevators; Warwick-James elevators; Woodward elevators
Dental excavators→ Endodontic excavators
Dental files or rasps→ Bone files; Dental bone rasps
Dental forceps→ Alveolar forceps; Apical forceps; Articulating paper forceps; Mead forceps; Pedodontic forceps; Root forceps; Tissue forceps
Dental hand pieces or accessories→ High-speed dental handpieces
Dental lasers→ Dental laser systems
Dental mallets
Dental material pluggers or tips or accessories→ Endodontic pluggers
Dental mirrors or mirror handles→ Mouth mirrors
Dental mouth props→ Molt mouth gags
Dental nippers→ Tissue nippers
Dental placement instruments
Dental probes→ Endondontic explorers; Lacrimal probes
Dental retractors→ Cheek retractors; Tongue retractors; V-notch retractors
Dental root tip picks→ Left syndesmotomes; Right syndesmotomes; Straight syndesmotomes
Dental saliva ejectors or oral suction devices or supplies→ Dental suction units
Dental scalers or accessories→ Chisel scalers; File scalers
Dental scissors→ Curved dental scissors; Curved dental scissors; Curved iris scissors; Dean scissors; Straight dental scissors; Straight iris scissors; Wire cutting scissors; Wire twisting scissors
Dental spreaders→ Dental spreading tools
Dental syringes or needles or syringes with needles→ Dental aspiration syringes; Dental suture needles; Irrigating syringes
Dental x ray units→ Digital dental x ray units; Intraoral x ray equipment; Panoramic dental x ray units
Desktop computers
Electrocardiography EKG units→ Electrocardiography EKG monitors
Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipment→ Electrosurgical units; Electrotomes
Floor grade forceps or hemostats→ Curved hemostats; Straight hemostats
Goggles→ Safety goggles
Intravenous infusion pumps for general use→ Volumetric infusion pumps
Intravenous tubing with catheter administration kits→ Intravenous IV equipment
Medical computed tomography CT or CAT scanners or tubes→ Dental computed tomography CT scanners; Dental cone beam computed tomography CT scanners
Medical oxygen masks or parts→ Oral airways
Medical staff isolation or surgical masks→ Surgical masks
Multiparameter vital sign unit or accessories→ Multiparameter vital sign monitors
Notebook computers→ Laptop computers
Oral retractors→ Oral surgical retractors
Patient carbon dioxide detectors→ Capnograph monitors
Periodontal chisels
Periodontal curettes→ Periodontal surgical curettes; Sinus curettes
Periodontal hoes→ Periodontal hoe scalers
Periodontal knives→ Anterior periotomes; Curved osteostomes; Posterior periotomes; Straight osteotomes
Pulse oximeter units→ Pulse oximeters
Safety glasses
Steam autoclaves or sterilizers→ Pressure steam autoclaves
Surgical bone biopsy mills or related products→ Bone crushers; Bone mills
Surgical elevators or levers→ Sinus lift instruments
Surgical gloves
Surgical impactors or packers→ Bone packers; Bone pluggers; Bone tampers
Surgical irrigation sets or accessories→ Peristaltic water pumps; Surgical irrigation sets
Surgical microscopes or loops or magnifiers or accessories→ Dental loupes
Surgical needle holders for general use→ Needle holders
Surgical pliers→ Dental tissue pliers; Microsurgical corn suture pliers
Surgical retraction hooks→ Skin hooks
Surgical retractors for general use→ Sinus retractors
Surgical rongeurs→ Oral surgery ronguers
Surgical scalpels or knives or blades or trephines or accessories→ Angled scalpels; Surgical scalpels
Surgical suction machines or vacuum extractors or ultrasonic surgical aspirators or regulators or accessories→ Piezoelectric ultrasonic generators
Surgical tomes→ Mucotomes
Suture removers→ Suture scissors
Ultrasonic cleaning equipment→ Ultrasonic sterilization units
Videoscopes→ Intraoral digital video cameras; Intraoral still cameras
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.
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.
Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
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.