Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
On the Job
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons perform surgery and related procedures on the hard and soft tissues of the jaw or face. They treat diseases, injuries, or defects. They may perform surgery to improve a patient's jaw function or appearance.
Physical Demands 
This career requires good eyesight and time standing, walking, or running.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.
- Operate on patients to treat conditions.
- Treat acute illnesses, infections, or injuries.
- Treat chronic diseases or disorders.
- Treat dental problems or diseases.
- Treat medical emergencies.
- Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Typical Working Conditions
- Exposure to disease or infections.
- Close physical proximity with other people.
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Making decisions that impact co-workers or company results.
- Having telephone conversations.
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Working with a group or team.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- High levels of competition.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Being in situations in which conflicts arise.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
