Skip to content
Singulariki

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Occupation · SOC 29-1022.00

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.

Also called: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) · Oral Surgeon · Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMS) · Surgeon · Dental Surgeon · Maxillofacial Surgeon

Job family: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

Take this to your AI
Download .md

A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch /roles/role-29-1022-00/context.md directly.

AI work map

A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.

16th-percentile task overlap — yet about 200 openings a year (+4.1% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

Measure Rank vs all occupations Percentile Score
Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate 42nd -0.2
LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low 11th 0.1
AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low 4th 0.0

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.0), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.

Historical automation estimate (2013)

A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.

Frey–Osborne probability 0.0 · 1st percentile among occupations · Low

How AI is actually used in this job

Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.

Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment. 0.2%

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

Outlook About average · +4.1% by 2034
Projected annual openings 200
Employment 2024 → 2034 6,100 → 6,400

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient

The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.

15% mean task exposure (2025)
18th percentile of 427 placed occupations
−6 pts shift 2023 → 2025
International occupation (ISCO-08) Task exposure (2025) Most tasks fall in
Dentists · 2261 15% Not exposed

Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.

Tasks

All 14 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

Emerging tasks

Newer responsibilities O*NET has flagged as growing for this occupation.

  • Evaluate and treat problems related to the temperomandibular joint (TMJ).

Work activities

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry 5.0
Biology 4.4
English Language 4.4
Customer and Personal Service 4.3
Psychology 3.8
Education and Training 3.5
Chemistry 3.4
Administration and Management 3.4
Personnel and Human Resources 3.4

Abilities

Arm-Hand Steadiness 4.3
Finger Dexterity 4.1
Near Vision 4.1
Oral Comprehension 4.0
Oral Expression 4.0
Problem Sensitivity 4.0
Deductive Reasoning 4.0
Inductive Reasoning 4.0
Control Precision 4.0
Written Comprehension 3.9
Information Ordering 3.9
Manual Dexterity 3.9
Speech Recognition 3.8
Speech Clarity 3.8
Written Expression 3.6
Selective Attention 3.6
Category Flexibility 3.4
Flexibility of Closure 3.4

Transferable skills

Complex Problem Solving 4.1
Judgment and Decision Making 4.1
Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Coordination 3.6
Time Management 3.4

Essential skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Active Listening 3.9
Speaking 3.9
Active Learning 3.9
Monitoring 3.9
Writing 3.5
Science 3.5

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

Tools & technology

Example Category
Ada Development environment software
Apteryx Imaging Suite Graphics or photo imaging software
DecisionBase TiME for OMS Medical software
DentalEye Graphics or photo imaging software
Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions Dolphin Management Medical software
DSN Software Oral Surgery-Exec Medical software
Gendex Dental Systems VixWin PRO Graphics or photo imaging software
Kodak Dental Systems Kodak Cosmetic Imaging Module Graphics or photo imaging software
Planmeca Oy Dimaxis Graphics or photo imaging software
Sirona SIDEXIS XG Graphics or photo imaging software

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

Exposed to Disease or Infections 5.0
Physical Proximity 5.0
Telephone Conversations 4.9
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 4.9
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets 4.9
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results 4.9
Freedom to Make Decisions 4.9
Health and Safety of Other Workers 4.8
Contact With Others 4.8
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate 4.8
Frequency of Decision Making 4.8
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers 4.8
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team 4.8
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled 4.8
Written Letters and Memos 4.7
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities 4.7
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals 4.6
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General 4.4
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls 4.3
Spend Time Standing 4.3
Consequence of Error 4.1
E-Mail 4.1
Level of Competition 4.0
Time Pressure 3.6
Conflict Situations 3.5
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People 3.4
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions 3.4
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks 3.3
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body 3.3
Exposed to Contaminants 3.2
Exposed to Radiation 3.0
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment 2.8
Public Speaking 2.7
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable 2.5
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions 2.3
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions 2.3
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection 2.3
Spend Time Walking or Running 2.2
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings 1.9
Spend Time Sitting 1.9

How to get in

Job zone
Zone 5 — Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
Related experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Preparation level
SVP (8.0 and above) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

What to study: Dental, Medical, and Veterinary Residency Programs , Health Professions and Related Programs . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Post-Doctoral Training 72.2%
Doctoral Degree 19.8%
First Professional Degree 8.0%

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Work styles

Attention to Detail 10.0
Integrity 9.0
Cautiousness 8.0
Intellectual Curiosity 7.0
Cooperation 6.0
Achievement Orientation 5.0
Self-Control 4.0
Stress Tolerance 3.0
Dependability 2.9

Interest areas

Health Care Service 6.7
Medical Science 4.6
Life Science 4.4

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Investigative 5.8
Realistic 5.8
Social 4.5
Conventional 3.6

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

6k20246k2034 (proj.)+4.1% · About average
Projected U.S. employment, 2024–2034 (BLS Employment Projections). A labor-market forecast for the occupation, not an AI-impact forecast.
10th percentile $82,960
25th percentile $236,780
Median (50th) —
75th percentile —
90th percentile —
People employed 5,330

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Industry Workers National median pay
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 5,290 —
Educational Services · Sector 40 $71,180

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Industry Concentration Workers
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 6.62× 5,290

Part of the Healthcare & Human Services career cluster.

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Skills that travel

Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.

Adjacent roles

Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.

Paths in

How people typically prepare for this work.

Zoom out

On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 18th percentile of 427 international occupations.

Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons show 16th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 200 annual U.S. openings

  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons rank in the 16th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
  • The occupation is projected to see about 200 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.1%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
Copy the whole kit
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons show 16th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 200 annual U.S. openings

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons rank in the 16th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE)
• The occupation is projected to see about 200 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.1%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)

Source: Singulariki — "Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1022-00
Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom

Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1022-00

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1022-00

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-role-29-1022-00,
  title  = {Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1022-00}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.

Embed this chart

Paste this into any page. It links back here for attribution.