Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

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Perform surgery on mouth, jaws, and related head and neck structure to execute difficult and multiple extractions of teeth, to remove tumors and other abnormal growths, to correct abnormal jaw relations by mandibular or maxillary revision, to prepare mouth for insertion of dental prosthesis, or to treat fractured jaws.

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

  • Treat snoring problems, using laser surgery.

  • Perform minor cosmetic procedures such as chin and cheek-bone enhancements, and minor facial rejuvenation procedures including the use of Botox and laser technology.

  • Restore form and function by moving skin, bone, nerves, and other tissues from other parts of the body in order to reconstruct the jaws and face.

  • Perform surgery on the mouth and jaws in order to treat conditions such as cleft lip and palate and jaw growth problems.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants, and to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues.

  • Collaborate with other professionals such as restorative dentists and orthodontists in order to plan treatment.

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Job Zone

  • Name: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

  • 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.

  • Education: A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also 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).

  • Job training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

  • Examples: These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

  • Svp range: (8.0 and above)

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Knowledge

Browse 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.

  • 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.

  • Biology
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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Skills

Browse Skills
  • 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.

  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Coordination
    Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

  • 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.

  • Equipment Selection
    Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

  • Instructing
    Teaching others how to do something.

  • Complex Problem Solving
    Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

  • Time Management
    Managing one's own time and the time of others.

  • Monitoring
    Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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Abilities

Browse Abilities
  • 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.

  • Control Precision
    The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Inductive Reasoning
    The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

  • Written Comprehension
    The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

  • Deductive Reasoning
    The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

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Work Activities

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Work Context

  • Face-to-Face Discussions
    How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
    How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

  • Physical Proximity
    To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?

  • Exposed to Disease or Infections
    How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?

  • Telephone
    How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

  • Contact With Others
    How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

  • Frequency of Decision Making
    How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

  • Freedom to Make Decisions
    How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

  • Structured versus Unstructured Work
    To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

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Interests

Browse Interests
  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Artistic
    Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

  • Enterprising
    Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • Conventional
    Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

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Work Styles

  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

  • Stress Tolerance
    Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.

  • Cooperation
    Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

  • 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.

  • Leadership
    Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

  • 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.

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Work Values

Browse Work Values
  • Achievement
    Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.

  • Social Service
    Workers on this job have work where they do things for other people.

  • Responsibility
    Workers on this job make decisions on their own.

  • Achievement-Mean Extent
    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.

  • Ability Utilization
    Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

  • Social Status
    Workers on this job are looked up to by others in their company and their community.

  • Compensation
    Workers on this job are paid well in comparison with other workers.

  • Recognition
    Workers on this job receive recognition for the work they do.

  • Autonomy
    Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.

  • Security
    Workers on this job have steady employment.

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