Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Machines can already do 10% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 31%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 10% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2041, and 31% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 4,910 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $352,220 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 92% for contact with people.
- Also called: DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor), Maxillofacial Surgeon, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Resident, Oral Surgeon.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth | 25% | 3% to 25% | |
| Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants and to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues | 17% | 3% to 25% | |
| Administer general and local anesthetics | 12% | 3% to 25% | |
| Evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to determine whether problems exist currently or might occur in the future | 9% | 54% to 76% | |
| Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment | 6% | 27% to 46% | |
| Provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones | 6% | 3% to 25% | |
| Evaluate and treat problems related to the temperomandibular joint (TMJ) | 6% | 14% to 32% | |
| Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck | 5% | 3% to 25% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills oral and maxillofacial surgeons use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
This job is already among the lowest risk for its skill shape.
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2041. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of oral and maxillofacial surgeons?
Machines can do 10% of the tasks of oral and maxillofacial surgeons today and 31% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 29-1022.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/oral-and-maxillofacial-surgeons/