How Much Do Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Make? A 2024 Salary Guide
Embarking on a career as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMS) is a commitment to one of the most demanding and sophisticated specialties in healthcare. It requires years of rigorous education and training, but the rewards—both professionally and financially—are substantial. For those considering this path, a key question is: what is the earning potential?
Oral and maxillofacial surgery consistently ranks among the highest-paying professions in the United States. While salaries can vary significantly, it's common for an experienced surgeon to earn well over $300,000 annually, with top earners in private practice exceeding $500,000 or more. This article provides a data-driven deep dive into the salary of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, the factors that shape their income, and the future outlook for this prestigious career.
What Does an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Do?
Before we delve into the numbers, it's important to understand the scope of the role. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a dental specialist who has completed a hospital-based surgical residency, making them experts in diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries, and defects involving both the hard and soft tissues of the head, neck, face, and jaw.
Their responsibilities are a unique blend of dentistry and medicine and include:
- Dentoalveolar Surgery: Complex tooth extractions, including impacted wisdom teeth.
- Dental Implant Surgery: Placing implants to support prosthetic teeth.
- Corrective Jaw (Orthognathic) Surgery: Realigning jaws and teeth to improve function and appearance.
- Facial Trauma Reconstruction: Repairing facial fractures and injuries from accidents.
- Pathology and Reconstructive Surgery: Treating oral cancers, cysts, and tumors, and reconstructing the affected areas.
- Cosmetic Surgery: Performing procedures like rhinoplasty, facelifts, and other facial enhancements.
- Anesthesia Administration: They are uniquely trained among dental specialists to administer all levels of sedation and general anesthesia in an office setting.
Average Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Salary
The compensation for an OMS is a reflection of their extensive training and the complex procedures they perform. While exact figures vary, data from authoritative sources consistently place them at the top of medical and dental salary charts.
- Median Salary: According to Salary.com, the median annual salary for an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in the United States is $321,700 as of May 2024. The typical salary range falls between $299,600 and $352,200.
- Comprehensive Range: Data from Payscale shows a broad range from approximately $154,000 for an entry-level surgeon to over $420,000 for those with extensive experience.
- Top-Tier Earnings: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons with "Dentists, All Other Specialists." For this category, the BLS reports a median annual wage of $216,300, but notes that the highest earners are in a bracket simply listed as "greater than or equal to $239,200 per year." This indicates that many OMS professionals earn well above the top reportable figure in their standard data sets.
It's clear that while a six-figure salary is the norm, many factors can push an OMS's income significantly higher.
Key Factors That Influence Salary
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon's salary is not a single, static number. It's influenced by a combination of personal and professional variables. Understanding these factors is key to maximizing your earning potential.
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Level of Education
The educational path to becoming an OMS is one of the longest in healthcare, and nuances in training can impact salary. All surgeons complete a bachelor's degree followed by four years of dental school to earn a DDS or DMD. After this, they must complete a demanding 4-to-6-year hospital-based surgical residency.
The key difference lies in the residency program. A 6-year program often includes the opportunity to earn a medical degree (MD) in addition to the dental and surgical credentials. This dual-degree (DDS/MD) qualification can open doors to more complex hospital-based cases, academic leadership roles, and potentially higher compensation, particularly in reconstructive and craniofacial surgery.
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Years of Experience
As with most professions, experience is a primary driver of income. As surgeons build their skills, reputation, and patient base, their earning potential grows.
- Entry-Level (0-5 years): A new graduate joining a group practice or hospital can expect to start in the $150,000 to $250,000 range. Their primary focus is on gaining clinical speed and confidence.
- Mid-Career (5-15 years): With a decade of experience, surgeons have established a strong reputation. Many become partners in a practice or open their own. In this phase, earnings often climb well into the $300,000 to $450,000 range.
- Experienced (15+ years): Senior surgeons, especially those who own a successful practice, represent the top earners in the field. Their income can easily exceed $500,000 annually, driven by efficiency, a strong referral network, and business acumen.
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Geographic Location
Where you practice matters. Salaries vary based on the cost of living and the local market demand for surgical services. Metropolitan areas with a high cost of living often offer higher salaries to compensate. Conversely, underserved rural areas may offer lucrative financial incentives, loan repayment programs, and less competition to attract highly skilled surgeons.
According to data from sources like Salary.com, states like California, New York, Alaska, Massachusetts, and Nevada often report higher-than-average salaries. However, it's crucial to weigh the higher income against the increased cost of living and operating a practice in these regions.
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Company Type / Practice Setting
The type of environment an OMS works in has a profound impact on their compensation structure and potential.
- Private Practice (Owner): This setting offers the highest earning potential. Practice owners not only earn a salary from their clinical work but also profit from the business itself. However, they also bear the full responsibility of business management, including overhead, staffing, and marketing.
- Private Practice (Associate): An associate surgeon works for a practice owner or group. They receive a stable salary or a percentage of their production, with fewer administrative burdens. This is a common starting point for new graduates, with a clear path to partnership and increased earnings.
- Hospital or Academic Medical Center: Surgeons employed by hospitals or universities earn a predictable, often salaried, income with excellent benefits. While the base salary may be lower than a successful practice owner's take-home pay, these roles often involve complex, cutting-edge cases, teaching, and research, offering different but equally valuable professional rewards.
- Corporate Dentistry (DSO): Working for a Dental Service Organization (DSO) can offer a competitive salary and robust benefits without the pressures of practice ownership.
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Area of Specialization
Within the broad field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, some surgeons develop sub-specialties. Focusing on high-value, complex procedures can significantly boost income. For example, a practice that heavily emphasizes dental implants, full-mouth reconstruction (All-on-4®), and cosmetic facial surgery will likely generate more revenue than one focused solely on wisdom tooth extractions. Sub-specializing in craniofacial surgery or trauma reconstruction often leads to hospital-based careers with compensation at the higher end of the scale for employed surgeons.
Job Outlook
The future for oral and maxillofacial surgeons is bright. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment for dentists to grow 4% from 2022 to 2032, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations.
The demand for OMS specialists is driven by several key trends:
- An aging population that requires more sophisticated dental work, such as dental implants.
- Advancements in surgical techniques and technology, making procedures safer and more accessible.
- A growing public interest in cosmetic facial procedures.
- The continued need for corrective jaw surgery and facial trauma care.
This steady demand ensures a high degree of job security for those entering the field.
Conclusion
A career as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a long and challenging journey, but it leads to a profession that is intellectually stimulating, professionally respected, and financially lucrative. With a median salary well above $300,000 and the potential to earn significantly more, it stands as one of the most rewarding paths in healthcare.
For prospective professionals, the key takeaway is that your earning potential is not fixed. It is a dynamic figure you can influence through continued education, gaining experience, choosing a strategic practice location and setting, and developing specialized skills. For those with the dedication and drive to succeed, a career as an OMS offers an unparalleled opportunity to make a profound impact on patients' lives while building a secure and prosperous future.