Oral surgeons are specialized dental professionals.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are specialized dental professionals who place dental implants, work on repairing facial injuries due to accidents, remove wisdom teeth, help patients with oral cancers, and deal with issues of jaw misalignment. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, these professionals have advanced anesthesiology training so they can perform complex operations within their own offices. Oral surgeons earn high salaries that reflect their extensive training and expertise.
Basic Salary Information
According to 2009 information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, oral and maxillofacial surgeons earned a mean hourly wage of $101.30 per hour, equivalent to a yearly salary of $210,710. Oral surgeons new to the field can expect high pay even at the entry level. The lowest-paid surgeons, in the lowest 10th percentile, made six-figure salaries, earning up to $48.91 hourly or $101,730 per year. The wage of the highest-paid ten percent was equal to or greater than $80.00 per hour, or $166,400 annually.
Salary by Employer
Oral surgeons work mainly in hospitals, dentists' offices and doctors' offices. Dental offices employed the highest number of oral and maxillofacial surgeons by far, providing jobs for 4,630 practitioners in 2009. Many professionals in dental offices are self-employed business owners. Hospitals employed about 370 surgeons, while doctors' offices hosted 350 oral surgery professionals. Those working in dental offices made the most on average, earning $102.25 per hour or $212,680 per year. Doctors' office oral surgeons came in second place, boasting earnings of $98.00 per hour or $203,850 annually. Those employed in hospitals weren't far behind, taking home $96.17 per hour or $200,020 per year.
Regional Salary Information
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that New York had more oral surgeons per capita than any other state in 2009. Oral surgeons working in this state earned $99.93 per hour, or $207,850 per year. Kansas, New Mexico, Massachusetts and North Carolina also employed high numbers of oral surgery specialists. Those working in Massachusetts made $96.88 per hour, or $201,500 annually. North Carolinians earned a bit less, receiving $93.64 per hour or $194,770 per year.
The Education is Long
Oral surgeons may have high salaries, but becoming one requires education that's both extensive and expensive. Aspiring surgeons need to complete a four-year bachelor's degree in a related area, such as the sciences. Next, oral surgery hopefuls have to spend four years in dental school. Depending on the state, oral surgeons take two to four years of extra education on top of basic dental training, and may also complete a residency period of up to two years.
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