Will AI replace Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons?
AI can do 16% of the work Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons do at least twice as fast. Real use has not caught up: none of their tasks show up in real AI use yet, but AI could speed up 2 of them. Robots can technically handle 1 physical task. 11 still need a person.
AI is already doing this0 · 0% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Real AI use has not reached any of this job's tasks yet.
AI could do this next2 · 16% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to determine whether problems exist currently or might occur in the future.9% of time
- Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment.6% of time
Robots can technically do this1 · 1% of time
Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.
- Perform minor facial rejuvenation procedures, including the use of Botox and laser technology.Robots: purpose built settings1% of time
Still needs a person11 · 83% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth.26% of time
- Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants and to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues.18% of time
- Administer general and local anesthetics.13% of time
- Provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones.6% of time
- Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck.5% of time
- Perform surgery on the mouth and jaws to treat conditions such as cleft lip, cleft palate, and jaw growth problems.5% of time
- Remove tumors and other abnormal growths of the oral and facial regions, using surgical instruments.4% of time
- Treat problems affecting the oral mucosa, such as mouth ulcers and infections.3% of time
- Restore form and function by moving skin, bone, nerves, and other tissues from other parts of the body to reconstruct the jaws and face.1% of time
- Perform minor cosmetic procedures, such as chin and cheekbone enhancements.1% of time
- Treat snoring problems, using laser surgery.under 1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can speed up parts of this job, mostly the paperwork and information work around it. The core still depends on hands, presence or relationships.
What to do next
- Get ahead on the 2 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Keep an eye on the 1 physical task robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 11 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Related jobs
Get the weekly brief
One short email a week on how AI is changing work, including jobs like this one.