Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Analysing Data or Information Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

The Work

Treatments performed by Oral Surgeons include but are not limited to: 

• Removal of impacted or badly broken down teeth
• Placement of dental implants
• Biopsy of an oral lesion
• Treatment of a dental cyst
• Management of dental trauma
• Exposure of buried teeth prior to orthodontic treatment
• Bone grafting procedures
• Treatment of the medically compromised patient.

While all dentists remove teeth, you may be referred to an Oral Surgeon if your dentist deems that specialist care may be required.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Administer general and local anesthetics.
• Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment.
• Evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to determine whether problems exist currently or might occur in the future.
• Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants, and to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues.
• Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth.
• 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.
• 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.
• Restore form and function by moving skin, bone, nerves, and other tissues from other parts of the body to reconstruct the jaws and face.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Oral Surgery is the specialty of Dentistry dedicated to the diagnosis, planning and treatment of disease, injuries or deformities of the mouth, jaws and teeth. Oral surgeons are distinct from other dental specialists by limiting their practice to surgical treatment alone and undertake no general dentistry or treatments preformed by other dental specialists.

In addition to their undergraduate Dental Degree, Oral Surgeons typically undergo three years of specialist training.  The Dental Council of Ireland maintain the Oral Surgery Specialist List. An Oral Surgeon can only be granted admission to this Dental Council of Ireland Oral Surgery specialist list after satisfying the rigorous requirements. 

Training & Development

FET Centre Traineeship: Dental Nursing in centres around Ireland NFQ Level 5 Search FET Courses

FET PLC Courses: Dental Nursing at NFQ Level 5 Search FET PLC Courses

Higher Education CAO Entry: Dentistry, Dental Technology, Dental Nursing, Dental Science, Dental Hygiene, courses at NFQ Levels 6-8 Search CAO courses

Professional Development

Postgraduate Study Dental Surgery, Dental Public Health, Conscious Sedation in Dentistry, Dental Science - Research, Research - Master of Surgery, Surgery, Surgery - Research at NFQ level 9-10 Search postgrad options

IAOS Irish Association of Oral Surgery 

Dental Council of Ireland maintain the Oral Surgery Specialist List

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €55k - €124k

Salaries Vary by employer, location, role, duties, shift pattern, and experience.

Data Source(s):
HSE/ Indeed

Last Updated: August, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The annual average employment growth for medical practitioners was slightly above average over the five-year period, with strong growth between 2021 and 2022. Almost 30% of those employed in this occupation were non-Irish citizens, with employment permits still acting as a source of supply of skills; over 2,100 new permits were issued in 2022 across a range of specialities. Supply from the third level education system is set to expand by 200 additional places by 2026 (beginning with an increase of 60 places each in 2022 and 2023). Given the duration of medical training, however, this increased supply is not expected to have an impact on the labour market in the short-to-medium term.

Issues in relation to GPs are being addressed with an announcement that the number of GP training places will be increased to 350 in 2024 from 258 in 2022 and an expansion of the non-EU GP Training Scheme from 50 to 250 by the end of 2024.43 However, the increasing demand for medical practitioners as a result of factors such as the rollout of the Sláintecare Action Plan, the ageing population and the tackling of the lengthy waiting lists (exacerbated as a result of COVID-19) will result in continued shortages for this occupation.

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