Healthcare practitioners
Prosthodontist
Diagnose, treat, rehabilitate, design, and fit prostheses that maintain oral function, health, and appearance for patients with clinical conditions associated with teeth, oral and maxillofacial tissues, or the jaw.
Median pay
$311,180
Growth to 2035
+6%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
0
Time to qualify*
7 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Prosthodontist
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Prosthodontist: 34% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Examine patients to diagnose oral health conditions and diseases.
- Fit prostheses to patients, making any necessary adjustments and modifications.
- Replace missing teeth and associated oral structures with permanent fixtures, such as implant-supported prostheses, crowns and bridges, or removable fixtures, such as dentures.
- Measure and take impressions of patients' jaws and teeth to determine the shape and size of dental prostheses, using face bows, dental articulators, recording devices, and other materials.
- Collaborate with general dentists, specialists, and other health professionals to develop solutions to dental and oral health concerns.
- Design and fabricate dental prostheses, or supervise dental technicians and laboratory bench workers who construct the devices.
- Restore function and aesthetics to traumatic injury survivors, or to individuals with diseases or congenital disabilities.
- Repair, reline, or rebase dentures.
Also called: DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) · Dental Science Dr (Dental Science Doctor) · Denturist · Maxillofacial Prosthodontist · Prosthetic Dentist · Prosthodontist · Reconstructive Dentist · Removable Prosthodontist
Outlook and AI
Prosthodontists held 1,000 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 1,100 by 2035 (+6%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Prosthodontist vs. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- Prosthodontist vs. Dentist
- Prosthodontist vs. Orthodontist
- Prosthodontist vs. Pediatric surgeon
- Prosthodontist vs. Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric
- Prosthodontist vs. Dermatologist
- Prosthodontist vs. Ophthalmologists, except pediatric
- Prosthodontist vs. Dental hygienist
- Prosthodontist vs. Podiatrist
- Prosthodontist vs. Physician (other specialties)