Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, growing
Orthodontists
Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 69% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +6.0% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on ethical judgement and emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $289,140
- Job growth to 2035
- +6.0%
- Openings a year
- 200
- People doing it (2025)
- 7,100
- Usual route in
- Doctorate or professional degree, then an internship or residency
Where people already use AI for this work
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
- Advise patients or clients on medical issues
- Analyze health or medical data
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Adjust medical equipment to ensure adequate performance
- Diagnose health conditions or disorders
- Examine people or animals to assess health conditions or physical characteristics
What the work looks like
- Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
- Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
- Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.
- Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
- Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- ChiropractorsHuman edge, growing, Index 78, +8.7%
- Orthotists and prosthetistsHuman edge, growing, Index 96, +12.9%
- Physical therapistsGrows with AI, Index 76, +11.9%
- Ophthalmologists, except pediatricHuman edge, growing, Index 72, +4.5%
Also known as: Orthodontic Dentist, Orthodontic Specialist, Orthodontics Doctor, Orthodontist, Board Certified Orthodontist, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Specialist.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.