Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, growing
Prosthodontists
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.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 94% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +5.8% 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)
- $311,180
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.8%
- Openings a year
- fewer than 100
- People doing it (2025)
- 1,000
- Usual route in
- Doctorate or professional degree, then an internship or residency
Where people already use AI for this work
- Design materials or devices
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Adjust medical equipment to ensure adequate performance
- Treat injuries, illnesses, or diseases
- Examine people or animals to assess health conditions or physical characteristics
What the work looks like
- 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.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Oral and maxillofacial surgeonsHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +5.6%
- Nurse anesthetistsHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +9.7%
- Orthotists and prosthetistsHuman edge, growing, Index 96, +12.9%
- Physician assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 97, +21.1%
Also known as: DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery), Denturist, Maxillofacial Prosthodontist, Prosthodontist, Dental Science Dr (Dental Science Doctor), Prosthetic Dentist, Reconstructive Dentist, Removable Prosthodontist.
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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.