Prosthodontists: Job Description
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.
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What Do Prosthodontists Do?
The core tasks performed by prosthodontists include:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top prosthodontists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Prosthodontists Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery)
- Dental Science Dr (Dental Science Doctor)
- Denturist
- Maxillofacial Prosthetics Dentist
- Maxillofacial Prosthodontist
- Oral Maxillofacial Prosthodontist
- Prosthetic Dentist
- Prosthodontist
How Many Prosthodontists Are There?
There are about 1,866,093 prosthodontists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.4% over the projection horizon.
Prosthodontists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $144,273 |
| Hourly median | $69.36 |
| 10th percentile | $93,885 |
| 25th percentile | $119,079 |
| 75th percentile | $169,467 |
| 90th percentile | $194,662 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Which Industries Hire Prosthodontists
The bulk of prosthodontists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 750 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Prosthodontists Use
- Operating system software: Apple iOS (hot technology)
- Medical software: Henry Schein Dentrix (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of prosthodontists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Physical Proximity
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How to Become Prosthodontists
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Dentists, General (Primary-Short)
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Primary-Short)
- Orthodontists (Primary-Short)
- Optometrists (Supplemental)
- Podiatrists (Primary-Long)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Dermatologists (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future prosthodontists commonly pursue programs in:
2 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1024.00 (Prosthodontists).
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