Prosthodontist job description
128 verified openings in Dentists & Specialists
Prosthodontists replace what is missing, from single teeth to parts of the jaw, with implant-supported crowns, bridges, and dentures. It is the smallest dental occupation BLS reports: the May 2025 line counted 870 prosthodontists, with a median of $311,180, or $149.61 an hour, and a tenth percentile of $103,510. The Handbook projects 100 more jobs over the decade to 2035, from 1,000 to 1,100.
Core Duties and Responsibilities
Examining patients to diagnose oral health conditions ranks first on O*NET's list, followed by fitting and adjusting prostheses and replacing missing teeth with permanent or removable fixtures. Prosthodontists measure and take impressions of the jaw using face bows and articulators, collaborate with general dentists and other specialists, and design and fabricate prostheses or supervise the lab technicians who build them. Restoring function and appearance for trauma survivors and people with congenital conditions is part of the specialty. So are relining dentures, bonding and veneers to reshape teeth, and treating jaw joint and facial pain.
Common Skills and Technologies
Listening, speaking, and critical thinking tie for the top skill rating, with complex problem solving next. Writing ranks higher here than for general dentists, and the work depends on exact instructions to the lab. Henry Schein Dentrix and Apple iOS appear in postings, and graphics and photo imaging software is among the tool types O*NET records.
Education, Training, and Career Path
Prosthodontics is among the 12 recognized dental specialties. After dental school, the Handbook describes a residency that usually lasts two to four years, and some states add a specialty license. O*NET respondents put post-doctoral training first at 61.0 percent, with 36.1 percent naming a doctoral degree.
Sources: O*NET 30.0, 29-1024.00 Prosthodontists, https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1024.00. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, 29-1024, https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dentists, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm. National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards, https://ncrdscb.ada.org/recognized-dental-specialties.