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Prosthodontists

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $311,180 Median per year · $149.61/hr Most earn $103,510–$344,750

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Examine patients to diagnose oral health conditions and diseases.
  • 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.
  • Examine patients to diagnose oral health conditions and diseases.
  • Collaborate with general dentists, specialists, and other health professionals to develop solutions to dental and oral health concerns.
  • Restore function and aesthetics to traumatic injury survivors, or to individuals with diseases or congenital disabilities.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
6% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 0 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Offices of dentists79.2%
  • Self-employed (their own business)12.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Prosthodontist is a specialty, so it isn't an entry-level job. Most people spend about 11 to 13 years after high school in college, dental school, and specialty training before they practice on their own.

  1. Bachelor's degree in a science such as biology or chemistry

    4 years

    You build the science background and strong grades that dental schools look for, and you take the entry exam (the DAT) along the way.

  2. Dental school (DDS or DMD)

    4 years

    You learn oral health, dental procedures, and patient care, and you train in clinics, which prepares you to practice as a general dentist.

  3. General Dentist

    1-2 years

    You gain hands-on experience treating patients and get comfortable with crowns, bridges, dentures, and other restorations, which are the core of prosthodontics.

  4. Prosthodontics residency, then Prosthodontist

    About 3 years of specialty training

    You complete a postdoctoral residency focused on replacing missing teeth and rehabilitating the mouth, jaw, and face, and then you can work as a prosthodontist.

Where it can lead

  1. Clinical Professor of Prosthodontics

    5+ years in practice of experience first

    You teach dental students and residents, and you usually take on research and clinic leadership, which often requires a strong record of publishing and teaching.

  2. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

    4-6 years of experience first

    This is a related specialty that adds surgical training for the jaw and face, so it requires additional years of hospital-based residency.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and anatomyThese classes build the science foundation you will need for college and dental school.
  • Take art or drafting classesDrawing and design work build the hand precision and spatial thinking used in making dental restorations.
  • Volunteer at a dental or medical officeSeeing patient care up close helps you decide if this career is right for you and looks good on applications.
  • Join a science or health clubClubs like science olympiad or HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) build teamwork and lab skills.
  • Get a part-time job that involves customer serviceWorking with the public builds the communication and patience you will need with anxious patients.

In college

  • Major in biology or chemistry and take the required pre-dental coursesMost dental schools require specific science courses, and a strong science GPA improves your chances of admission.
  • Shadow or work in a dental officeHands-on exposure to dental assistants and dentists shows you what daily work looks like and strengthens your applications.
  • Work as a dental assistant or in a labWorking directly with dental materials or in a dental lab builds practical skills in fitting and handling restorations.
  • Join a pre-dental student organizationThese groups usually offer advising, exam prep, and guest speakers from dental schools.
  • Build a steady record of good grades and some research experienceResearch experience in a science lab shows you can think critically, which is valued in specialty training.

Tips for getting started

  • Get strong grades in science courses early, since dental schools weigh GPA and science scores heavily.
  • Shadow a dentist or prosthodontist and ask what their daily work is like, so you know whether the hands-on, detail-focused work fits you.
  • Start building hands-on skills now, such as model building, art, or working with tools, because this career depends on precise fine work.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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