Occupation · SOC 29-1024
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.
Median wage
$239,200
$97,370–$239,200
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
760
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
3 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionMonitoringWritingJudgment and Decision MakingTime ManagementService OrientationInstructingScienceManagement of Personnel ResourcesCoordinationActive LearningPersuasionOperations AnalysisLearning StrategiesSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisNegotiationOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingOperation and ControlManagement of Material ResourcesTechnology DesignMathematicsManagement of Financial ResourcesEquipment SelectionRepairingEquipment MaintenanceProgrammingInstallation
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementEnglish LanguageBiologyEducation and TrainingPsychologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesComputers and ElectronicsAdministrativeProduction and ProcessingEconomics and AccountingChemistryEngineering and TechnologyCommunications and MediaSales and MarketingTherapy and CounselingDesignMathematicsMechanicalLaw and GovernmentPublic Safety and SecurityTelecommunicationsSociology and AnthropologyPhysicsForeign LanguageBuilding and ConstructionTransportationFine ArtsPhilosophy and TheologyGeographyHistory and ArcheologyFood Production
Technology & tools
Apple iOSConsult-PROHenry Schein DentalVision ProfessionalHenry Schein DentrixHenry Schein Easy DentalImage management softwareKea Software impDATKodak Dental Systems Kodak PRACTICEWORKS Practice management software PMSMaterialise Dental SimPLANTMaterialise Dental SurgiGuidePatterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoftPerio charting softwarePlanet DDS DenticonPractice-Web Dental
Representative tasks
Assisting and Caring for OthersDocumenting/Recording InformationGetting InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeThinking CreativelyPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleProcessing InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsAnalyzing Data or InformationTraining and Teaching OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersHandling and Moving ObjectsWorking with ComputersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersCoaching and Developing OthersSelling or Influencing OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Oral health examinations — conduct initial diagnostic assessments under direct attending supervision in a prosthodontic residency clinic.Patient jaw impressions — take and record using face bows and dental articulators under close faculty oversight in a graduate training environment.Dental prosthesis specifications — interpret and document design requirements by reviewing treatment plans prepared by supervising prosthodontists.Removable prostheses — assist in the fitting and minor adjustment of complete dentures under direct clinical supervision.Dental laboratory communication — relay fabrication instructions to bench technicians using standardized prescription forms in a residency setting.Interdisciplinary case conferences — participate actively by presenting patient histories and preliminary findings to attending specialists.Critical thinking in diagnosis — recognize common oral pathology patterns and flag anomalies for review by a supervising clinician.Denture repair procedures — perform basic relines and rebases on straightforward cases following established clinic protocols.Patient communication — explain prosthetic treatment options clearly and empathetically to patients during supervised consultations.Digital imaging software — utilize practice management and medical software to document clinical records and radiographic findings under guidance.
developing
Comprehensive oral diagnoses — independently evaluate patients with moderate complexity to identify conditions requiring prosthetic intervention in a group practice setting.Fixed prosthesis fabrication — design and oversee dental technician construction of crowns and bridges for routine cases with limited peer oversight.Implant-supported prostheses — place and fit standard implant-retained restorations, making occlusal adjustments with reduced supervisory input.Occlusal records and articulators — routinely capture and mount accurate jaw relation records for a variety of prosthetic cases in a busy clinic.Collaborative treatment planning — coordinate with general dentists and oral surgeons to develop integrated care plans for patients with multiple dental needs.Aesthetic and functional restoration — restore oral form and function for patients with common trauma or disease-related tooth loss in an outpatient prosthodontic practice.Denture management — independently repair, reline, and rebase removable prostheses for established patients, adapting techniques to variable tissue conditions.Patient progress monitoring — track treatment outcomes over successive appointments and modify prosthetic approaches based on clinical response.Time management in clinical workflow — schedule and sequence complex multi-appointment cases efficiently within a structured practice environment.Mentorship participation — guide dental students or junior residents through routine clinical procedures under the framework of an academic dental center.
proficient
Complex diagnostic workups — autonomously diagnose and develop comprehensive treatment strategies for patients with advanced oral disease, congenital defects, or traumatic injury sequelae.Full-arch implant prosthetics — independently design, supervise fabrication of, and deliver full-arch implant-supported prostheses in a tertiary care or specialty practice.Maxillofacial prosthetics — restore oral and craniofacial structures for oncology or trauma patients requiring extra-oral and intra-oral prostheses across a multidisciplinary hospital setting.Non-routine prosthetic problem-solving — devise and implement solutions for failed or challenging prosthetic cases where standard protocols are insufficient.Interdisciplinary team leadership — lead collaborative case planning with periodontists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons to achieve integrated patient outcomes.Digital prosthetics workflow — apply CAD/CAM and graphics imaging software to design precision prostheses and supervise technician execution in a technologically advanced lab.Resident and student instruction — design and deliver formal didactic and clinical teaching for postdoctoral residents within an accredited prosthodontic program.Evidence-based practice integration — critically appraise current dental literature and apply findings to refine clinical protocols and patient care decisions.Medicolegal documentation — produce thorough clinical records, informed consent documentation, and expert written communications meeting professional and regulatory standards.Outcome evaluation — systematically assess long-term prosthetic outcomes across a patient cohort and use data to optimize treatment planning approaches.
advanced
Clinical program leadership — establish and direct the strategic vision of a prosthodontic department or specialty group practice, setting quality standards and care protocols.Postdoctoral curriculum development — design, implement, and continuously improve CODA-accredited prosthodontic residency curricula and competency evaluation frameworks.Organizational policy formation — author institutional policies governing prosthetic standards of care, infection control, and risk management across a dental health system.Faculty and personnel development — mentor junior faculty and attending clinicians, fostering professional growth and sustaining a culture of clinical excellence.Translational research leadership — lead or co-lead clinical research initiatives in biomaterials, implantology, or digital prosthetics, advancing the evidence base of the specialty.Interdisciplinary systems coordination — forge and sustain collaborative frameworks across medicine, surgery, oncology, and dentistry to support complex patient populations at a health-system level.National professional engagement — represent the specialty in professional organizations, standard-setting bodies, and accreditation committees to shape the future of prosthodontics.Healthcare technology adoption — evaluate and champion the integration of emerging digital, materials, and AI-assisted technologies into clinical and educational practice at scale.Complex case consultation — serve as the definitive specialist resource for the most clinically challenging prosthetic cases referred from within and outside the institution.Workforce and succession planning — identify talent pipelines, cultivate the next generation of prosthodontists, and align staffing strategy with the long-term mission of the organization.
Also known as
11 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery)Dental Science Dr (Dental Science Doctor)DenturistMaxillofacial Prosthetics DentistMaxillofacial ProsthodontistOral Maxillofacial ProsthodontistProsthetic DentistProsthodontistReconstructive DentistRemovable ProsthodontistRestorative Dentist