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.
Interests
- Realistic
- Investigative
- Social
Work Values
- Independence
- Relationships
- Achievement
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Achievement/Effort
- Analytical Thinking
Tasks
- 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.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Detailed Work Activities
- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Technology Skills
- Medical software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Operating system software
Abilities
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
Skills
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Biology
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Certification in ProsthodonticsCertifying Organization
American Board of Prosthodontics
Type
Core
Certificate name
Associate Fellow of the AAIDCertifying Organization
American Academy of Implant Dentistry
Type
Core
Certificate name
Fellow of the AAIDCertifying Organization
American Academy of Implant Dentistry
Type
Core
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $119,887 |
| Median (50%) | $181,769 |
| High (90%) | $299,812 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $147,760 |
| Mid Level | $163,838 |
| Senior Level | $161,786 |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 700 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 700 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 4%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 4%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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