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Prosthodontists

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth

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.

What you’d do

  • 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.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Speaking
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Monitoring
  • Reading Comprehension

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

  • DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery)
  • Denturist
  • Maxillofacial Prosthodontist
  • Prosthodontist
  • Dental Science Dr (Dental Science Doctor)
  • Prosthetic Dentist

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