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Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology

A program that focuses on the advanced study of the restoration and maintenance of teeth, oral function, and aesthetic form through the use of single or compound materials, structures, and artificial devices. Includes instruction in implant dentistry, surgical procedures, denture design and fabrication, fixed and removable prosthodontics, restorative techniques, occlusion therapy and devices, geriatric dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and tempromandibular joint dysfunction. Examples: [Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology (Cert.)], [Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology (MS)], [Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology (PhD)]

Types of Degrees Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	93
Doctor’s Degree	2

What Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.6 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.2 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Henry Schein Dentrix	Medical software	—
Practice-Web Dental	Medical software	—
Image management software	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Kea Software impDAT	Medical software	—
Apple iOS	Operating system software	—
Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft	Medical software	—
Consult-PRO	Medical software	—
Henry Schein DentalVision Professional	Medical software	—
Materialise Dental SimPLANT	Medical software	—
Planet DDS Denticon	Medical software	—
Materialise Dental SurgiGuide	Medical software	—
Perio charting software	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates include:

• Maxillofacial Prosthetics Dentist
• Prosthodontist
• DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery)
• Dental Science Dr (Dental Science Doctor)
• Removable Prosthodontist
• Prosthetic Dentist
• Maxillofacial Prosthodontist
• Oral Maxillofacial Prosthodontist
• Reconstructive Dentist
• Denturist
• Restorative Dentist
• Music Therapy Teacher
• Dental Hygiene Teacher
• Urology Teacher
• Psychiatry Teacher

What Can You Do With a Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Post-doctoral training	44.6%
Doctoral degree	31.7%
Master’s degree	14.1%
Bachelor’s degree	4.9%
Postsecondary certificate	2.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 56.8% women and 43.2% men among Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	54	56.8%
Men	41	43.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	16	16.8%
Asian	10	10.5%
Hispanic or Latino	9	9.5%
Black or African American	2	2.1%
Two or More Races	2	2.1%
Race Unknown	1	1.1%
International Students	55	57.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$209,489
4 years	$191,956
5 years	$225,886

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $225,886 — roughly 8% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology graduates earn a median of $191,956 four years after completion — roughly 405% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences	1,981
Dental Clinical Sciences, General	426
Orthodontics/Orthodontology	323
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Oral Biology and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology	187
Endodontics/Endodontology	157
Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics	154
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Dental Public Health and Education	84
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery	41
Dental Materials	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.