Dental Prosthetist
A dental prosthetist designs, constructs, and fits removable dental prostheses such as dentures and partial dentures in a dental laboratory or clinical setting.
What this job is
A dental prosthetist designs, constructs, and fits removable dental prostheses such as dentures and partial dentures in a dental laboratory or clinical setting. They work from prescriptions provided by dentists or other dental practitioners, using specialised materials and equipment to create custom prostheses that restore function and appearance to patients' teeth and supporting structures. Dental prosthetists must comply with dental board regulations and infection control standards set by the Dental Board of Australia under AHPRA.
Are employers advertising this role?
Falling, down 22.9% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Assess patient measurements, jaw relationships, and oral anatomy from dental impressions and radiographs to inform prosthesis design. Construct denture bases, frameworks, and clasps using acrylic resins, chrome-cobalt alloys, and titanium alloys in accordance with prescription specifications. Perform shade and form selection for artificial teeth and prosthetic materials to match patient requirements and natural dentition aesthetics. Conduct wax try-in procedures to verify fit, occlusion, and patient acceptance before final prosthesis processing. Adjust and finish prostheses including relieving, polishing, and occlusal refinement to achieve optimal function and comfort. Perform denture relines, repairs, and modifications to existing prostheses including tissue surface adjustments. Operate dental laboratory equipment including denture presses, grinding machines, articulation equipment, and CAD/CAM milling systems. Maintain sterilisation and infection control protocols compliant with Dental Board of Australia and Safe Work Australia standards for handling patient materials.
Who does this now
About 910 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Bachelor degree or higher (ABS skill level 1)
Registration or licensing is required.
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation had trouble finding suitable applicants in 2025. Ratings are not the same everywhere. NT was rated not in shortage. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Jobs and Skills Australia defines an occupation-ready qualification as:
Completing this qualification will provide the skills and knowledge to undertake this occupation. Further training and experience may be required to meet specific industry requirements including licensing and registration.
Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
You'll need to complete an approved dental prosthetics qualification first, which takes 3 to 4 years and isn't cheap. The work is highly detailed and repetitive, requiring steady hands and patience for hours at a time. Demand is steady but not growing fast, so job security depends on your lab or clinic staying busy. Pay sits below dentists.
Where the jobs are
Most jobs are in capital cities where private dental practices and specialist labs cluster. Practically you'll find work in metro areas near affluent suburbs with older populations needing dentures. Remote work isn't viable. Regional areas have fewer opportunities unless you're willing to service multiple towns.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 4112, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
Skills
- Active Listeningcore
- Advise customers on hearing aidscore
- Advise on rehabilitation exercisescore
- Appointment Schedulingcore
- Attention to Detailcore
- Case Note Documentationcore
- Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
- Customer Needs Assessmentcore
- Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
- Health Record Administrationcore
- Health Terminology Literacycore
- HICAPS and Medicare Claiming Systemscore
- Invoicing and Billing Administrationcore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Acoustics
- Adapt hearing tests
- Adhere to organisational guidelines
- Adjust hearing aids
- Complaint Handling
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
- Medicare and DVA Billing
- Practice Management Software (e.g., Best Practice, MedicalDirector)
- Record Management
- Time Management and Prioritisation
- Written Communication
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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