Dental Laboratory Technicians
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-9081.00
Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.18
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 16 hidden tasks17 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (5.9%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.51-9081.00 | 0.0031100.0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.O*NET Task ID 7133 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (17)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed. | Core |
| Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth. | Core |
| Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers. | Core |
| Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model. | Core |
| Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses. | Core |
| Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines. | Core |
| Train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers. | Core |
| Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools. | Supplemental |
| Create a model of patient's mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set. | Supplemental |
| Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework. | Supplemental |
| Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications. | Supplemental |
| Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas. | Supplemental |
| Fill chipped or low spots in surfaces of devices, using acrylic resins. | Supplemental |
| Prepare wax bite blocks and impression trays for use. | Supplemental |
| Mold wax over denture setups to form the full contours of artificial gums. | Supplemental |
| Rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures. | Supplemental |
| Shape and solder wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering irons and hand tools. | Supplemental |
0.78/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model. | E0 none |
| Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Create a model of patient's mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fill chipped or low spots in surfaces of devices, using acrylic resins. | E0 none |
| Prepare wax bite blocks and impression trays for use. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mold wax over denture setups to form the full contours of artificial gums. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures. | E0 none |
| Shape and solder wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering irons and hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 34K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 32K
- Change (2025–35)
- -5.9%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $49,610
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24630 | 치과기공사 | Same scope | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 3214Medical and Dental Prosthetic Technicians
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Medical and dental prosthetic technicians design, fit, service and repair medical and dental devices and appliances following prescriptions or instructions established by a health professional. They may service a wide range of support instruments to correct physical medical or dental problems such as neck braces, orthopaedic splints, artificial limbs, hearing aids, arch supports, dentures, and dental crowns and bridges.
Tasks
- (a) examining, interviewing, and measuring patients in order to determine their appliance needs, and to identify factors that could affect appliance fit;
- (b) conferring with medical and dental practitioners in order to formulate specifications and prescriptions for devices and appliances;
- (c) interpreting prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated, and the materials and tools that will be required;
- (d) making or receiving casts or impressions of patients' torsos, limbs, mouths or teeth for use as fabrication patterns;
- (e) designing and making orthotic and prosthetic devices using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand and power tools;
- (f) fitting appliances and devices onto patients, testing and evaluating them, and making adjustments for proper fit, function and comfort;
- (g) repairing, modifying and maintaining medical and dental prosthetic and supportive devices, according to specifications;
- (h) bending, forming, and shaping fabric or material so that it conforms to prescribed contours needed to fabricate structural components;
- (i) fabricating full and partial dentures and constructing mouth guards, crowns, metal clasps, inlays, bridgework and other aids;
- (j) instructing patients in the use and care of prosthetic or orthotic devices.
Example occupations
Dental mechanic · Dental technician · Denturist · Orthopaedic appliance maker · Orthotic technician · Orthotist · Prosthetic technician · Prosthetist
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- dental technicianESCO 3214.2Same scope
Dental technicians manufacture dental custom-made devices like bridges, crowns, dentures and appliances under the supervision of dental practitioners following their directions and specifications.
- audiology technicianESCO 3214.1Overlapping, not the same
Audiology technicians create and service hearing aids and hearing protection products. They dispense, fit and provide hearing aids for those who need them.
- prosthetic-orthotics technicianESCO 3214.3.1Overlapping, not the same
Prosthetic-orthotics technicians design, create, fit and repair supportive devices, such as braces, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
- prosthetist-orthotistESCO 3214.3Overlapping, not the same
Prosthetist-orthotists design and custom fit prostheses and orthoses for individuals who are missing a limb from accident, disease or congenital conditions or for individuals who have impairments, deficiences or weaknesses due to injury, pathology or congenital malformation. They mix patient care with the design and fabrication of these devices to address their patients' needs.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| J1410 | Prothésiste dentaire | Same scopeprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 3316 | Técnicos en prótesis dentales | Same scopeprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 82542 | Berufe in der Zahntechnik - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Same scope |
| 82594 | Führungskräfte - Medizin-, Orthopädie- und Rehatechnik | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 147 | 歯科技工士 | Same scopeprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources