Dental Laboratory Technicians
Machines can already do 21% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 58%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Dental Laboratory Technicians in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 21% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2034, and 58% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 34,410 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $49,610 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 59% for contact with people.
- Also called: Ceramist, Crown and Bridge Dental Laboratory Technician (Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Tech), Dental Ceramist, Dental Laboratory Technician (Dental Lab Tech).
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth | 18% | 20% to 60% | |
| Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines | 11% | 20% to 60% | |
| Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas | 10% | 20% to 60% | |
| Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed | 8% | 55% to 85% | |
| Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| Rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures | 6% | 3% to 30% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills dental laboratory technicians use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Riggers52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $62,640
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators54% of tasks by 2035 · US median $46,880
- Orthotists and Prosthetists40% of tasks by 2035 · US median $81,110
- Museum Technicians and Conservators38% of tasks by 2035 · US median $51,440
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Dental Laboratory Technicians?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2034. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of dental laboratory technicians?
Machines can do 21% of the tasks of dental laboratory technicians today and 58% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 51-9081.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Dental Laboratory Technicians: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/dental-laboratory-technicians/