Orthodontists

Orthodontists score 30 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #525 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 10 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 0 on its own and 6 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 1 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

30/ 100

Moderate

Rank: #525of 923 jobs
US workers: 6,210BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $289,140a year
In real AI use: 1 of 10tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 0 (0%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 6 (60%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 4 (40%)

Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Provide patients with proposed treatment plans and cost estimates.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Prepare diagnostic and treatment records.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Coordinate orthodontic services with other dental and medical services.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Instruct dental officers and technical assistants in orthodontic procedures and techniques.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Design and fabricate appliances, such as space maintainers, retainers, and labial and lingual arch wires.Little or no AI speed-up · core task

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Questions about orthodontists and AI

Will AI replace orthodontists?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Orthodontists score 30 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #525 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 6 of the job's 10 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 4 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which orthodontists tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans"; "Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities"; "Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures".

Which orthodontists tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function"; "Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth"; "Instruct dental officers and technical assistants in orthodontic procedures and techniques".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 1 of the 10 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as orthodontists, and what do they earn?

About 6,210 people in the US, with median pay of $289,140 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.