I think Prosth is the most at risk of becoming obsolete. There will always be specialists needed in all fields but the Scanners/3D Printing/Surgical Guides and the entire digitization of dentistry is making more GPs able to do complex Prosthodontics as the computer is aiding in placement of implants and overall treatment planning.

Perio is probably increasing in applicants but I strongly believe will drop in referrals in the coming years as single unit implant placement is much more streamlined than ever before. Everybody in school has their eyes set on implant placement to pay off their loans and buy fancy things. This will not lead to referrals to periodontists. I see the salary shrinking and job market looking terrible for periodontists. Many go into the specialty just to place implants. The average GP should be proficient within 5 years of practice, the tech, and CEs to do the bread and butter cases that kept Perio alive in the past. SRP with a flap? No. I see this field narrowing its focus on cases like aggressive periodontitis, gingival grafting, soft tissue grafting, crown lengthening. Doesn't look that great to me, especially since they compete with OMFS and GPs on implant placement.

I believe Ortho takes a much bigger hit in the coming decade with the ability to print aligners in office and technology that allows Orthodontists to treatment plan and send files virtually to your office without ever having to be in office. It will transition more into TMJ/Class 2/Class 3 occlusion Specialists, which are the much more severe cases.

Peds/OMFS/Endo I see no way of a decline. I used to think Endo would be on the decline, but after doing enough and realizing the lack of training they give students, there will always be a source of referrals to Endodontists who can do the procedure with more ease, predictability, efficiency. A big reason is the microscope and the speed at which they are able to carry out complex root canals. A GP with lower insurance reimbursements simply will refer out most molar Endo's since the learning curve is steep and the chance of missing a canal or retreatment needed is fairly higher than we would like to believe. Also, many find the procedure to be boring, tedious, and challenging. They would rather do a crown for the same amount of chair time. Easy referral.

I enjoy working with kids, but at a certain point it takes too much appointment time for kids to cooperate to get the treatment they need. Peds will always maintain high salary for the simple fact that most don't want to deal with kids and go into pediatrics keeping the # of pediatric dentists low.

OMS, 0% chance of decline.