Trades
Dental Laboratory Technicians
Medical

Dental Tech

Dental laboratory technicians work in dental offices, hospitals, and other health care facilities. They prepare and repair artificial teeth, crowns, and other dental appliances
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Dental Tech
Dental Tech School
dental tech day in the life
Dental: making a gold tooth
Why I chose dental tech
Proud of your pearly whites? Help other people get the same!
Why Should You Consider This Career?

Help improve people's health and loves every day, Work with cutting edge technology, Learn a skill transferable to all 50 states!

TYPICAL SALARY
$80k
That's $3,300 per bi-weekly paycheck
CAREER OUTLOOK
Growing
That's 2000 new jobs in Utah per year (30% growth)
Less Physical                                         More Physical
—————|————
Less Training                                          More Training
—————|————
More Structure                                     Less Structure
—————|————
ALTERNATIVE JOB TITLES:
Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Technician, Dental Ceramist, Dental Laboratory Technician (Dental Lab Tech), Dental Technician (Dental Tech), Denture Technician, Metal Finisher, Model and Dye Person, Orthodontic Laboratory Technician (Orthodontic Lab Technician), Porcelain Technician, Waxer

Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.

At A Glance in US
2028 JOB GROWTH
Wage loader
398,000 (35%)
SALARY RANGE
This is some text inside of a div block.
AVG. JOBS / YEAR
398,000 (35%)
TIME TO JOURNEYMAN
398,000 (35%)
ALTERNATIVE JOB TITLES:
Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Technician, Dental Ceramist, Dental Laboratory Technician (Dental Lab Tech), Dental Technician (Dental Tech), Denture Technician, Metal Finisher, Model and Dye Person, Orthodontic Laboratory Technician (Orthodontic Lab Technician), Porcelain Technician, Waxer
A Typical Day Icon

Your Typical Day:

  • Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
  • Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
  • Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatus.
  • Create a model of patient's mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set.
  • Place tooth models on apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
  • Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
  • Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
  • Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas.
  • Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.
  • Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.
wage icon

Wages in the US:

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$
32.22
Per Hour Base Income
$TBD
Total Compensation
Your Responsibilities Icon

Your Responsibilities

  • Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
  • Apply parting agents or other solutions to molds.
  • Inspect medical or dental assistive devices.
  • Place materials into molds.
  • Melt metal, plastic, or other materials to prepare for production.
  • Mix ingredients to create specific finishes.
  • Cast molds of patient anatomies to create medical or dental devices.
  • Prepare materials for processing.
  • Construct customized assistive medical or dental devices.
  • Repair medical or dental assistive devices.
Your Knowledge Icon

Knowledge You Will Learn

  • Production and Processing

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. 87/100

  • Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. 80/100

  • Medicine and Dentistry

Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. 79/100

  • Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. 73/100

  • English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. 66/100

  • Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. 63/100

  • Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services. 62/100

  • Chemistry

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods. 59/100

  • Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. 56/100

  • Education and Training

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. 54/100

Tools of the Trade Icon

Tools of the Trade

  • Dental finishing or polishing discs
  • Dental articulators
  • Dental laboratory furnaces
  • Dental laboratory lathes
  • Dental laboratory casting machines
  • Dental laboratory burners or torches
  • Dental laboratory vacuum units
  • Laboratory balances
  • Dental material pluggers or tips
  • Dental burs
  • Dental laboratory flasks
  • Dental laboratory soldering machines
  • Dental knives
  • Dental cutting or separating discs
  • Binocular light compound microscopes
  • Dental marking devices
  • Dental stones
  • Laboratory vacuum pumps
  • Dental lasers
  • Gas burners
  • Mallets
  • Laboratory mixers
  • Flow sensors
  • Dental laboratory air abrasion units
  • Pestle or mortars
  • Dental laboratory model trimmers
  • Dental instrument sharpening accessories
  • Crucibles for dental casting machines
  • Dental pin drivers
  • Stereo or dissecting light microscopes
  • Milling machines
  • Orthodontic pliers
  • Dental retainers
  • Dental impression trays
  • Dental laboratory curing units
  • Dental laboratory sandblasters
  • Dental laboratory dies
  • Ultra pure water systems
  • Pneumatic press
  • Dental scalers
  • Tissue culture coated plates or dishes or inserts
  • Dental shades
  • Chucks
  • Ultrasonic cleaning equipment
  • Dental impression material syringes
  • Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
  • Dental laboratory vibrators
  • Dental impression material water baths
  • Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine
  • Dental laboratory waxing units
  • Dental spatulas
  • Dental laboratory gold platers
  • Micrometers
  • Air compressors
  • Dental wax carvers
  • Notebook computers
  • Laboratory beakers
  • Digital cameras
  • Dental handpieces
  • Dental amalgamators
  • Laser printers
  • Dental plaster knives
  • Culture tubes
  • Water baths
  • Dental laboratory dust collectors
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
No items found.
Related Careers Icon

Helpful Career Links

American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics
American Dental Association
National Association of Dental Laboratories
National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology
National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians

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