Dental Technician

A career as dental technician attracts those who have dexterous fingers. It is a job that combines spatial thinking with fine execution. Dental technicians make corrective and cosmetic dental prostheses.  They seldom work directly with patients. They take instructions from the dentists and build the items depending on specifications from the impressions or molds of the patient’s teeth.

Dental technicians create full or partial dentures, crowns, veneers and orthodontic appliances. They work with traditional materials like waxes, plastics, stainless steel and other alloys as well as new-age materials like polymers and composites. The ultimate aim of a dental technician is to build tooth replacements that are both aesthetic and functional.

The dental technician’s work has much significance.  It adds value to the overall dental care effort. Technicians enjoy their work because of the high dose of creativity needed in making tooth products.  Their work is primarily in commercial laboratories and mostly they handle with relatively higher independence.

There are several other avenues too for dental technicians. They could rise to supervisory levels or conduct research in materials and processes. They could run their own laboratories, teach at training schools or promote/sell prosthetic equipment.

Preparing to become a dental technician would need completing an accredited program. The CDA of the American Dental Association is the apex national body responsible for accrediting dental technology courses. Duration of the courses last two years at a community college, vocational school, training institutes and universities leading to an associate degree or certificate.  Baccalaureate degrees are awarded after a four-year program. Eligibility for these courses is usually a high school diploma or its equivalent. 

The National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology conducts an examination to evaluate the knowledge and skills and to award the Certified Dental Technician certificate.  Earning potential of certified dental technicians is high and it could vary depending on full-time work or self-employment.
Contact the local dental society that is part of the ADA or the local association of the National Association of Dental Laboratories for more information.