AHEC Connecticut
DENTISTRY - Dental Laboratory Technician
To be a successful Dental Laboratory Technician you should...
- be able to work with three-dimensional art (sculpting)
- be able to read instructions and follow them to create appliances
- be able to focus, concentrate, and have patience
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What will my job be like?
The dental laboratory technician’s job can be very rewarding, monetarily and mentally. A dental laboratory technician takes raw materials, creates Mother Nature-like teeth to help people who have lost them for one reason or another. This job involves creating works of art that are functional.
Dental Laboratory Technicians may specialize in the following:
- Dentures - Full and Partial
- Crowns and Bridges
- Orthodontic Appliances
- Implants
Where could I work?
Once trained as a dental laboratory technician one will find the doors are open to go to commercial dental labs, doctor offices, supply companies to sell dental lab supplies, manufacturers of dental appliances, and other dental-related products.
What is the average annual salary?
$34,995
What is the future of this career?
Job opportunities for dental laboratory technicians should be favorable, despite expected slower-than-average growth in overall employment through the year 2014. Employers have difficulty filling trainee positions, probably because entry-level salaries are relatively low and because the public is not familiar with these occupations. Most job openings will arise from the need to replace technicians who transfer to other occupations or who leave the labor force.
What type of education and/or training do I need?
Dental laboratory technicians receive their education and training with a 1-year course covering dentures, partials, cast partials, crown and bridge, porcelain fused to metal, and all the vocabulary related to the above.
Some dental laboratory technicians learn their craft on the job. Becoming a fully trained technician requires an average of three to four years.
Where can I get the education and/or training?
- Eli Whitney Regional Vocational Technical School, Hamden
Do I need a license or certification for this career?
Licensure is not required in the state of Connecticut. Prerequisite: After three to five years in the field a technician can take a national test to become a Certified Dental Technician (CDT).
Where can I get more information?
National Association of Dental Laboratories
1530 Metropolitan Boulevard
Tallahassee, FL 32308
(800) 950-1150
www.nadl.org