Medical

Dental Laboratory Technician

Proud of your pearly whites? Help other people get the same!

Create dental prosthetics including crowns, bridges, dentures, and orthodontic appliances from dentist impressions and prescriptions.

Salary Range

$35,000 – $60,000

per year (10th–90th percentile)

Median Salary

$42,110

per year

Growth Outlook

Average Growth

2024–2034 projected

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

Browse Dental Tech Jobs

Tasks & Responsibilities

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.

Tools of the Trade

Dental finishing or polishing discsDental articulatorsDental laboratory furnacesDental laboratory lathesDental laboratory casting machinesDental laboratory burners or torchesDental laboratory vacuum unitsLaboratory balancesDental material pluggers or tipsDental bursDental laboratory flasksDental laboratory soldering machinesDental knivesDental cutting or separating discsBinocular light compound microscopesDental marking devicesDental stonesLaboratory vacuum pumpsDental lasersGas burnersMalletsLaboratory mixersFlow sensorsDental laboratory air abrasion unitsPestle or mortarsDental laboratory model trimmersDental instrument sharpening accessoriesCrucibles for dental casting machinesDental pin driversStereo or dissecting light microscopesMilling machinesOrthodontic pliersDental retainersDental impression traysDental laboratory curing unitsDental laboratory sandblastersDental laboratory diesUltra pure water systemsPneumatic pressDental scalersTissue culture coated plates or dishes or insertsDental shadesChucksUltrasonic cleaning equipmentDental impression material syringesSteam autoclaves or sterilizersDental laboratory vibratorsDental impression material water bathsShielded metal arc welding or stick welding machineDental laboratory waxing unitsDental spatulasDental laboratory gold platersMicrometersAir compressorsDental wax carversNotebook computersLaboratory beakersDigital camerasDental handpiecesDental amalgamatorsLaser printersDental plaster knivesCulture tubesWater bathsDental laboratory dust collectorsDesktop computersPersonal computers

Knowledge Areas

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