Dental Laboratory Technician

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Work Tasks

• Make and fix dental work like bridges, crowns, dentures, and braces
• Follow dentist instructions to make the dental work
• Arrange false teeth on dentures, make wax models, and cast gold and metal fillings
• Use models of patient's teeth to make dental work from acrylics, ceramics, composites, and metals
• Work for dental labs, hospitals, and the government
• Work with dentures, bridges, crowns, orthodontic appliances, wax carvers, metal-melting torches, casting machines, and other equipment

Salary, Size & Growth

• $40,000 average per year ($19.25 per hour)
• A medium occupation (38,400 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.4% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: On-the-job training
• Employers Prefer: A 2-year degree as a dental laboratory technician, or training in programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation
• Skills/Courses: College courses in specialty areas such as crowns and bridges, ceramics, partial dentures, complete dentures, and orthodontic appliances
• Certification/Licensing: Certification is available.