As one undergoes theoretical study and years of experience, one would be able to acquire dental prosthetics skills. These individuals who are able to grasp such skills are called as laboratory technicians or dental technicians.
The skills of a dental technician includes –
- Creating prosthetics solutions including crowns, bridges, ceramics and partial or full dentures in accordance to the specifications of dentists.
- Working with dental abnormalities
- Working with orthodontic appliances
A dental technician is also called as a dental laboratory technician.
Dental Technician Educational Requirements
Though a dental technician generally receives on-the-job trainings, a lot of employers prefer those who have had formal training by attending community colleges or vocational-technical schools.
Those who have been trained by the U.S. Armed Forces are also generally picked by the best employers. Most of the programs for dental technicians lead to an Associate’s degree but some can also be 4-year programs that can lead to a Bachelor’s degree.
Requirements for Dental Technicians
Apart from preferable classroom training, a dental lab technician has to have hands-on experience. There are some who choose to become certified.
Voluntary certification can be taken at The National Board for Certification.
Characteristics of a good dental technician are the following –
- Good manual dexterity
- Good vision
- Not color blind
- Notices even the slightest variation in shape
- Is keen on precision
The Earnings of a Dental Technician
Dental lab technicians earn a median yearly salary of $34,820 or an hourly wage of $16.74.
The Dental Technician’s Job
A typical working day for a dental technician is more like a day of solitude. You don’t get to meet the patients but yours is an important job of making bridges, crowns, dentures and other dental prosthetics that would change these patients’ lives.
Here’s an example of your would-be tasks –
- Create a model of the patient’s mouth by pouring some plaster onto the impression or mold made by the dentist.
- Examine the model for the bite, gum line, and surrounding teeth
- Create and shape wax models of the patient’s tooth or teeth which will then be used as the framework for the needed prosthetic device
- After the metal framework has been cast, dental technicians prepare the surface to adhere to the porcelain
- Form teeth from porcelain
- Continue in adjusting the shape and color of the teeth by placing it in the porcelain furnace. This will then bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.
The dental technician may not always be a part of the visible dental team at the office but this invisible team member plays a crucial role in making those patients’ smiles a whole lot brighter!
