A career in dentistry is not confined to being only a dentist; there are many people who work behind the scenes in providing you good oral health. A dental lab technician is one such person. A dental lab technician is a part of the overall dentist’s team who provides laboratory work support to the dentist. These technicians rarely interact with the patients as they carry out all their work in the dental laboratory. The job responsibilities of dental lab technicians are varied and include all manner of work from taking impressions of the oral cavity to the fabrication of removable appliances for orthodontic treatment.
Dental lab technicians are usually hired by professional dental appliance manufacturing laboratories although a small percentage also works in dental offices. The ones working in dental offices generally tend to be associated with group practices which employ several clinicians. The dental lab tech is of vital importance in the field of dentistry as he is the one who crafts almost all of the dental hardware required for proper dental therapy. A few of the dental appliances made by dental lab techs are: Crowns for teeth that are to be replaced or have undergone root canal therapy, veneers for teeth, removable orthodontic appliances, pedodontic habit breaking appliances, temporary acrylic crowns, plaster models etc.
Mostly it is not necessary to possess any kind of degree for becoming a dental technician. A high school diploma will suffice. After high school, you need to work under the supervision of experienced dental technicians and learn the trade. It is always better to opt for a formal training course of two years duration due to the increasing competitiveness in this field. After passing the training course, you are required to appear for tests conducted by the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. After passing this test, you become a Certified Dental Technician (CDT).
The job of a dental lab technician offers maximum flexibility and also good monetary gain. With the increase in population, there are more number of elderly people who require dental prostheses and this is a boon to any dental tech. Also, the increased awareness among the general public about cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry ensures that there is a steady flow of patients to the dental clinic. The average dental clinic employs anywhere from two to two hundred dental lab technicians and this offers excellent employment opportunities.
Dental lab techs are also hired in dental hospitals, laboratories specializing in dental hardware, dental colleges etc. Dental technicians are indispensable because without them, clinicians will find it increasingly difficult to treat their patients while also fabricating the hardware required for the procedure. As such, the demand for qualified and skilled dental technicians will always be on the rise. As for salary, dental technicians earn as much or even more than other healthcare professionals with the same qualifications. Usually the salary depends on the skill of the technician, but they also have the option of opening an independent dental lab for greater profit and flexibility.