Career Overview
Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
Also Known As
- Dental Ceramist
- Dental Laboratory Technician (Dental Lab Tech)
- Dental Technician (Dental Tech)
- Denture Technician (Denture Tech)
Alternate Job Titles
- Bridge Technician
- CAD Tech (Computer-Aided Design Technician)
- CAM Tech (Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technician)
- Ceramist
- Certified Dental Technologist (CDT)
- Crown and Bridge Dental Laboratory Technician (Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Tech)
- Crown and Bridge Technician (Crown and Bridge Tech)
- Crown Ceramist
- Dental Appliance Fixer
- Dental Appliance Mechanic
- Dental Appliance Repairer
- Dental Ceramist
- Dental Ceramist Assistant
- Dental Equipment Installer and Servicer
- Dental Instrument Maker
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
- Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
- Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
- Train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers.
- Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Meet with dentists or patients to discuss dental appliances.
- Order parts or materials needed to make dental appliances.
- Scan dental models to create digital files.
- Stain porcelain on dental appliances to match the color of patients' teeth.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Administration and Management
- Design
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Production and Processing
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Near Vision
- Finger Dexterity
- Control Precision
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Visualization
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Written Comprehension
- Manual Dexterity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Achievement Orientation
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Acrylic cutters
- Adjustable articulators
- Air compressors
- Air scribes
- Amalgam dispensers
- Amalgam instruments
- Anatomic articulators
- Arcon articulators
- Articulators
- Auto chucks
- Build-up brushes
- Bunsen burners
- Casting torches
- Clinical scales
- Conventional lathes
Work Environment
- Time Pressure
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Contaminants
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $36,100 |
| Median | $48,310 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $78,680 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 33,920
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Medical Appliance Technicians
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $47,060
Dental Assistants
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $47,300
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $38,420
Medical Equipment Repairers
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $62,630
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $45,690
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.