All About Dental Laboratory Technicians
Dental Laboratory Technician Example Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
Dental Laboratory Technician Responsibilities
- Shape and solder wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering irons and hand tools.
- Create a model of patient’s mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set.
- Fill chipped or low spots in surfaces of devices, using acrylic resins.
- Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.
- Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
- Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.
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Dental Laboratory Technician Skills
These are the skills Dental Laboratory Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Other Dental Laboratory Technician Job Titles
- Dental Laboratory Technician Apprentice
- Orthodontic Laboratory Technician (Orthodontic Lab Technician)
- Denture Technician
- Waxer
- Porcelain Finisher
Job Opportunities for Dental Laboratory Technicians
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 38,100 jobs in the United States for Dental Laboratory Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 5,500 new jobs for Dental Laboratory Technician by 2026. The BLS estimates 5,000 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Dental Laboratory Technician are Utah, Michigan, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Missouri, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Dental Laboratory Technician
The typical yearly salary for Dental Laboratory Technicians is somewhere between $25,320 and $64,180.
Dental Laboratory Technicians who work in Alaska, Virginia, or Colorado, make the highest salaries.
How much do Dental Laboratory Technicians make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,540 |
| Alaska | $57,940 |
| Arizona | $45,240 |
| Arkansas | $39,260 |
| California | $43,340 |
| Colorado | $47,210 |
| Connecticut | $49,880 |
| Florida | $41,110 |
| Georgia | $43,420 |
| Hawaii | $39,850 |
| Idaho | $45,920 |
| Illinois | $41,800 |
| Indiana | $38,990 |
| Iowa | $42,740 |
| Kansas | $48,000 |
| Kentucky | $44,720 |
| Louisiana | $37,920 |
| Maine | $42,910 |
| Maryland | $39,180 |
| Massachusetts | $45,650 |
| Michigan | $41,310 |
| Minnesota | $44,670 |
| Mississippi | $46,430 |
| Missouri | $40,850 |
| Montana | $51,200 |
| Nebraska | $48,640 |
| Nevada | $42,080 |
| New Hampshire | $41,320 |
| New Jersey | $42,610 |
| New Mexico | $38,390 |
| New York | $50,250 |
| North Carolina | $43,190 |
| North Dakota | $39,540 |
| Ohio | $43,400 |
| Oklahoma | $42,900 |
| Oregon | $40,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,210 |
| Rhode Island | $44,570 |
| South Carolina | $45,560 |
| South Dakota | $32,790 |
| Tennessee | $41,660 |
| Texas | $41,840 |
| Utah | $47,780 |
| Virginia | $52,220 |
| Washington | $43,710 |
| West Virginia | $39,530 |
| Wisconsin | $39,960 |
What Tools do Dental Laboratory Technicians Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Dental Laboratory Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Spreadsheet software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Scheduling software
- Graphics software
- Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
- Inventory management software
- Bookkeeping software
- Database management software
- CAD/CAM
- Computer imaging software
Becoming a Dental Laboratory Technician
Learn what Dental Laboratory Technician education requirements there are.
What work experience do I need to become a Dental Laboratory Technician?
Where do Dental Laboratory Technicians Work?
The table below shows the approximate number of Dental Laboratory Technicians employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Dental Laboratory Technician might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Dental Laboratory Technician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Sgt. Dallas Edwards via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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