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Dental Laboratory Technology

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of dentists, to design and construct dental prostheses such as caps, crowns, bridges, dentures, splints, and orthodontic appliances. Includes instruction in dental anatomy, dental materials, ceramics technology, impressions, complete dentures, partial dentures, orthodontics, crowns and bridges, sculpture, bonding and assembly techniques, and equipment operation.

Types of Degrees Dental Laboratory Technology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Dental Laboratory Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	121
Associate’s Degree	100
Bachelor’s Degree	12
Master’s Degree	25

What Dental Laboratory Technology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Dental Laboratory Technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Dental Laboratory Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Dental Laboratory Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Dental Laboratory Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Dental Laboratory Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Dental Laboratory Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.5 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Dental Laboratory Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Articulate Rapid E-Learning Studio	Computer based training software	—
Collaborative editing software	Word processing software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Dental Laboratory Technology graduates include:

• Respiratory Therapy Instructor
• Clinical Laboratory Science Professor
• Optometry Teacher
• Neurology Teacher
• Hospital Aides and Assistants Teacher
• Physiology Teacher
• Neurosurgery Professor
• Medical Assisting Instructor
• Dental Assistant Teacher
• Pharmacology Professor
• Manual Arts Therapy Teacher
• Medical Assistant Instructor
• Nutrition Aides Teacher
• Health Diagnostics Teacher
• Dietetics Teacher

What Can You Do With a Dental Laboratory Technology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Dental Laboratory Technology commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Dental Laboratory Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	33.4%
Doctoral degree	22.8%
Post-doctoral training	17.5%
Bachelor’s degree	11.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.4%
Postsecondary certificate	4.2%
Less than a high school diploma	1.1%
Some college courses	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Dental Laboratory Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 73.6% of Dental Laboratory Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	217	73.6%
Men	78	26.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Dental Laboratory Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	66	22.4%
Asian	28	9.5%
Hispanic or Latino	132	44.7%
Black or African American	33	11.2%
Two or More Races	7	2.4%
Race Unknown	5	1.7%
International Students	24	8.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Dental Laboratory Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Dental Laboratory Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$28,149
4 years	$30,974
5 years	$33,855

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $33,855 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Dental Laboratory Technology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Dental Laboratory Technology graduates earn a median of $30,974 four years after completion — about 18% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions	24,761
Dental Assisting/Assistant	15,557
Dental Hygiene/Hygienist	8,802
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Dental Services and Allied Professions, Other	107

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.