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Dental Laboratory Technicians

THE JOB

DENTAL LABORATORY TECHNICIANS construct and repair dental appliances such as 
crowns, bridges, and dentures.  They perform many tasks and use a variety of 
hand tools.  The tasks may include mixing ingredients, filling dental-
appliance molds, sculpting and building forms, bending and soldering wires, 
and grinding and polishing finished work.  All work is done following 
instructions written by the dentist and using models and impressions of 
patients' teeth or mouths.

In some laboratories, Dental Laboratory Technicians are all-round workers 
having full responsibility for studying prescriptions, planning the work, 
and designing, constructing, repairing, reworking, or adjusting dental 
appliances.  In most laboratories, however, each Technician concentrates on 
one aspect of the work. 

Specialists include crown and bridge technicians, who plan, fabricate, 
and/or repair crowns, inlays and metal frames for dental bridges.  Denture 
Technicians design and construct full or partial dentures.  Technicians 
specializing in ceramic work are called Ceramists; they plan and construct 
porcelain jacket crowns, bridges, and inlays, and repair porcelain teeth. 
Those specializing in metal do the design and fabrication of framework and 
clasps, and they rework and repair metalwork. 

Orthodontic Technicians design, construct, and rework orthodontic appliances 
such as bands, retainers, and positioners.  Any of these Technicians may be 
highly skilled specialists assigned to the most difficult tasks, or they may 
be workers in assembly line operations requiring more limited skills.


WORKING CONDITIONS

Dental laboratories range in size from one-person firms to large assembly 
line operations.  They are clean, well-lighted, and usually air-conditioned. 
Dental Laboratory Technicians' work is not strenuous and can usually be 
performed while seated. 

Technicians usually have their own workbenches, which are equipped with 
Bunsen burners, grinding and polishing machines, and various hand tools. 
Proximity to sharp tools and the high speed grinding and polishing equipment 
create some hazard.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

The following information is from the California Projections of Employment 
published by the Labor Market Information Division.

Estimated number of workers in 1990               6,560
Estimated number of workers in 2005               6,700
Projected Growth 1990-2005                           2%
Estimated openings due to separations by 2005     2,640

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.) 

The number of Dental Laboratory Technicians is expected to grow much slower 
than average through 2005.  (Projected growth for all occupations in 
California is expected to average 24 percent through 2005.)  The expansion of
employer-sponsored dental coverage may increase job opportunities for 
technicians. 

Fully qualified technicians are very difficult to find.  Highly skilled 
specialists and well-rounded technicians able to handle all phases of work 
for small laboratories are in demand.  However, new technological 
advancements may require less need for technicians.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

The salaries of Dental Laboratory Technicians vary, depending upon 
experience, skill, specialization, and geographic area.  Pay for fully 
experienced technicians is generally between $7.50 and $16.25 per hour. 
Experts in the more technical specialties usually earn from $10.00 to over 
$20.00 an hour.  Starting salaries for trainees with neither experience nor 
specialized schooling receive minimum wages of $4.25 an hour.  Graduates of 
a two-year program in dental technology with no experience may receive from 
$5.00 to $8.00 per hour or more.  Industry growth in some geographical areas 
usually pay at a higher wage level.  Technicians work 40 hours per week, 
Monday through Friday.  Sometimes, overtime is necessary.  Fringe benefits 
usually include paid vacations and holidays, sick leave, health insurance, 
profit sharing, retirement plans, and uniforms.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

Qualifications for this occupation include eye and hand coordination, finger 
dexterity, attentiveness to detail, mechanical aptitude and spatial 
comprehension, good eyesight and color perception, and the ability to follow 
specifications.  Patience, dependability, and artistic ability are also 
desirable characteristics.  Speed in meeting deadlines and quality of work 
are both important to the success of a Dental Laboratory Technician.  Thus, 
many employers use practical tests or probationary periods when hiring.  Some
look for technicians certified by the National Board for Certification in 
Dental Technology (NBC), a trust established by the National Association of 
Dental Laboratories.  Certification is obtained by passing written and 
practical examinations given by the NBC.

The usual way to learn this work is through informal on-the-job training. 
Three to five years of training and experience are required to become a 
skilled Dental Laboratory Technician.

Completion of an accredited two-year course in dental laboratory technology 
is not only recommended but preferred by many employers.  This training 
enables the trainee to learn quickly and eventually to develop a high level 
of skill.  Instructional courses are offered by many community colleges 
throughout the State.  Write to the National Board for Certification 
(address appears below) for a list of these colleges.


ADVANCEMENT

In large laboratories, there are opportunities for promotion to supervisor, 
department head, or manager positions, especially for those who keep up with 
the technology and refine their skills.  Laboratories sometimes offer a 
percentage of the profit or a partnership to their most skilled Technicians. 


FINDING THE JOB

Best contacts can be made through the yellow page listings in telephone 
directories under the heading "Dentists," which includes Orthodontics and 
Prosthodontics and the heading "Laboratories-Dental."  Another source is the 
nearest Workforce Services Office of the California Employment Development 
Department or friends and relatives working in the occupation.


ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Career information:
  National Association of Dental Laboratories
  3801 Mount Vernon Avenue
  Alexandria, VA 22305
  (703) 683-5263
  http://www.nadl.org

Certification Information:
  National Board for Certification in Dental Technology
  3801 Mount Vernon Avenue
  Alexandria, VA 22305
  (703) 683-5310


RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Dental Assistants         No.  27
Dental Hygienists         No. 155
Dentists                  No. 377


OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev. 1)
Dental Laboratory Technician         712.381-018
Dental Laboratory Technician A       712.381-022
Orthodontic Technician               712.381-030

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
Precision Dental Laboratory Technicians          899210
Medical Appliance Makers                         899230


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department, 
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group, 
         (916) 262-2162.