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Dental Laboratory Technicians
Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
Other titles employers use
Ceramist · Crown and Bridge Dental Laboratory Technician (Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Tech) · Dental Ceramist · Dental Laboratory Technician (Dental Lab Tech) · Dental Technician (Dental Tech) · Denture Technician (Denture Tech) · Metal Finisher · Orthodontic Laboratory Technician (Ortho Lab Tech)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, analytical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Time Management
- Operations Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Listening
Subjects to know
- Administration and Management
- Design
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Production and Processing
Useful strengths
- Finger Dexterity
- Near Vision
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Control Precision
- Visualization
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.2 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.0 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.4 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 4.7 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 65%
- A certificate or some college 25%
- A master's degree 6%
- A two-year degree 2%
- A four-year degree 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Accounting software
- Electronic mail software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Operating system software
- Data base user interface and query software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 4,500
- Job openings each year
- 520
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- −2.2%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 4,500 | 520 | −2.2% |
| Florida | 2,970 | 350 | 2.1% |
| New York | 2,780 | 0 | −3.1% |
| Texas | 1,510 | 180 | — |
| Michigan | 1,310 | 150 | −5.1% |
| Georgia | 1,250 | 140 | −3.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,020 | 120 | −4.7% |
| Illinois | 990 | 110 | −4.8% |
| Alabama | 980 | 120 | 12.6% |
| Utah | 980 | 110 | 4.3% |
| Indiana | 970 | 110 | −1.0% |
| Ohio | 970 | 110 | −12.6% |
| Arizona | 910 | 110 | 18.2% |
| Tennessee | 860 | 100 | 3.6% |
| Washington | 860 | 110 | 4.9% |
| Wisconsin | 860 | 100 | — |
| Missouri | 850 | 100 | −3.4% |
| Arkansas | 840 | 100 | −1.2% |
| North Carolina | 840 | 100 | −5.6% |
| Virginia | 810 | 90 | −4.7% |
| Oregon | 800 | 90 | — |
| Nebraska | 720 | 80 | −2.7% |
| Colorado | 610 | 70 | −4.7% |
| Idaho | 570 | 70 | 18.8% |
| Louisiana | 560 | 60 | −1.8% |
| New Jersey | 550 | 60 | −9.8% |
| Minnesota | 470 | 50 | 2.2% |
| Iowa | 450 | 50 | 2.3% |
| South Carolina | 450 | 50 | — |
| Maryland | 390 | 40 | 2.6% |
| Nevada | 360 | 40 | 24.1% |
| Oklahoma | 360 | 40 | −2.7% |
| Kansas | 310 | 40 | −13.9% |
| Kentucky | 310 | 40 | −3.1% |
| Connecticut | 160 | 20 | — |
| Mississippi | 160 | 20 | −5.9% |
| Montana | 160 | 20 | 6.7% |
| New Mexico | 160 | 20 | 6.7% |
| Puerto Rico | 150 | 20 | 7.1% |
| Rhode Island | 140 | 20 | −6.7% |
| South Dakota | 110 | 10 | — |
| North Dakota | 90 | 10 | — |
| Massachusetts | 80 | 10 | — |
| New Hampshire | 60 | 10 | — |
| Alaska | 50 | 10 | 25.0% |
| West Virginia | 50 | 10 | −16.7% |
| Vermont | 40 | 10 | — |
| Maine | 30 | 0 | −25.0% |
| Wyoming | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Oregon Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 64
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
MCPHS University
- Degrees each year
- 62
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $38,000
Minnesota State University-Mankato
- Degrees each year
- 61
- Admit rate
- 91%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Wichita State University
- Degrees each year
- 56
- Admit rate
- 95%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
Texas Woman's University
- Degrees each year
- 51
- Admit rate
- 95%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Indiana University-Indianapolis
- Degrees each year
- 47
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Old Dominion University
- Degrees each year
- 47
- Admit rate
- 91%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Eastern Washington University
- Degrees each year
- 46
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Compare every college offering dental support services and allied professions