Dental laboratory technicians

Question: I have always been interested in working with my hands and considered becoming a dental hygienist but I'm not a "people" person. My cousin, who is a dentist, suggested that I consider becoming a dental laboratory technician. Is there a need for dental lab workers? Do I have to complete a training program?
— Laney

Response: If you want to work in a dental setting but without much patient contact, dental laboratory technician may be right up your alley. Dental laboratory technicians primarily work in commercial dental laboratories, hospitals, or dentists' offices.

Job Description
Dental laboratory technicians are trained clinical dental professionals who specialize in the fabrication of dentures, partial dentures, bridges, crowns, orthodontic appliance and other prostheses (body part substitutes). Dental laboratory technicians receive a prescription with specifications from the dentist on how the prosthesis should be fabricated. They observe the mold impressions of the patient's teeth or oral tissue, and then fabricate custom impression trays and temporary dental materials before making the final product. Dental laboratory technicians work with a variety of materials including waxes, plastics, and precious and non-precious alloys. The technician's goal is to provide a functional, well-fitting, and aesthetically pleasing oral product for the patient. Increasingly, dental laboratory technicians use CAD/CAM technologies used to manufacture custom-fit devices for patients.

Job Requirements
The field of dental laboratory technology is not state regulated, because dental laboratory technicians generally do not have direct contact with patients. However, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA) has been established by the American Dental Association (ADA) to approve dental laboratory technician training programs. For further information, contact:

Commission on Dental Accreditation

Phone: (800) 621-8099

www.ada.org

The commission is an independent voluntary organization that provides the accreditation review process based on nationally accepted standards.

Training Options and Costs
According to a representative of a dental laboratory technician-training program, most employers prefer technicians who have completed a CDA accredited training program.

Pasadena City College

Health Sciences Division

1570 E. Colorado Blvd.

Pasadena, CA 91106

Phone: (626) 585-7200

www.pasadena.edu

Contact: Anita Bobich

The college offers a two-year 63-unit dental laboratory technology certificate program. Courses include dental materials, dental anatomy, and orthodontics and pedodontics. Students attend class two full days and one half day per week. By the fourth semester, students complete 9 to 10 hour per week of part-time externships, which could be paid or unpaid depending on the employer. Interns generally work as assistants to the dental laboratory technician preparing stone models for the technicians to perform required restorations as ordered by the doctor/dentist. A paid intern typically earns $10 per hour. Admission requirements include passing scores on manual dexterity and hand/eye coordination examinations. The program is offered once per year beginning in the fall. The cost is $26 per unit.

Los Angeles City College

Dental Technology Department

855 N. Vermont Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90029

Phone: (323) 953-4000

www.lacitycollege.edu

The department offers a 55-unit dental technology training program. Courses including elementals of dental technology, and removable partial denture prosthetics. The cost is $26 per unit.

Voluntary Certification
After completing a dental laboratory technician-training program, you could consider completing the voluntary national designation Certified Dental Technician (CDT). To do so, you must pass the dental laboratory technology examinations administered by the National Board for Certification. You would have to pass a written examination, and a specialty practical examination, and a specialty written examination. The five specialties to choose from are as follows: complete dentures, partial dentures, crown and bridge, ceramics and orthodontics.

The examinations can be taken in any order within a four-year period. Four years of work experience as a dental laboratory technician is recommended for adequate preparation for the highly intensive five-hour practical examination. For example, if you were to specialize in complete denture, you would be tested on your ability to finish a maxillary custom tray, arrange 1 x 28 anatomical teeth in full balance using the previously mounted casts, and contour the 1 x 28 setup. You would then make two dental repairs and make a maxillary wax occlusal (the way one's teeth meet when biting down) rim on a stabilized base plate.

For additional information on certification, contact:

National Board for Certification (NBC) in Dental Laboratory Technology

325 John Knox Road, #L103

Tallahassee, FL 32303

Phone: (800) 684-5310

www.nbccert.org

This board is responsible for national certification of dental laboratory technicians.

Professional Associations
After completing a dental laboratory technician training program, you could joining the following professional associations:

National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL)

325 John Knox Road, #L103

Tallahassee, FL 32303

Phone: (800) 950-1150

www.nadl.org

In partnership with the NBC, NADL exists to enhance standards of dental laboratory technicians. Membership benefits include field updates through publications such as the Journal of Dental Technology. Annual associate membership dues are $70.

California Dental Lab Association (CDLA)

39270 Paseo Padre Parkway, #730

Fremont, CA 94538

Phone: (800) 532-2352

www.cdla.org

This is the state affiliate of NADL. Membership benefits include field updates through publications such as CDLA Focus, and networking opportunities at conferences such as the September 2006 conference to be held in San Francisco. Annual active membership dues are $384 per year.

Employment Outlook
Currently, there are more job openings for dental laboratory technician than qualified candidates to fill them.

Salary Range
The annual salary of an entry-level dental laboratory technician in the Los Angeles area ranges from approximately $27,000 to $35,000 per year.

E-mail career questions you'd like answered in this column to info@californiacareerservices.com or visit California Career Services at www.californiacareerservices.com.