Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
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Dental Laboratory Technicians
Dental Laboratory Technicians construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
Table of contents
What they do
Dental Laboratory Technicians construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
- Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
- Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas.
- Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
- Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatus.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Dental Laboratory Technicians read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed. They test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
A typical day for a Dental Laboratory Technician will also include:
- Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas.
- Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
- Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists’ specifications.
- Place tooth models on apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient’s jaw to evaluate the functionality of the model.
- Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Dental Laboratory Technicians also fill chipped or low spots in surfaces of devices, using acrylic resins. They may also rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Dental Laboratory Technicians prepare wax bite blocks and impression trays for use. They might also create a model of the patient’s mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing the plaster to set.
In addition, they train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them shape and solder wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering irons and hand tools.
To some Dental Laboratory Technicians, it is also their responsibility to prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
62% said they were satisfied with their job and 65% said they found their job meaningful.
Pros
Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.
Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to start and carry out projects.
Salary is below average.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Dental Laboratory Technicians with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $27,060 to $32,480 per year or $13 to $16 per hour.
| Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Highest (Top 10%) | $67,010 | $32 |
| Senior (Top 25%) | $54,380 | $26 |
| Median | $42,110 | $20 |
| Junior (Bottom 25%) | $32,480 | $16 |
| No experience (Bottom 10%) | $27,060 | $13 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Dental Laboratory Technicians based on their average annual salary.
| Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch | $61800 | $29.71 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $48650 | $23.39 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $48460 | $23.30 |
| Offices of Dentists | $46780 | $22.49 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $44790 | $21.53 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $44670 | $21.47 |
| Offices of Physicians | $41700 | $20.05 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $32350 | $15.55 |
| Employment Services | $30910 | $14.86 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Dental Laboratory Technicians work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Dental Laboratory Technicians including the average salary in that industry.
| Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 25480 | $44670 | $21.47 |
| Offices of Dentists | 3970 | $46780 | $22.49 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 510 | $61800 | $29.71 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 180 | $48650 | $23.39 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 160 | $48460 | $23.30 |
| Employment Services | 130 | $30910 | $14.86 |
| Offices of Physicians | 40 | $41700 | $20.05 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $32350 | $15.55 | |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $44790 | $21.53 |
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What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Dental Laboratory Technology
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
They also like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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