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Dental Technician Career
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Dental Technician Job Description
A dental technician is involved with creating dental prosthetics. A dental technician ideally works with metal, waxes and molds to create dental prosthetics. He does not directly interact with the patients, but works behind the scenes and is involved in the development of crowns, bridges and dentures for patients. As per the Occupational Information Network, a dental technician is also referred to as a dental laboratory technician.
A dental technician is provided with a detailed prescription from a dentist about the various items to be manufactured, along with the digital impression or physical mold of the patient’s teeth or mouth. Based on these details, a dental technician creates customized dental prosthetics, which suites the patients needs. Based on the instructions received from the dentist, the technician would develop dental fixtures, including crowns, porcelain veneers, bridges, etc.
He works with specialized machinery and tools to create the end product. These technicians often use plaster, wax, metal and other materials to produce a dental fixture that matches the patient’s needs and the doctor’s prescription.
Dental Technician Skills/Duties
A dental technician works behind the scene, and rarely ever interacts with the patient. However, the technician needs to have special skills in manufacturing of dental fixtures as per the doctor’s prescription and customize them, as per the patient’s digital impressions or physical molds provided to him/her.
Maintaining optimum hygiene, ability to work with machinery, good craftsmanship and dexterity are some of the skills and attributes of a dental technician.
Dental Technician Education and Training
• With regards to basic education, a high school diploma or equivalent is preferred. Training time may vary depending upon the laboratory.
• Formal training is also available in some of the universities and junior colleges. As per the Commission of Dental Accreditation, there were about 20 programs recognized as in 2008 for dental technicians. Each of these programs would take about two to four years to complete.
• As per the American Bureau of Labor Statistics, most of the dental technicians learn on the job. To begin with these technicians start with assisting others and gradually gain experience and knowledge.
Dental Technician Job Outlook
Since this employment is associated with the growth of dentistry, in general, the scope and job outlook is good. Dental technician, as a stream of employment is expected to grow at the rate of about fourteen percent through 2018, much faster than average.
Most of these changes are attributed to increasing population base, increasing size of the aging population, which is in need to dentures and crowns, increasing importance of cosmetic prosthesis such as veneers, etc.
Presently, there is little or no competition in this domain as very few people are aware of this job opportunity.
Dental Technician Salary
Analyzing the data form the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that, dental technicians are employed primarily by medical equipment manufactures and suppliers. As per industry stats, the average mean annual salary of dental technician is $ 36,760.
In addition a few are employed with dentists, professional schools, etc. The federal Executive Branch offers the highest pay package in this profession with an average salary of $ 51,560.
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