Dental Lab Technician

JOB PURPOSE

To fill prescriptions from dentists to construct appliances for straightening teeth and repairs dentures, bridges, crowns, and other artificial tooth-replacement devices.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reads prescriptions or specifications and examines models and impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed. Fabricates, alters, and repairs dental devices such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, and appliances for straightening teeth.
• Tests appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion using articulators and micrometers.
• Places tooth models on apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient’s jaw to evaluate functionality of model. Melts metals or mixes plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes, and pours materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatus.
• Prepares metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth using small hand tools. Removes excess metal or porcelain, and polishes surfaces of prostheses or frameworks using polishing machines.
• Creates a model of patient’s mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set. Loads newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.
• Builds and shapes wax teeth using small hand instruments and with information from observations or dentists’ specifications.

SKILLS REQUIRED

• Ability to work with plaster, wax, porcelain, plastic, gold, and other metals.
• Experience using hand tools for carving and shaping and electric drills, presses, lathes, and high-heat furnaces for completing dental pieces.
• Good vision and color sense.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time.
• Excellent manual dexterity and visual acuity required.
• Artistic aptitude for detailed and precise work.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma with courses in art, ceramics, metalwork, and chemistry required for entry-level position.
• Completion of a certified dental lab technology program
• Knowledge of dental anatomy and terminology
• Experience working in a dental lab setting
• Detail-oriented with good manual dexterity
• Ability to read and interpret dental prescription forms and work orders
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills