How to Become a Dental Lab Technician

Dental lab technicians create false teeth, bridges, crowns and dentures after receiving a mold of the patient's teeth from a dentist. Although a two-year college degree is recommended to work in this field, sometimes dental labs actually train beginners who have taken only basic dental courses, if any.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Career Counseling
• Online Career Search

1. Make certain that you have excellent manual dexterity, good vision and a strong attention to detail.

2. Decide if you want to receive an A.A. degree in a dental technician program. Your salary will rise more quickly if you receive formal training and you will be able to choose your area of specialization, such as orthodontics, crowns and bridges, ceramics, partial dentures, or complete dentures.

3. Work toward the two-year degree in a dental technician program that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA.org).

4. Receive certification in your specialty from the National Board for Certification. Consult your college guidance counselor for further information.

5. Be prepared to undergo some additional training under your first employer after you graduate.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't complete your formal training, be prepared to compete for future jobs with degree holders in the field.

• The most successful dental technicians become sole practitioners with their own labs. Take business courses in college to prepare for this.

• Understand that this career may sometimes be lonely since you will be doing your work by yourself.