How to become a dental laboratory technician
Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What dental laboratory technicians do
- Train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers.
- Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
- Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
- Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
- Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
- Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Learning Strategies
Is dental laboratory technician a good career?
On the numbers, this job is close to the average across occupations. Median pay is 3% below the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- Massachusetts $72,800
- North Dakota $67,580
- Maine $64,020
- Colorado $61,220
- New Hampshire $60,610
Dental Laboratory Technicians salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.