Dental technician

Dental technicians make and repair crowns, bridges, false teeth (dentures) and other dental appliances, using impressions (moulds) and instructions usually prepared by a dentist. They are skilled at working with plastics, metal alloys, ceramics and moulding techniques.

Also known as:

• Dental technologist

Work activities

Dental technicians make and repair crowns, bridges and other dental appliances. They work to instructions from a dentist or doctor and use an impression (mould) of the patient’s teeth and gums to make a cast or model from which to make the device. They use a wide range of materials such as waxes, gold, porcelain, plastics, titanium, stainless steel and plaster of Paris. They need a detailed knowledge of these materials, to design and make the most appropriate device. They use hand and powered tools, fine-tuning each piece to exact requirements. No two devices are the same, so the technician has to work with a very high degree of accuracy. They have to match devices exactly to each individual patient’s teeth.

Once qualified and experienced, dental technicians can specialise in:

• Orthodontics DELETE.
• Conservation (also called crown and bridge technology).
• Prosthodontics DELETE.
• Maxillo-facial work.

Dental technicians make orthodontic appliances, including braces, to correct irregularities in the position of teeth within the jaws, improve the patient’s appearance and prevent problems later in life. In conservation work, technicians use materials such as cast metals and ceramics to make crowns that restore natural teeth, and bridges to replace missing ones. In prosthodontics, technicians design and make complete or partial dentures. A patient might need these if they have lost several teeth in the same part of the mouth, so the dentist is unable to use a bridge. Technicians working in this area must take great care to make sure that the dentures fit precisely and look natural.

Technicians who specialise in maxillo-facial work are based in hospitals. Working under the direct supervision of a maxillo-facial surgeon, they design and make appliances that restore the faces of patients who have been badly injured, burnt or undergone major surgery. The dental technician has to work to improve the patient’s facial appearance and their ability to speak and eat. Dental technicians may also make splints that support the patient’s jaw so that the surgeon is able to operate.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a dental technician, you’ll need:

• The ability to use your hands skilfully, in detailed work.
• Concentration and close attention to detail.
• The ability to use a range of hand and power tools.
• Some artistic ability and the imagination to adapt techniques to solve problems.

Machinery used in welding, grinding and polishing can create dust: this could be an issue if you suffer from asthma or another breathing-related condition. This job would suit you if you are happy to work as part of a team but also enjoy doing a lot of your work without close supervision.

Pay and opportunities

In the NHS, dental technicians typically start on band 5 of the Agenda for Change payscale, earning £28,407. In the private sector, they may earn more.

Working hours vary. In commercial laboratories, they are often 9:00am - 5:30pm. In hospitals, working hours can be irregular and include on-call nights and weekends. Overtime may be available.

Employers include commercial dental laboratories, the NHS (in hospitals, general practice and in the community) and the armed forces. Opportunities for dental technicians occur in dental laboratories in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the NHS Jobs website, on job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job service, and in local newspapers.

Entry routes and training

Dental technicians must be registered with the General Dental Council. This means that to work as a dental technician, your name must be on the GDC’s Dental Care Professionals Register. You will only be able to enter the Register if you have completed a qualification such as the following:

• BTEC National diploma in dental technology.
• Foundation degree in which you are employed as a trainee dental technician.
• BSc (Hons) degree in dental technology.
• Dental technician apprenticeship (level 5 / higher)

After further qualifications and experience, you could become a senior technician. It’s also possible to progress into a quality control, teaching or sales role. You might find that you have to move to a larger laboratory to increase your chances of promotion. You can specialise in a particular area, such as orthodontics, conservation, prosthodontics or maxillo-facial work.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

Academic requirements depend on the entry route you choose. Typically, you will need at least two A-levels in relevant subjects, such as biology, as well as GCSEs in maths and English, and possibly other subjects as well.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Colleges will usually consider applications from adults who don’t meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges. Entry to relevant courses can be possible by Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL). A range of colleges and universities offer qualifications in dental technology, including at foundation level. Study can be full or part time/flexible. Courses have been developed in partnership with industry.

Funding would usually come from an employer, such as a health authority or commercial laboratory.

Related careers

• Dental hygienist
• Dentist
• Dispensing optician
• Orthotist/prosthetist