Dental technician job profile

A dental technician, also known as a dental technologist, is responsible for designing, constructing and repairing a variety of dental devices

As a dental technician you'll work to the prescription of a dentist to make, modify or repair bridges, crowns, dentures, braces and other orthodontic devices for individual patients.

It's likely that you'll specialise in one of the following areas:

fixed prosthesis - such as implants, crowns and bridges that can be cemented into place
orthodontics - devices such as braces to straighten teeth and mouth guards
removable prosthesis - such as dentures and removable partial dentures
maxillofacial appliances - for patients who, through an accident or disease, have lost part of their face or jaw. You would work in specialised hospital units but entry opportunities are limited.

You'll work with a range of materials such as plastic, porcelain, wax and metals (including gold and stainless steel) and will need skills in areas such as modelling, sculpting, polishing, wire bending, ceramic work and casting.

You may also be known as a dental technologist.

Responsibilities

As a dental technician, you'll need to:

undertake all aspects of prosthetic work including making bites, castings, mouth guards
construct partial or full dentures (metal and non-metal) to replace the partial or total loss of teeth
construct accurate models of the mouth and teeth from impressions of the patient's mouth taken by the dentist
use various dental techniques for restorative work including diagnostic wax-ups, Smile Design cases, dental composite work and IPS e.max Press restorations
restore natural teeth by fabricating crowns, veneers and bridges or creating dental implants
correct dental irregularities by manufacturing fixed or removable appliances, such as dentures, braces and retainers
replace missing facial and body tissues due to injury, disease or developmental abnormality by fabricating maxillofacial prostheses
use traditional methods and increasingly CAD/CAM for designing dental devices
maintain dental laboratory records and prepare reports on laboratory activities
update your dental laboratory knowledge and skills by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining personal networks and joining professional organisations.

Salary

Salaries for newly qualified dental technicians can start at around £22,000. Once you've built up several years of experience and have developed a specialism this can rise to almost £42,000.
Within the NHS starting salaries are usually between £28,407 and £34,581 (band 5 of the Agenda for Change pay rates).
Specialist technicians and those with management responsibilities in the NHS can earn between £35,392 and £42,618 (band 6). Salaries for some highly specialist roles may range from £43,742 to £50,056 (band 7).

Salaries vary and are based on your qualifications, specialisms, experience and whether you work for the NHS, a private commercial laboratory or run your own business.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours are typically around 37.5 hours a week, usually completed during standard hours of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. This can vary however, depending on where you work and in some instances you may need to do some weekend work.

Short-term contracts and part-time work may be an option with some employers.

What to expect

You're most likely to be based in a dental laboratory, or in a laboratory in a general dentist practice or a hospital.
If you work for a hospital, you'll usually be attached to the maxillofacial department, which works on reconstructing damaged faces due to accidents, burns or diseases. You may also be involved in making other prostheses such as eyes, ears and noses.
Working in a laboratory involves time spent working alone and as part of a team. You won't generally have contact with patients themselves, unless you're working in a hospital, as you'll work to the prescription of a dentist. In a hospital, you'll have direct contact with dental and oral surgeons.
Most of your work will be done by hand to fine-tune each dental piece to exact individual specifications. Wearing protective clothing is essential when working with specialised equipment in the laboratory.
Job security and conditions vary but are generally good, especially if working for the NHS.

Qualifications

To work as a dental technician you must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) before you can start work. To get onto the register, you have to complete a GDC-approved qualification in dental technology.

Courses are available at the following levels:

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Dental Technology: you'll typically need four GCSEs at grade 4-7 (A-C).
Foundation degree in dental technology: you'll usually need to be employed in a trainee dental technician role in a dental laboratory or as an apprentice
BSc (Hons) in dental technology: you'll usually need three A-levels, including one in a science, for entry.

Degree courses are three years, full time at a university or dental school. The BTEC and foundation degrees can also be done on a full-time basis or they can be completed part time while working as a trainee dental technician.

Check with course providers for exact entry details as they may accept alternative qualifications. For a list of institutions offering the above qualifications, see GDC - Dental technology programmes and qualifications.

For advanced or specialist dental technology work, you'll usually need a degree or postgraduate degree-level qualification.

Find out more about dental technician education and training from the Dental Technologists Association.

Skills

You'll need to have:

manual dexterity
ability to carry out fine, accurate work
attention to detail and the ability to concentrate for long periods
design skills and knowledge in order to copy shapes
the ability to analyse quality or performance
the ability to work well with others
thinking and reasoning skills
written and verbal communication skills
the ability to work well under pressure of time constraints.

You'll also need good eyesight when making crowns and bridges, for example, in order to colour match.

Work experience

Dental technology is a science-based role that requires sound analytical and practical skills. Work experience in a laboratory, dental practice or hospital can show that you have developed these.

Getting experience in the field will help you gain a place on a course or to get a trainee position. Work experience is particularly valuable if you choose the degree route to qualification, which involves full-time study. You'll be competing for jobs with people who have chosen an on-the-job route, so any practical experience in a related role will enhance your application.

For free mentoring resources and experiences designed to support aspiring healthcare and legal professionals - including virtual work experience that is accepted by medical schools, see Medic Mentor.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Most dental technicians work for commercial dental laboratories, which can vary in size from very small through to large. In these laboratories you'll receive prescriptions from dentists to work on and will also repair and adapt appliances. You may have the opportunity to specialise, particularly in a larger laboratory.

It is also possible to get a role as a specialist technician in a hospital dental department making maxillofacial and other dental appliances. However, opportunities for entry are typically limited.

There are also some opportunities to work in large private dental practices that may employ their own dental technicians to carry out work.

Sometimes dental technicians are involved in research or teach undergraduate dental students with one of the GDC-approved course providers. Once you have enough experience, you may set up and run your own business.

Whether you're employed privately, via the NHS or through another organisation, you'll be required to prove that you're registered with the GDC in order to work in the UK.

Look for job vacancies at:

Specialist recruitment agencies also handle vacancies. These include:

Vacancies are also advertised on general recruitment websites and employers' own websites.

Professional development

In order to maintain your registration with the General Dental Council (GDC) you must undertake continuing professional development (CPD) throughout your career. As a dental technician you'll need to complete a minimum of 50 hours of CPD across a five-year period, with at least 10 hours done every two years.

Relevant activities can include:

taking in-house training courses (more typical in larger organisations)
attending events, seminars, courses and conferences run by the relevant professional associations
active involvement with a professional body
writing articles for journals
undertaking private study, such as online courses or top-up courses relating to certain specialisms, or postgraduate study for more advanced dental technology work.

Search postgraduate courses in dental technology.

There are also opportunities to take courses in areas such as leadership and management.

Membership of professional bodies can provide access to a range of CPD and networking opportunities. Relevant associations include:

Career prospects

If you work for a large commercial laboratory it's likely there will be opportunities for you to specialise in certain areas. You may need to move employers to progress if you work for a smaller laboratory.

With a few years' experience you could move into a management position. With significant experience, you could even set up your own laboratory.

Within the NHS, you can move through their grade structure and may be able to go into senior or chief dental technician roles.

To progress into advanced or specialist dental technology, you'll usually need further training at undergraduate or postgraduate degree-level. For example, there are opportunities to specialise in reconstruction sciences such as maxillofacial technology, conservation, orthodontics and prosthodontics.

You could also look at moving into other related careers. For example, you could go on to complete further clinical training to allow you to work directly with patients as a clinical dental technician. Or you could train to become an orthodontic therapist, helping dentists with orthodontic treatments such as fitting braces, tooth separators and bonded retainers.

It's also possible to progress into reconstructive science by getting a place on the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP). During the programme you'll be employed in a fixed-term, salaried training post and will also study towards a Masters degree in clinical science (maxillofacial technology).

Dental technician