Dental Technician

Additional Skills

• Maintain and order supplies


• Perform administrative functions for the dental laboratory


• Train and supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory assistants

Area of Specialization

• Partial dentures


• Orthodontic appliances


• Gold dies and goldwork


• Full dentures


• Crowns and bridges


• Chrome castings


• Ceramic or porcelain application

Work Setting

• Independently owned business


• Commercial dental laboratory

Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities

• Fast-paced environment


• Work under pressure


• Repetitive tasks


• Manual dexterity


• Attention to detail


• Hand-eye co-ordination


• Ability to distinguish between colours


• Sitting


• Combination of sitting, standing, walking


• Bending, crouching, kneeling


• Tight deadlines

Technical Expertise (dental)

• Waxing-up


• Polishing


• Plastering


• Packing


• Assembly

Personal Suitability

• Effective interpersonal skills


• Flexibility


• Team player


• Client focus


• Judgement

Dental Technologists and Technicians Specific Skills

• Design, fabricate or repair dental devices

Laboratory Assistants Specific Skills

• Prepare wax bite-blocks and impression trays


• Prepare plaster models and moulds


• Polish and buff dentures


• Make orthodontic bands from metal and alloys


• Finish metal framework of dentures


• Cast gold or metal alloys for bridges and denture bases


• Mould wax over dentures set-up


• Pack plastic material in moulds to form full or partial dentures