Dental Lab Technician job description
1 verified opening in Dental Lab Technicians
Crowns, bridges, dentures, and retainers start as a prescription and an impression, and the dental laboratory technician turns them into something that fits. BLS counted 34,410 of these technicians in May 2025, with a median of $49,610, or $23.85 an hour, and a spread from $36,660 at the tenth percentile to $76,940 at the ninetieth. The Handbook projects a decline, employment falling 6 percent from 34,400 jobs in 2025 to 32,300 in 2035, as 3D printing and other laborsaving technology take over more of the production.
Core Duties and Responsibilities
O*NET's most important task is reading the prescription and examining the model or impression to work out the design. Testing appliances for fit and bite comes next, using articulators and micrometers, then fabricating, altering, or repairing the devices themselves. Technicians mount tooth models on an apparatus that mimics the jaw, polish away excess metal or porcelain, and melt metal or mix plaster, porcelain, and acrylic to pour into molds. Senior technicians train and supervise bench workers. Many specialize, and the Handbook names ceramists, who make veneers and bridges, as one example.
Common Skills and Technologies
Reading comprehension, critical thinking, and time management lead the ratings. The Handbook stresses dexterity and attention to detail, because a restoration that is slightly off does not fit. Computer-aided design and manufacturing software are both on O*NET's list of tools for the job, and the Handbook notes technicians also work with design programs and 3D printers. QuickBooks and Microsoft Office show up in postings.
Education, Training, and Career Path
Job Zone Two. Just over half of O*NET respondents, 51.7 percent, named a high school diploma as the requirement, and most technicians learn at the bench, often starting on models before moving to crowns and bridges. Certification is voluntary: the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology awards the Certified Dental Technician credential in seven specialties, and more than 5,500 technicians hold it. A few states regulate the labs themselves. Texas requires commercial labs to register with its dental board, and Washington requires a lab to employ a certified technician at least 30 hours a week or work under a dentist's supervision.
Sources: O*NET 30.0, 51-9081.00 Dental Laboratory Technicians, https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-9081.00. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, 51-9081, https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dental and Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians and Medical Appliance Technicians, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/dental-and-ophthalmic-laboratory-technicians-and-medical-appliance-technicians.htm. National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology, https://nbccert.org/about-national-board-certification/.