Job Prospect

Dental Technologists, Technicians and Laboratory Bench Workers (NOC 3223)

 

Current Workforce   

The following tables provide basic information on the workforce trends for this occupation based on the 2006 Census.
  

Workforce Characteristics  

	This Occupation	Comparison to other occupations
Employed (size of occupation)	1,230	Average
Full-time Salary (full year)	$43,305	Average
% working full-time (full year)	63%	Average
% of employees who are women	38%	Average

<Source: http://www.workbc.ca/Careers/Career-Profiles/Pages/Dental-Technologists-Technicians-and-Laboratory-Bench-Workers-3223-page4.aspx>

Duties

 

Dental technicians design, plan, and create dentures and other dental devices as ordered by dentists and other dental professions.

Dental technicians are in charge of:

• Creating, producing, or fixing any dental devices including crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays, clasps and bands, implants, partial and full dentures 
• Conferring with dentists or other specialists on challenging dental circumstances 
• Training and supervising recent dental technician graduates or dental laboratory bench workers in creating dentures and other dental devices 
• Supervise and perform administrative duties for the laboratory

According to VCC, career opportunities for recent VCC’s Dental Technology Program graduates are amazing. After completing the program, graduates will be qualified to sit the College of Dental Technician's Licensing Examination and are capable to find employment with dental clinics operated by dentists, dental laboratories, Ministry of Health laboratories or manufacturers, and suppliers of other dental related products.

<Source: http://skilledimmigrants.vpl.ca/index.php/guides/industry/dental_technicians>

Income

Industry Wages and Salaries 

The majority of Dental laboratory technicians work at dental laboratories, dentist offices, orthodontist offices, and alongside oral surgeons. They have the flexibility to work either full or part-time. Some technicians are paid a set rate for each dental  piece they complete, on a piecework basis.

Income like in many professions is based on a dental technician’s years of experience, skill capabilities, area of expertise, and the nature of employer. Recent qualified technicians can earn between $19,000 to $30,000 a year, and for those with more experience who have moved up to supervising roles can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000 a year. If you own and operate your own laboratory you can earn even more than that. Approximately $40,000 a year is the average salary for dental technicians. If you are working in a large lab there tends to be more specialized duties and the salaries seem to be less than other dental technicians who are at smaller laboratories who are responsible for a wide variety of tasks.

On average, full-time technicians receive benefits that include health insurance, paid vacation and sick leave. Depending on their laboratory they may also receive retirement plans and profit sharing.

<Source:Career Cruising database (Profile for Dental Lab Tech). Available from the VPL Online Articles, Encyclopedias & More page at http://www.vpl.ca/electronic_databases/alpha/c>

 

 

 

Dental Technician Job Description

A career in dentistry does not only mean becoming a dentist. There are many behind the scenes people who contribute in making your teeth look great. One of them is a dental technician. A dental technician is a member of the dental health team who provides back office support to the dentists. Dental technicians rarely interact with clients, and usually work independently. The dental technician job description is varied and comprehensive. Let us try to find out more about the job description and responsibilities of dental technicians.

Job Description of Dental Technician

 

Job description for dental technicians includes constructing various appliances such as removable and fixed prosthesis including dentures, bridges, crowns, retention plates post orthodontic braces removal etc. They generally work directly with the dentists by following detailed written instructions from the dentist or the orthodontist. They use molds as replica of teeth for construction of crowns, bridges or false teeth. For creating these prostheses, dental technicians work with different materials like wax, stainless steel, porcelain as well as with gold and other metals. Nowadays, there is growing popularity for dental technicians to construct prosthesis which are metal free and aesthetic. They require qualities similar to that of a carver, as most of their work involves carving and shaping with tools like drills, presses, lathes and high heat furnaces for creating each prosthetic device. So basically, the dental technician job description includes making:
Full and partial dentures for patients who are missing all or some of their teeth
Crowns to restore root canal treated teeth
Veneers to enhance aesthetics and functions
Various orthodontic treatment appliances and splints, to help straighten and protect teeth

How to Have a Career as a Dental Technician

In most cases, you do not require a degree for becoming a dental laboratory technician. Any person with a high school diploma can become a dental laboratory technician. After high school, you can work under supervision of experienced technicians. However, with competition increasing in all fields, an increasing number of people are opting for formal training courses which are usually for two years, along with three years of practical experience. Also, to become a certified technician, you have to appear for tests conducted by the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. A dental laboratory technician who passes this examination becomes a Certified Dental Technician (CDT).

Career Opportunities

A dental technician ensures flexibility and independence. Dental laboratory technicians can find well paid jobs, in accordance with their skills and knowledge. The services of a dental technician will always be needed. As life expectancy increases, the number of elderly people requiring prosthesis is continually increasing. There is always the added advantage of the satisfaction of providing a valued health care service to patients, along with boosting their self-image.

In recent years, there is an increase in opportunities for people with a dental lab technician job description. Cosmetic dentistry is in demand due to advancement in technology and materials. The average commercial dental laboratory employs anywhere from two to two hundred technicians. Hence, there is a wide scope for employment. Besides laboratories, employment opportunities are also available in dental schools, hospitals and companies that specialize in making dental prosthesis materials.

The dental technician job description cannot be complete without mentioning the salary. However, there is no fixed salary, and it usually depends on the skills of the dental technician and the place of employment. Dental laboratory technicians can earn salaries equal to other health care professionals with similar qualifications and expertise. Also, experienced technicians can choose to open up their own laboratory for greater independence and more income.

Thus, this is a comprehensive job description of a dental technician. So, if you have always wanted a career in dental care, and are blessed with hands like a surgeon and eyesight like a hawk, then a dental technicians job is just for you!
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/dental-technician-job-description.html

 

<Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/dental-technician-job-description.html>

 

 

 

Dental Technologist Salary Canada

Average Canadian Dental Technologists' Salary :: Dental Technologists' Wages in Canada

The table below details the hourly wages for Dental Technologists. The Canadian national occupation classification code (NOC) for this employment is 3223.

Job titles and exact duties vary in this occupation and examples of some job titles are: dental technologist, dental technician, dental prosthesis maker and dental laboratory bench worker. 

The pay information below has been split into rough bands as follows:

·         Low pay: The bottom 10 percent of workers earn this.

·         High pay: The top 10 percent of workers earn this.

·     Average pay: The average wage in this sector after removing the bottom 10 percent and the top 10percent of workers. Average pay is then calculated on the remaining 80 percent of workers' wages.

According to the latest figures, the highest hourly average wages are earned in Edmonton, Alberta at $22 per hour and the lowest average wages are earned in Montreal, Quebec at $13 per hour.

A typical full-time annual salary for this occupation is in the region of $40,000 - $50,000.

The largest sector of employment for dental technologists is manufacturing. The average weekly earnings for the manufacturing sector as a whole were $995.11 in February 2011, an increase of 3.7% on the previous year. Assuming an average working week of 36 hours, hourly average earnings in this sector for February 2011 were $27.64. 

Average Hourly Wages for Dental Technologists in Canada

Location	Low Wage $ per hr	Average $ per hr	High Wage $ per hr	Year
Calgary / Banff / Jasper / Rocky Mountain House - Alberta	15.14	20.99	30.21	2011
Edmonton - Alberta*	17.00	22.00	30.00	2011
Vancouver / Lower Mainland Southwest - British Columbia	13.00	19.45	26.52	2008/9
Winnipeg - Manitoba	12.00	15.67	25.00	2011
Moncton / Shediac / Sackville / Richibucto - New Brunswick		18.35	-	2006
Halifax - Nova Scotia	13.00	18.40	26.10	2010
Toronto - Ontario	12.00	16.97	24.70	2010
Muskoka / Kawarthas / Peterborough - Ontario	-	-	-	-
Ottawa - Ontario	12.00	17.30	25.70	2010
London / Woodstock - Ontario	-	-	-	-
Prince Edward Island	-	-	-	-
Montreal - Quebec	9.50	13.00	17.75	2007
Saskatoon - Saskatchewan	-	-	-	-

 

<Source: Living in Canada, http://www.livingin-canada.com/salaries-for-dental-technologists-canada.html> 







The List of Example Titles Used In Dental Technology 

• apprentice dental prosthesis maker
• apprentice dental technician
• bench moulder, dentures
• CDT (certified dental technician)
• ceramic caster, dentures
• ceramic denture caster
• ceramic denture mechanic
• ceramic denture mechanic-moulder
• ceramic denture moulder
• ceramic moulder, dentures
• certified dental technician
• crown and bridge dental technician
• dental ceramic caster
• dental ceramic moulder
• dental ceramist
• dental laboratory assistant
• dental laboratory bench worker
• dental laboratory technician
• dental laboratory technician assistant
• dental prosthesis maker
• dental technician
• dental technician apprentice
• dental technician supervisor
• dental technologist
• denture bench moulder
• denture finisher
• denture framework finisher
• denture packer
• denture setter
• denture set-up man/woman
• denture trimmer-polisher
• denture wax pattern former
• denture wax pattern former – metal framework
• framework finisher, dentures
• metal dental technician
• occlusion rim former – dentures
• orthodontic band maker
• orthodontic dental technician
• orthodontic prosthesis maker
• orthodontic technician
• plaster moulder – dentures
• RDT (registered dental technician)
• RDT (registered dental technologist)
• registered dental technician
• registered dental technologist
• set-up man/woman, dentures
• supervisor, dental technician
• technician, dental laboratory

<Source: http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/noc/english/noc/2011/Profile.aspx?val=3&val1=3223>