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Career Details : Dental Laboratory Technicians

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Description

Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Education

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Tasks

  • Assembles, carves, grinds, and polishes metal and plastic appliances, using pliers, spatula, grinders, and polishes.
  • Fills chipped or low spots in surface with acrylic resin.
  • Casts plastic, plaster, and metal framework and removes mold from frame.
  • Melts metals or mixes plaster, porcelain, or acrylic paste, and pours material into molds or over framework to form dental apparatus or prosthesis.
  • Rebuilds or replaces linings, wire sections, and missing teeth to repair dentures.
  • Applies investments or mixtures, such as porcelain paste or wax, over prosthesis framework or setup, using brushes and spatula.
  • Fabricates dental appliances or apparatus, such as dentures, retainers, or metal bands.
  • Reads prescription or specifications and examines models and impressions to determine design of dental products to be constructed.
  • Removes excess mixture and investment and polishes surface of prosthesis or framework, using polishing machine.
  • Tests appliance for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulator and micrometer.
  • Shapes and solders wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering iron and hand tools.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    • Consequence of Error
    • Indoors
    • Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
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