Dental Laboratory Technicians: Career Overview
Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.
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The Daily Work of Dental Laboratory Technicians Do?
Typical responsibilities of dental laboratory technicians include:
- Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
- Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
- Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
- Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
- Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
- Train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers.
- Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses.
What Dental Laboratory Technicians Need to Know
Effective dental laboratory technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Bridge Technician
- CAD Tech (Computer-Aided Design Technician)
- CAM Tech (Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technician)
- Ceramist
- Certified Dental Technologist (CDT)
- Crown Ceramist
- Crown and Bridge Dental Laboratory Technician (Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Tech)
- Crown and Bridge Technician (Crown and Bridge Tech)
How Many Dental Laboratory Technicians Are There?
The U.S. employs around 112,055 dental laboratory technicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +11.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Dental Laboratory Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $25,417 |
| Hourly median | $12.22 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $30,147 |
| 90th percentile | $34,878 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $63,170 |
| Massachusetts | $59,270 |
| Alaska | $59,150 |
| Rhode Island | $57,520 |
| Minnesota | $57,180 |
| Florida | $56,910 |
| North Dakota | $56,540 |
| Washington | $56,360 |
| Vermont | $56,160 |
| Maine | $56,020 |
| New Hampshire | $55,670 |
| New York | $54,140 |
| Connecticut | $51,480 |
| Nevada | $50,620 |
| Montana | $50,540 |
| Illinois | $50,500 |
| Maryland | $49,850 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,750 |
| Kansas | $49,620 |
| North Carolina | $49,460 |
| Nebraska | $49,170 |
| New Jersey | $48,780 |
| Michigan | $48,720 |
| New Mexico | $48,590 |
| Iowa | $48,560 |
| Virginia | $48,510 |
| California | $48,480 |
| Oklahoma | $48,480 |
| Georgia | $48,440 |
| Ohio | $48,250 |
| Oregon | $48,090 |
| Idaho | $47,750 |
| Arizona | $47,560 |
| Indiana | $47,370 |
| Wisconsin | $47,250 |
| Missouri | $46,900 |
| Arkansas | $45,880 |
| Utah | $45,770 |
| South Dakota | $44,610 |
| Tennessee | $43,970 |
| Texas | $41,900 |
| Kentucky | $41,760 |
| Hawaii | $41,600 |
| Alabama | $40,980 |
| South Carolina | $39,920 |
| Mississippi | $37,390 |
| Delaware | $37,320 |
| West Virginia | $36,970 |
| Louisiana | $36,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,060 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for dental laboratory technicians vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $56,949 | 2.1% | 0.60 |
| Middle Atlantic | $51,616 | 13.5% | 0.93 |
| Rocky Mountains | $50,577 | 6.3% | 2.22 |
| Plains States | $49,698 | 8.2% | 1.30 |
| Far Western US | $49,536 | 17.2% | 1.05 |
| Great Lakes | $48,694 | 15.9% | 1.13 |
| Southeast | $47,833 | 27.1% | 1.26 |
| Southwest | $44,743 | 9.5% | 0.87 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | CO | $66,030 | 60 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | NV | $64,780 | 130 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $63,660 | 40 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $63,170 | 310 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $62,490 | 70 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | ID | $61,290 | 40 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | FL | $58,640 | 440 |
| Jacksonville, FL | FL | $58,400 | 180 |
Top Industries Employing Dental Laboratory Technicians
The bulk of dental laboratory technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 29,060 | $48,120 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,160 | $48,880 |
| Educational Services | 90 | $52,700 |
Below are examples of industries where dental laboratory technicians work:
Tech Stack
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for dental laboratory technicians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Time Pressure
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Exposed to Contaminants
How to Become Dental Laboratory Technicians
Entry-level dental laboratory technicians positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Dentists, General (Supplemental)
- Orthodontists (Supplemental)
- Prosthodontists (Supplemental)
- Dental Hygienists (Primary-Long)
- Surgical Technologists (Supplemental)
- Orthotists and Prosthetists (Supplemental)
- Dental Assistants (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Future dental laboratory technicians commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9081.00 (Dental Laboratory Technicians).
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