Dental Laboratory Technicians
Production
Work starts from a prescription or set of models and impressions, which set the design of a denture, crown, bridge, inlay, or appliance for straightening teeth. Metals are melted or plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes mixed and poured into molds or over frameworks; excess metal or porcelain is then removed and surfaces polished on machines. Finished devices are tested for fit and bite on articulators and with micrometers, including placing models on an apparatus that mimics jaw movement. Some technicians also train or supervise bench workers. Best matched to people who prefer forming small appliances from molds and then testing how the bite lines up.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$49'610
Median Wage Market Position
$49'610
What you might do
- Study prescriptions, models, and impressions before building
- Make dentures, crowns, bridges, and dental appliances
- Pour metal, plaster, or acrylic into molds
- Test bite and fit on a jaw articulator
- Polish prostheses and trim excess metal or porcelain
- Train or oversee other dental lab technicians
Skills that matter
- Reading prescriptions and impression models
- Testing bite fit with articulators
- Fabricating dentures, crowns, and bridges
- Mixing plaster, porcelain, or acrylic
- Polishing prosthetic surfaces to spec
- Training other bench technicians
AI & the future of this role
Digital design and automated milling may handle more routine crowns and bridges, but custom fit tweaks, material choices, and complex remakes still need careful hand finishing. Demand for appliances continues, yet lab automation keeps pressure on simpler work.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details