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HealthcareISCO 2261

Dental technician

A dental technician is a person who makes custom dental products — bridges, crowns, dentures and appliances — under the supervision of dentists, working to their instructions and specifications. The technician works in a laboratory rather than with patients, and the patient is present only as an impression, a scan and a set of measurements.

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Rate 5 of the 20 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

manipulate dental material

respond to changing situations in health care

use e-health and mobile health technologies

maintain laboratory dental tools

repair denture prostheses

About dental technician

Making the appliance is the craft. The technician manufactures the dental prostheses, works with dental materials, and looks after the dental laboratory instruments. The tolerances are small and the object has to function in a mouth that moves: a crown a fraction high changes how a whole bite comes together, and the patient feels a difference that would be invisible on a drawing.

Checking is as much of the job as making. The technician examines dental products for conformity.

The role sits inside healthcare rather than beside it. The technician works to the healthcare regulations, manages infection control in the laboratory, applies e-health and m-health technologies to the digital workflow, and responds to changes in the sector. Infection control means implementing the procedures and policies that prevent infections in the laboratory.

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (20)

manipulate dental materialmanipulate dental materialManipulate materials used in dental procedures such as waxes, plastics, precious and non-precious alloys, stainless steel, porcelains and composites or polymer glass.respond to changing situations in health carerespond to changing situations in health careCope with pressure and respond appropriately and in time to unexpected and rapidly changing situations in healthcare.use e-health and mobile health technologiesuse e-health and mobile health technologiesUse mobile health technologies and e-health (online applications and services) in order to enhance the provided healthcare.maintain laboratory dental toolsmaintain laboratory dental toolsMaintain laboratory tools and equipment such as lathes, trimmers, grinders, articulators, and cleaning devices.repair denture prosthesesrepair denture prosthesesUse the appropriate soldering and welding techniques to modify or repair components of removable and fixed denture prostheses.select materials for orthodontic appliancesselect materials for orthodontic appliancesDetermine the appropriate materials for removable or permanent orthodontic appliances, paying attention to design and function as specified by prescription.communicate in healthcarecommunicate in healthcareCommunicate effectively with patients, families and other caregivers, health care professionals, and community partners.test dental appliances for compliancetest dental appliances for complianceExamine dental appliances to make sure that they comply with specifications, using articulators and micrometres to test for accuracy of occlusion.manufacture dental prosthesesmanufacture dental prosthesesDesign and fabricate dental prosthesis or appliances such as space maintainers, crowns, veneers, bridges, and dentures, retainers, and labial and lingual arch wires.comply with legislation related to health carecomply with legislation related to health careComply with the regional and national health legislation which regulates relations between suppliers, payers, vendors of the healthcare industry and patients, and the delivery of healthcare services.listen activelylisten activelyGive attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of cus...work in a multicultural environment in health carework in a multicultural environment in health careInteract, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.promote inclusionpromote inclusionPromote and respect diversity, and advocate for equal treatment of genders, ethnicities and minority groups in organisations in order to prevent discrimination and ensure inclusion and a positive envi...follow dentists' instructionsfollow dentists' instructionsWork directly with dentists by following their detailed instuctions.manage infection control in the facilitymanage infection control in the facilityImplement a set of measures to prevent and control infections, formulating and establishing health and safety procedures and policies.ensure safety of healthcare usersensure safety of healthcare usersMake sure that healthcare users are being treated professionally, effectively and safe from harm, adapting techniques and procedures according to the person's needs, abilities or the prevailing condit...apply organisational techniquesapply organisational techniquesEmploy a set of organisational techniques and procedures which facilitate the achievement of the set goals set such as detailed planning of personnel's schedules. Use these resources efficiently and s...work in multidisciplinary health teamswork in multidisciplinary health teamsParticipate in the delivery of multidisciplinary health care, and understand the rules and competences of other healthcare related professions.polish dental prosthesespolish dental prosthesesUse finishing burrs and grinding equipment to grind, smooth, and polish dental prostheses.accept own accountabilityaccept own accountabilityAccept accountability for one`s own professional activities and recognise the limits of one`s own scope of practice and competencies.
Optional (5) — show
inform policy makers on health-related challengesinform policy makers on health-related challengesProvide useful information related to health care professions to ensure policy decisions are made in the benefit of communities.train dental technician stafftrain dental technician staffProvide training to dental laboratory assistants and other dental technicians in the fabrication of dentures and other dental devices.supervise dental technician staffsupervise dental technician staffSupervise dental laboratory assistants and other dental technicians in the fabrication of dentures and other dental devices.handle payments in dentistryhandle payments in dentistryHandle taxes, paychecks and insurance payments for the provided dental services.communicate in foreign languages with health service providerscommunicate in foreign languages with health service providersApply foreign languages in communicating with health service providers such as doctors and nurses.

Related Occupations

Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.

dental chairside assistant13 shared essential skillsdental hygienist13 shared essential skillsdental practitioner13 shared essential skillsadvanced physiotherapist11 shared essential skillsart therapist11 shared essential skillsaudiologist11 shared essential skillsbiomedical scientist11 shared essential skillsdietitian11 shared essential skills

Frequently asked questions

What does a dental technician do?

Dental technicians manufacture dental custom-made devices like bridges, crowns, dentures and appliances under the supervision of dental practitioners following their directions and specifications.

What skills does a dental technician need?

A dental technician needs 20 essential skills, including manipulate dental material, respond to changing situations in health care, use e-health and mobile health technologies, maintain laboratory dental tools, repair denture prostheses.

Will AI replace dental technician jobs?

The AI disruption score for dental technician is 18/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: handle payments in dentistry, comply with legislation related to health care, communicate in foreign languages with health service providers. Most resilient: listen actively, work in a multicultural environment in health care, promote inclusion.

Quick Facts

SectorHealthcare
ISCO GroupHealth professionals
Essential Skills20

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