BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasDental Laboratory Technicians

O*NET · 51-9081.00

Dental Laboratory Technicians

Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.

Also called Bridge Technician · CAD Tech · CAD Tech (Computer-Aided Design Technician) · CAM Tech · CAM Tech (Computer-Aided Manufacturing Technician) · CDT · Ceramist · Certified Dental Technologist (CDT)
54 more

Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Tech · Crown and Bridge Dental Laboratory Technician (Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Tech) · Crown and Bridge Tech · Crown and Bridge Technician (Crown and Bridge Tech) · Crown Ceramist · Dental Appliance Fixer · Dental Appliance Mechanic · Dental Appliance Repairer · Dental Ceramist · Dental Ceramist Assistant · Dental Equipment Installer and Servicer · Dental Instrument Maker · Dental Lab Tech · Dental Lab Worker · Dental Laboratory Technician (Dental Lab Tech) · Dental Laboratory Worker (Dental Lab Worker) · Dental Mechanic · Dental Mold Maker · Dental Tech · Dental Technician (Dental Tech) · Dental Technologist · Denture Contour Wire Specialist · Denture Finisher · Denture Lab Tech · Denture Laboratory Technician (Denture Lab Tech) · Denture Tech · Denture Technician (Denture Tech) · Denture Waxer · Lab Processor · Lab Processor (Laboratory Processor) · Lab Tech · Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech) · Metal Finisher · Metal Room Dental Tech · Metal Room Dental Technician (Metal Room Dental Tech) · Model and Dye Person · Model Tech · Model Technician (Model Tech) · Ortho Band Maker · Ortho Lab Tech · Ortho Tech · Orthodontic Band Maker (Ortho Band Maker) · Orthodontic Laboratory Technician (Ortho Lab Tech) · Orthodontic Technician (Ortho Tech) · Orthotic and Prosthetic Tech · Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician (Orthotic and Prosthetic Tech) · Orthotic Prosthetic Tech · Orthotic Prosthetic Technician (Orthotic Prosthetic Tech) · Porcelain Finisher · Porcelain Tech · Porcelain Technician (Porcelain Tech) · Sterile Tech · Sterile Technician (Sterile Tech) · Waxer

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RIC35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RICRealistic · Investigative · Conventional — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.61
  • I Investigative4.46
  • C Conventional4.12
  • S Social2.67
  • A Artistic1.52
  • E Enterprising1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma13%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent52%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate18%
  • Some College Courses7%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree2%
  • Bachelor's Degree2%
  • Master's Degree6%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (26%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (21%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (29%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.43.0Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Time Management3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Operations Monitoring3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Active Learningbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Monitoringbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Speakingbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Active Listeningbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Complex Problem Solving3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Quality Control Analysis2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
Show the other 23
  • Writingbasic2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Social Perceptiveness2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Instructing2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Operation and Control2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Coordination2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Equipment Selection2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Persuasion2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Service Orientation2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Negotiation2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Troubleshooting2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Systems Analysis2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Repairing2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Equipment Maintenance2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Sciencebasic2.11.5Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Mathematicsbasic2.02.3Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Systems Evaluation2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Technology Design1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Adjust exercise equipment for use by a customer
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Management of Financial Resources1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Operations Analysis1.81.5Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Programming1.3—
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

7 core · 10 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.4.9
  2. Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.4.7
  3. Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.4.7
  4. Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.4.6
  5. Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.4.5
  6. Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses.4.3
  7. Train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers.4.3
Show the other 10
  1. Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.4.6
  2. Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas.4.6
  3. Rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures.4.6
  4. Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.4.5
  5. Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications.4.5
  6. Mold wax over denture setups to form the full contours of artificial gums.4.4
  7. Create a model of patient's mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set.4.3
  8. Prepare wax bite blocks and impression trays for use.4.2
  9. Shape and solder wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering irons and hand tools.4.2
  10. Fill chipped or low spots in surfaces of devices, using acrylic resins.3.9

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Administration and Management3.83.6Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • Design3.84.1Level 4 looks like: Design plans for remodeling a kitchen
  • English Language3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Medicine and Dentistry3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
  • Education and Training3.54.1Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Production and Processing3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Customer and Personal Service3.43.0Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Mechanical3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
Show all 33
  • Computers and Electronics3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Engineering and Technology2.83.0Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • Chemistry2.63.0Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Administrative2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Sales and Marketing2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Mathematics2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Economics and Accounting2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Fine Arts2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Attend a popular music concert
  • Physics1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Telecommunications1.91.2Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Biology1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Communications and Media1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Public Safety and Security1.81.2Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Building and Construction1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Transportation1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Psychology1.61.5Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Law and Government1.4—
  • History and Archeology1.3—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.3—
  • Foreign Language1.2—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.2—
  • Food Production1.1—
  • Geography1.1—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.1—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Finger Dexterity4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Near Vision4.04.4Level 5 looks like: Read the fine print of a legal document
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Control Precision3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Visualization3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Deductive Reasoning3.42.9Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Information Ordering3.43.3Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Problem Sensitivity3.43.0Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
Show all 52
  • Manual Dexterity3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Selective Attention3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Written Comprehension3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Category Flexibility3.13.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Oral Comprehension3.13.9Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Speech Clarity3.12.9
  • Speech Recognition3.12.4Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Flexibility of Closure3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Inductive Reasoning3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Oral Expression3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Fluency of Ideas2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Far Vision2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.82.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Written Expression2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Auditory Attention2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Originality2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Reaction Time2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Time Sharing2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Speed of Closure2.32.1Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Depth Perception2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Memorization2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Rate Control2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Trunk Strength2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.12.3Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Number Facility2.02.1Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Static Strength2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Response Orientation1.91.3Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Spatial Orientation1.90.9
  • Extent Flexibility1.61.0Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Dynamic Strength1.50.6
  • Explosive Strength1.40.4
  • Glare Sensitivity1.40.5
  • Night Vision1.40.4
  • Peripheral Vision1.40.4
  • Sound Localization1.40.4
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Gross Body Coordination1.0—
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.0—
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.0—
  • Stamina1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Thinking Creatively4.35.0Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Getting Information4.23.4Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.14.5Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People4.04.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.04.4Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Processing Information4.04.4Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.04.7Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
Show all 41
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.84.2Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.84.5Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.74.0Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.73.7Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Training and Teaching Others3.73.6Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.54.4Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.32.8
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.23.2Level 4 looks like: Present information to potential clients about available services
  • Developing and Building Teams3.22.7
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.02.9
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Recommend a new software package to increase operational efficiency
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Make repairs by removing and replacing circuit boards
  • Working with Computers2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.82.9
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Specify the furniture and equipment for a new school
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.72.0Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.62.7
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.62.6
  • Performing General Physical Activities2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Walk between workstations in a small office
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.8
  • Time Pressure4.8
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.7
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.5
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.4
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.4
  • Spend Time Sitting4.4
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.4
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.2

Technology

24 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (7)

  • Intuit QuickBooks
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (17)
  • Bookkeeping software
  • Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
  • Computer imaging software
  • Database management software
  • Dental product design software
  • Dental product manufacturing software
  • Easy Solutions Easy Lab
  • Email software
  • Graphics software
  • Inventrix Labtrac
  • Jenmar International DL-Plus
  • LabMagic
  • Laboratory Systems Group Lab Manager
  • Mainstreet Systems & Software DentaLab/PC II
  • Mainstreet Systems & Software DentaRX
  • Scheduling software
  • Web browser software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Medical Appliance Technicians
  2. Dental Assistants
  3. Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
  4. Medical Equipment Repairers
  5. Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
  6. Calibration Technologists and Technicians
  7. Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
  8. Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
  9. Furniture Finishers
  10. Dental Hygienists

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.