Dental Technician

Typical Salary

£24,907 To £44,503

Typical Hours

39 to 41 a week

between 8am and 6pm

How To Become a Dental Technician

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You could do a foundation degree or degree in dental technology approved by the General Dental Council.

at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

You can do a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Dental Technology, approved by the General Dental Council.

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science

Apprenticeship

You can get into this role through a higher apprenticeship as a dental technician.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You can work as a trainee dental technician with a practice and study part-time. This could take up to 5 years, depending on which qualification you do.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to work well with your hands
knowledge of medicine and dentistry
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
design skills and knowledge
the ability to analyse quality or performance
the ability to work well with others
thinking and reasoning skills

Day To Day Tasks

Your tasks will depend on your specialism and could include:

orthodontics - you will create plastic or metal devices, such as braces to straighten teeth
crown and bridge work - you will make items to cement in place
prosthetics - you will produce plastic dentures or implants

Working Environment

You could work in a laboratory.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression

You could train as a healthcare scientist, specialising in reconstructive sciences, like maxillo-facial prosthetics through the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP).

With experience you could set up your own laboratory, or work abroad.

In a commercial lab, you could become a senior or chief technician. Or you could move into quality control, sales or management. You could also become a teacher.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Registration

you'll need to register with the General Dental Council

Professional and industry bodies

You could join The Dental Technologists Association, for professional development and training opportunities.

Further information

You can get more details about how to become a dental technician from Health Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.