Dental Technician | Career Planet

OFO No: 321402

Other names for Dental Technician:

Dental Ceramicist
Dental Form Caster
Dental Mechanic Technician
Orthodontic Technician
Orthodontist Assistant

Youtube clip – Looking at Dental Technician careers

For training options in South Africa – scroll down

What is a Dental Technician?

Dental Technicians can also be called Dental Ceramists. They are qualified people who make and repair dental items such as dentures, bridges, crowns, fillings, braces and other orthodontic correctional devices.

Dental Technicians follow prescriptive directions from a dentist and do not deal with patients directly.

The dentist supplies the Dental Technician with drawings and measurements taken from their patient.

Dental Technology is divided into 4 main groups:

fixed prosthesis: (crowns, bridges and implants)
removable prosthesis: (dentures)
maxillofacial prosthesis: (ocular and craniofacial prosthesis)
orthodontics and auxiliaries like mouth-guards

What does a Dental Technician do?

meets with dentist to discuss requirements
makes desired model
makes new items and restores old ones
works in a laboratory
takes measurements
keeps records

Are you … ?

good with your hands?
interested in dentistry?
able to follow directions accurately?
able to work in 3-D?
a person who likes detailed work?
prepared to work overtime?
patient?
neat?
a person with good vision?

How do I become a Dental Technician?

National Diploma in Dental Technology

Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Durban University of Technology
Tshwane University of Technology

Write an admission examination set by the SA Council for Dental Technicians

Register as at Dental Technician with HPCSA. Only registered members may use the title Dental Technician behind their name.

TRAINING:

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