Summary for:
Dental Laboratory TechniciansDescription:
Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.Sample of reported job titles:
Sample of reported job titles: Dental Technician, Dental Laboratory Technician, Dental Ceramist, Denture Technician, Waxer, Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Technician, Model and Dye Person, Metal Finisher, Porcelain Technician, Partial Design and Survey Technician
Tasks | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Activites | Experience | Example | Education | Work Style | Work Values | Related Jobs | Wage | Employment | Expected Growth | Expected Need
Tasks:
- Read prescriptions or specifications, and examine models and impressions, to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
- Fabricate, alter, and repair dental devices such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, and appliances for straightening teeth.
- Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
- Place tooth models on apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
- Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes, and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatus.
- Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.
- Remove excess metal or porcelain, and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
- Create a model of patient's mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set.
- Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.
- Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications.
Knowledge:
| Medicine and Dentistry ó Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. |
| Production and Processing ó Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. |
| Customer and Personal Service ó Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| Design ó Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. |
| Education and Training ó Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. |
| English Language ó Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. |
Skills:
| Reading Comprehension ó Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. |
| Time Management ó Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Equipment Selection ó Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. |
| Active Learning ó Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
| Speaking ó Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| Active Listening ó Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Coordination ó Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| Learning Strategies ó Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. |
| Critical Thinking ó Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| Quality Control Analysis ó Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. |
Abilities:
| Near Vision ó The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| Problem Sensitivity ó The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness ó The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. |
| Information Ordering ó The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). |
| Oral Comprehension ó The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
| Control Precision ó The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. |
| Deductive Reasoning ó The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| Inductive Reasoning ó The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). |
| Manual Dexterity ó The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| Oral Expression ó The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
Work Activities:
| Getting Information ó Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work ó Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates ó Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings ó Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Controlling Machines and Processes ó Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships ó Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material ó Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems ó Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Thinking Creatively ó Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| identifying Objects, Actions, and Events ó identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
Work Experience:
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.Work Examples:
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.Education Requirements:
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.Work Style:
| Attention to Detail ó Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Dependability ó Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Cooperation ó Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| Achievement/Effort ó Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
| Independence ó Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. |
| Stress Tolerance ó Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations. |
| Integrity ó Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Persistence ó Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
| Adaptability/Flexibility ó Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
| Analytical Thinking ó Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
Work Values:
| Support ó Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
| Independence ó Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
| Working Conditions ó Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. |
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