Tips & Advice
What type of education do dental technologists receive?
Many dental technologists are trained on the job, starting with simple tasks and progressing over the years to handle more complex responsibilities as they gather more experience. Formal training is available, and it involves getting an accredited two-year associate degree. Dental technologists can also obtain certification, which involves passing a certified dental technician exam.
Do dental labs provide guarantees for their work?
Many dental labs provide guarantees for their work, and they will replace or repair a product if it fails. The timespan covered by this guarantee varies from product to product. For example, screw-retained implant abutments often come with a 20-year guarantee. Transition crowns and bridges are usually guaranteed for up to two years.
Do dental labs offer pickup and delivery services?
Many dental labs offer pickup and delivery services. They will send a driver to a dental office for pick up, and, once the work is finished, they will have the driver deliver the product to your office. Many dental labs offer this service at no additional charge.
Do patients deal with a dental lab directly?
Patients rarely deal with dental labs directly. In most cases, dental labs communicate only with a patient's dentist, building products based on dental molds that the dentist has taken. However, a small percentage of dentists operate in-house dental labs, and in these cases, patients can communicate directly with dental lab technicians.
Does a dental technician require certification?
In most states, dental technicians aren't legally required to obtain certification. However, if a dental lab wishes to obtain certification, the lab must be supervised by a certified dental technician, or CDT. To maintain certification, a CDT has to commit to continuing education. CDTs can choose specialties such as implants, orthodontics, ceramics, and complete dentures.
Does a dental laboratory need certification?
From a legal perspective, dental laboratories need certification in only a handful of states. Currently, only four states require dental labs and lab technicians to obtain certification and ongoing education. Still, many dental labs voluntarily choose to obtain certification. Choosing a certified dental laboratory helps ensure service that meets certain standards of professionalism.
Do dental labs offer rush services?
Many dental labs offer rush services. In many cases, standard service takes seven to 10 days, while rush service can turn your order around in three to four business days. There is typically an added charge for rush service. Some dental labs charge $25 to $55 per unit for rush orders.
What services does a dental lab provide?
A dental lab creates products that have been prescribed by dentists to align, restore, or replace natural teeth. These include screw-retained hybrid dentures, invisible aligners, overdentures, bracket systems, arch wires, bridges, ceramic restorations, composite restorations, porcelain veneers, ceramic crowns, tapered implants, mini implants, full-arch implants, and transition crowns and bridges.
What is a dental technologist?
A dental technologist is a professional who crafts products designed to correct or replace your natural teeth. This professional works out of a dental lab, and builds products according to prescriptions written by a licensed dentist. Dental technologists craft products such as orthodontics, dentures, bridges, and crowns. Dental technologists are also known as dental technicians.
A dental lab is a facility that makes products designed to improve the health and appearance of your teeth via orthodontics or restoration. Dental labs sometimes make these products from scratch, but they also customize existing products to fit the unique needs of your mouth. Most dental labs operate independently, but a small percentage of dentists operate their own dental labs in-house.
