How to become a dental technician

What is a dental technician?

Dental technicians are essential members of the dental team. They may work directly with patients in a clinical setting. Dental technicians manufacture, repair, and provide helpful advice on custom-made dental appliances prescribed by a dentist or a clinical dental technician.

The design and manufacturing process may be carried out in a regulated dental laboratory in various settings. This includes commercial or independent laboratories or a laboratory within a general dental practice, hospital, or public dental service.

Dental technicians use a wide range of materials, specialised equipment, and cutting-edge technologies like CAD/CAM, 3D printing, and digital imaging. They design and create custom dental appliances in these 4 specialist areas:

• Removable prosthodontics—dentures.
• Fixed prosthesis—crowns, bridges, and veneers.
• Orthodontics—appliances that correct teeth alignment and jaw positioning
• Maxillofacial prosthesis—specialised prosthetics for patients with facial or oral defects due to trauma, surgery, or congenital conditions. These are generally manufactured in a hospital laboratory.

Dental technicians must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) to work in the UK.

Starting your career as a dental technician

Choosing subjects at school

To become a dental technician, useful subjects may include:

• Biology
• Design and Manufacture
• English
• Maths

Speak to your guidance teacher or career adviser about the subjects offered at your school.

Knowledge of the English language

To practise safely in the UK, all dental professionals must have the necessary knowledge of English.

The GDC standards state that dental professionals must “be sufficiently fluent in written and spoken English to communicate effectively with patients, their relatives, the dental team, and other healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom.” Effective communication skills include:

• speaking
• reading
• writing
• listening 

Find out more about the GDC English language requirements for dental professionals.

Education and training pathway

To become a dental technician, you must complete a recognised pre-registration training programme.

University of Aberdeen Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE) in Dental Technology

The DipHE in Dental Technology at SCQF Level 8 will prepare you for a career as a dental technician. You'll study towards achieving a professional qualification while working as a trainee dental technician in a registered dental lab.

During the 2-year programme, you'll develop the technical and theoretical skills needed to create, repair, and advise on custom dental devices. You'll learn about biomaterials and both technical and digital methods for designing and producing fixed, removable prostheses and orthodontic devices. Training also covers anatomy, physiology, and human diseases relevant to dental technology.

When you complete the DipHE, you'll register with the GDC. This will allow you to practise as a dental technician and officially use the professional job title.

Academic requirements

The academic entry requirements for this programme are one of the following:

• 2 SQA Highers at grade C or above, one in a science subject, which could include Maths.
• Equivalent qualifications at SCQF level 6 or above.

Find out more about the DipHE in Dental Technology at the University of Aberdeen.

Learning and development

With experience and additional training, you could develop your knowledge and skills to extend your role within the professional scope, including:

• Working with a dentist in the clinic, assisting with treatment by helping to fit attachments at the chairside.
• Working with a dentist or a clinical dental technician in the clinic, assisting with treatment by:
  • taking impressions
  • recording facebows
  • carrying out intra-oral and extra-oral tracing
  • carrying out implant frame assessments
  • recording occlusal registrations
  • tracing cephalographs
  • carrying out intra-oral scanning for CAD/CAM
  • taking intra and extra-oral photographs.

With experience, further training, and appropriate qualifications, you could develop further within your role. This includes changing your career path or registrant group. For example, you could become a clinical dental technician or develop your career and move into management or teaching roles.

In addition, you may progress to become a healthcare scientist specialising in reconstructive science. Find out more about the role of a reconstructive scientist.

Professional bodies

When you become a qualified dental technician, you must register with the General Dental Council (GDC). You can also join the Dental Technologists Association (DTA).