Dental laboratories are facilities that are concerned with the study, construction, installation, repair, and replacement of dental appliances. In Manhattan dental labs manufacture or customize various dental products to help licensed dentists with provision of oral health care. The workers who work in those laboratories are referred to as laboratory technicians and they fill prescriptions from licensed dentists. The prescriptions include prosthetics, dentures, crowns, and bridges among others.
The technicians must follow the instructions of the dentists to the latter in manufacturing the devices. The devices manufactured may be prosthetic such as implants and denture teeth or therapeutic such as orthodontic devices. All the products made in these labs are subject to the quality and other requirements imposed by the FDA in the US. However, they are exempted from manufacturer registration requirements in most cases.
The job done by these laboratories requires various tools and methods. Dental polishing and/or finishing disks, lab casting machines, articulators, furnaces, and lathes are among the tools used. Computer graphics and/or imaging software are used to come up with the specifications followed in construction of various structures such as prosthetic appliances. Currently, perfect products are produced with minimum efforts because sophisticated techniques and tools are employed.
Plasters and impression sets are applied in producing models of the mouths of visiting patients. To produce final products, the specifications of the models have to be customized. Technologists working in big laboratories exercise some level of specialization as opposed to those in small labs who get involved in all activities of production. Most large scale facilities pursue certification by concerned federal body to raise their standards and efficiency and to earn the trust of clients.
Working environment is well lit and clean. All technicians are allocated tables and their own sets of apparatus. Some of equipment assigned include burners, personal computers, and hand equipment among many others. Most workers work for more than forty hours in a week. Their work does not involves making contact with patients. As such contact with patients does not happen or is very limited.
Getting employment as a dental lab technologist does not have any strict academic requirements. Individuals with high school diplomas can be employed because most skills are learned gradually at the work place. One may also however receive training in vocational institutions, universities, community colleges, the armed forces, technical institutes, or junior college. Some workers start working as helpers for senior technicians and then learn gradually to gain major skills.
The salary of technicians may vary with the facility one is working for and the position held. The highest ranking workers hold the position of managers or supervisors. In the US, the average hourly wage of these workers was at around 18 US Dollars in the year 2009. Several people are employed in these facilities every year and the salaries keep getting better.
Working as a dental lab technologist has several advantages to the worker. The career is flexible and one can get employment in other commercial laboratories because of the skills they earn. One can also start their own facility and use their experience and knowledge to manufacture devices or give advice. Charges vary with the level of complexity of devices fabricated.
The technicians must follow the instructions of the dentists to the latter in manufacturing the devices. The devices manufactured may be prosthetic such as implants and denture teeth or therapeutic such as orthodontic devices. All the products made in these labs are subject to the quality and other requirements imposed by the FDA in the US. However, they are exempted from manufacturer registration requirements in most cases.
The job done by these laboratories requires various tools and methods. Dental polishing and/or finishing disks, lab casting machines, articulators, furnaces, and lathes are among the tools used. Computer graphics and/or imaging software are used to come up with the specifications followed in construction of various structures such as prosthetic appliances. Currently, perfect products are produced with minimum efforts because sophisticated techniques and tools are employed.
Plasters and impression sets are applied in producing models of the mouths of visiting patients. To produce final products, the specifications of the models have to be customized. Technologists working in big laboratories exercise some level of specialization as opposed to those in small labs who get involved in all activities of production. Most large scale facilities pursue certification by concerned federal body to raise their standards and efficiency and to earn the trust of clients.
Working environment is well lit and clean. All technicians are allocated tables and their own sets of apparatus. Some of equipment assigned include burners, personal computers, and hand equipment among many others. Most workers work for more than forty hours in a week. Their work does not involves making contact with patients. As such contact with patients does not happen or is very limited.
Getting employment as a dental lab technologist does not have any strict academic requirements. Individuals with high school diplomas can be employed because most skills are learned gradually at the work place. One may also however receive training in vocational institutions, universities, community colleges, the armed forces, technical institutes, or junior college. Some workers start working as helpers for senior technicians and then learn gradually to gain major skills.
The salary of technicians may vary with the facility one is working for and the position held. The highest ranking workers hold the position of managers or supervisors. In the US, the average hourly wage of these workers was at around 18 US Dollars in the year 2009. Several people are employed in these facilities every year and the salaries keep getting better.
Working as a dental lab technologist has several advantages to the worker. The career is flexible and one can get employment in other commercial laboratories because of the skills they earn. One can also start their own facility and use their experience and knowledge to manufacture devices or give advice. Charges vary with the level of complexity of devices fabricated.
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