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Dental Technician

Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.

Job Prospects
Good, with a projected growth of?5.1% in the next five years?and a consistent need for their services
Salary
N/A
Source
Dental Technicians | Jobs and Skills Australia
Brief
Employed: 2800
Part time share: 33%
Median age: 41

TAFE SA courses that may be relevant for: Dental Technician

Accredited (Award)

  • Introduction

    Create custom dental appliances that improve oral health.

    As a dental technician, you are a trained member of the dental team who works closely with dentists and prosthetists. Using a mould of a client’s mouth, you design and build appliances such as dentures, crowns, bridges and orthodontic devices. Each appliance is custom-made to fit the individual, helping restore function, comfort and appearance. Your work supports the wider dental team and makes a real difference to people’s everyday lives.

    Dental technicians work in many settings. These include dental laboratories, hospitals, public health services and the Australian Defence Force. You may also work in education, research, sales or marketing. Some technicians move into roles such as teaching at TAFE or university, developing new materials and designs, or editing industry publications.

    For more information:

    Australian Dental Association SA
    Phone: (08) 8272 8111
    Email: admin@adasa.asn.au
    Website: www.sa.ada.org.au

  • Education Requirements

    TAFE SA offers a course relevant to this occupation in the Diploma of Dental Technology. Pathways include the Certificate III in Dental Assisting. TAFE SA also offers the Advanced Diploma of Oral Health (Dental Hygiene).

  • Nature of the Job

    Working across five main areas of expertise, encompassing work on everything from crowns and bridges, dentures, implants and mouthguards to name a few, your days will be varied and could consist of the following activities:
    - creating models of the mouth and teeth from impressions taken by a dentist, specialist dentist or dental prosthetist
    - making replacement braces, retainers or dentures for a patient using plastic, metal or ceramic materials
    - crafting braces, mouthguards and plates for correcting irregular or damaged teeth
    - designing, constructing and repairing ceramic restorations such as crowns, bridges or dentures
    - polishing and finishing braces or retainers before they are placed in a patient's mouth

  • Typical Physical Working Environment

    If you are the sort of person who:
    - enjoys working with tools and equipment
    - possesses a high degree of manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination
    - is able to apply precise attention to detail to your work
    - possesses an artistic flair for form and design
    - is able to use your time effectively
    - has the ability to communicate well and can concentrate for long periods of time
    then you may be interested in a career as a Dental Technician.

  • Typical Occupational Example

    Dental technicians may work in a variety of settings including the public sector or commercial dental laboratories. Work can also be found in the Australian Defence Forces, public and private hospitals and public health services. You can also find employment as an educator at TAFE or university, research working towards advances in materials or design, sales and marking for a dental company, or as an editor of an industry magazine or journal.

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