Occupational Focus: Dental Laboratory Technicians

Dental laboratory technicians are projected to experience slower employment growth compared with the average for all occupations at both the state and national levels. Roles for this occupation are mostly found in Manufacturing and Health care and social assistance. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dental laboratory technicians construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances. 

Employment and Wages

There were 1,290 Dental laboratory technicians in Michigan in 2024, making up a very small share of overall state employment. Nationally, there were 33,920 Dental laboratory technicians in this occupation representing less than 0.01 percent of employment in the U.S. The median hourly wage for this occupation in Michigan was $23.42 per hour in 2024. Nationally, the median hourly wage for Dental laboratory technicians was slightly lower at $23.23.

Common Job Titles 

Examples of job titles encompassed by this position include:

• Ceramist
• Crown and Bridge Dental Laboratory Technician
• Dental Technician
• Denture Technician
• Orthodontic Laboratory Technician

Common Responsibilities 

• Reading prescriptions or specifications and examining models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed. 
• Testing appliances using articulators and micrometers. 
• Fabricating, altering, or repairing dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
• Placing tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate the functionality of the model.
• Removing excess metal or porcelain and polishing surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.

Education and Skills 

Almost 70 percent of Dental laboratory technicians have obtained some college, no degree. A high school diploma is the typical education requirement for entry-level positions, with moderate-term on-the-job training. Essential skills include reading comprehension, critical thinking, time management and judgment and decision making. The technology requirements frequently listed in job postings are bookkeeping software, computer aided design (CAD) software, dental product design software, and electronic mail software (Microsoft Outlook).

Most Related Occupations

• Dental Assistants
• Medical Appliance Technicians
• Medical Equipment Repairers
• Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
• Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Occupation Outlook 

The long-term projected growth rate from 2022 to 2032 is -5.1 percent, which is lower than Michigan’s projected 0.6 percent growth rate for all occupations. Dental laboratory technicians are projected to have a total of 150 annual openings through 2032, mostly due to the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. 

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; 2022–2032 Occupational Employment Projections, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics

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