Dental laboratories refer to facilities that deal with studying, constructing, installing, repairing, and replacing of dental devices. In Manhattan dental labs assist licensed dentists with dispensing oral health care by manufacturing and customizing different dental products. People who are employed in such laboratories are called technicians or technologists and their work is to fill prescriptions from licensed dentists. Prescriptions filled include dentures, crowns, bridges, and prosthetics 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.
The working environment of technicians in this field is clean and well-lit. Every worker in the facility has their own table with their own set of equipment. The tables may have computers, hand equipment, and burners among other machines. Most of them put in over forty hours of work every week. Technicians make no or very little contact with patients. Their job is to manufacture and customize devices.
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.
Salary earned by technicians may be determined by position one holds and scale of the facility. Workers with management and supervisory positions are the ones who earn the highest. In the Unites States, an average worker used to earn approximately 18 US Dollar per hour by the year 2009. Salaries keep increasing as hundreds of people are employed in these facilities yearly.
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.
The working environment of technicians in this field is clean and well-lit. Every worker in the facility has their own table with their own set of equipment. The tables may have computers, hand equipment, and burners among other machines. Most of them put in over forty hours of work every week. Technicians make no or very little contact with patients. Their job is to manufacture and customize devices.
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.
Salary earned by technicians may be determined by position one holds and scale of the facility. Workers with management and supervisory positions are the ones who earn the highest. In the Unites States, an average worker used to earn approximately 18 US Dollar per hour by the year 2009. Salaries keep increasing as hundreds of people are employed in these facilities yearly.
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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