 Day in the Life
Dental laboratory
technicians generally work in clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated
laboratories. They have limited contact with the public. Salaried
laboratory technicians usually work 40 hours a week, but some work part
time. At times, technicians wear goggles to protect their eyes, gloves
to handle hot objects, or masks to avoid inhaling dust. They may spend a
great deal of time standing.
Dental technicians usually
have their own workbenches, which can be equipped with Bunsen burners,
grinding and polishing equipment, and hand instruments, such as wax
spatulas and wax carvers. Some dental technicians have computer-aided
milling equipment to assist them with creating artificial teeth.
A high degree of
manual dexterity, good vision, and the ability to recognize very fine
color shadings and variations in shape also are necessary for dental
technicians. An artistic aptitude for detailed and precise work also is
important.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
|
|
