Dental technician
Career outlook for dental technician
UK Salary Ranges
Entry-level
£28,000
£28,000
Experienced
£43,000
£43,000
Currently employed in Scotland
3,900
Salary information is provided by the "National Careers Service". "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would help to give people stronger, straighter teeth. You’d design and build dental devices for people who have lost teeth or need help to correct the appearance and performance of their teeth.
You also repair and adjust the devices once they are in place.
You could specialise in one of four key areas:
- In orthodontics, you’d create plastic or metal devices, such as braces, to straighten teeth
- In crown and bridge work, you’d construct items which can be cemented in place
- In prosthetics, you’d produce plastic dentures or implants, some of which have metal inserts to help keep them straight
- In maxillo-facial prosthetics, you’d help to reconstruct the faces of people damaged by accident or disease
You’d work with a wide range of materials such as gold, porcelain and plastic to design and make specialist devices to suit patients’ needs.
You would use the latest techniques, equipment, instruments, and computer technology. You’d need to understand and interpret complex, technical instructions.
If you work in a private dental lab, you would create devices and appliances for lots of different dental practices across a wide geographical area.
If you work in an National Health Service (NHS) hospital, you might help dental surgeons. You could design and build artificial parts for patients with facial injuries, cancer or cleft palates. The NHS salary for this role is covered by the NHS Agenda for Change pay rates. You can see information about the pay and conditions on the dental technician page on the NHS Careers website.
You could also work in the Armed Forces.
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
60%
Part-time
28%
Self employed
12%
Create a qualification route
We've found some examples of the qualifications that could help you get this job.
Discover my routeSearch course options
Thinking about your future? There are lots of courses available that could interest you. Use our course search to explore course options.
Find coursesSearch job opportunities
If you're looking for your new career our job search can help you. Discover interesting opportunities and decide your next steps.
Find a jobTop skills
Here are some of the skills needed for this job. Sign in to see how your skills match up.
- Working with technology
- Creative
- Designing
- Problem solving
- Researching
- Empathising
- Attention to detail
Skills Explorer
Your skills can help you choose the career that's right for you. You can build your skills through work, study or activities you do in your spare time.
Our Skills Explorer tool will help you understand what skills you have and match them to jobs that might suit you.
Use the Skills Explorer toolGetting in
Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Foundation Apprenticeships
Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 can help you get a head start with this type of job.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification (the same level as a Higher) plus valuable work placement experience and skills you can't learn in a classroom.
Interested? Find out what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Qualifications
You would need a Higher National Diploma in Dental technologies (SCQF level 8).
Entry to a Dental technologies Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) course usually requires National 5 qualifications and two highers or a National Certificate in Dental technologies (SCQF level 5).
Useful subjects
- English (required by many courses)
- Maths (required by many courses)
- Science subjects
You will also need
To pass a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Disclosure check.
Helpful to have
Qualifications that demonstrate understanding of health, wellbeing and care such as:
- Skills for Work Health Sector (SCQF level 4/5)
- Health and Social Care (SCQF level 6)
- SQA Wellbeing Award (SCQF level 3-5)