Careers

Currently Hiring for Conventional and Digital Technician Positions

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Wiand Dental Laboratory regularly seeks talented dental technicians as we continue to grow and evolve as a company. Opportunities include model work, set-up, waxing and finishing as well as entry level training for the right candidates. Entry level applicants should possess great dexterity, be artistic/creative and love working with their hands.

Implant experience required for seasoned technicians. Interested candidates need to be organized, self-directed and eager to produce high-quality restorations consistently. Compensation based on demonstrated skills, knowledge, ability and actual contribution to the company. WDL offers medical/dental/vision coverage, paid time off, the best tools/equipment available, a positive team centered environment, incentives, and career growth opportunity.

What is a Dental Lab Technician?

A dental technologist (dental laboratory technician) is a member of the dental team who, upon prescription from a dental clinician, constructs custom-made restorative and dental appliances.

There are four major disciplines within dental technology. These are fixed prosthesis including crowns, bridges and implants; removable prosthesis, including dentures and removable partial dentures; maxillofacial prosthesis, including ocular prosthesis and craniofacial prosthesis; and orthodontics and auxiliaries, including orthodontic appliances and mouthguards.

The dentist communicates with the dental technologist with prescriptions, drawings, and measurements taken from the patient. The most important aspect of this is a dental impression into which the technologist flows a gypsum dental stone to create a replica of the patient’s anatomy known as a dental model. A technologist can then use this model for the construction of custom appliances.

To find out more about what a career is like in dental technology, read our FAQ below or visit the National Association of Dental Laboratories’ website for more information.

What Type of Dental Technology
Does Wiand Specialize in?

At Wiand Dental, we specialize exclusively in removable restorations which are dental appliances to replace one or more teeth that have been completely lost. These restorations ideally remain stable in normal function but can be removed by the patient for cleaning and at night. Removable restorations are either retained by the patient’s soft tissue (gums) as in full dentures, supported by other teeth as with partial dentures and overdentures or on implant attachments as with implant retained overdentures and partial dentures. We find removable to be the most challenging because we are addressing the needs of the entire arch.

Dental Lab Technician Jobs FAQ

Ideal candidates for careers in dental technology need to possess good eye-hand coordination and color perception, dexterity in using small instruments, the patience to attend to minute detail and an interest in learning the underlying material science.  Our hiring process here at Wiand consists of a dexterity test where the candidate is required to carve a piece of chalk according to specific directions as well as take a personality assessment to determine aptitude for a position as a dental technician.  Once the candidate is determined to be a good fit, a working interview takes place inside the laboratory. 

Dental technicians mainly work with their hands at a work bench, thus technicians sit most of the day.  At Wiand, they are given the tools and equipment needed to perform their specific assigned tasks in the fabrication process.  Often, tasks are broken down by technician to aid in more efficient and streamlined production.  Dental labs use different materials for various stages of the fabrication process which can be messy.  At Wiand Dental, we strive to keep our lab clean and comfortable for our talented technicians to work their magic!

Most dental technicians are employed in commercial dental laboratories. Commercial dental laboratories are often very small, having only two or three employees. There are also, however, some very large labs with over 100 employees. Some private dental offices have their own laboratory.  Schools teaching dental technology offer some teaching positions for experienced technicians. CAD/CAM Dentistry, (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing in Dentistry), is an area of Dentistry utilizing CAD | CAM technologies to produce dental restorations.  Wiand Dental Lab is a medium laboratory employing a total of 20 people, 11 of which are dental technicians.  We work as a team and continue to evolve and grow our technicians through cross-training.

Most states including Arizona set no minimum qualifications for persons to be employed as dental technicians. However, the industry encourages standards for the benefit of the dental patient.  New materials, techniques and equipment are regularly introduced to dental technology and technicians must continue their education through training courses and seminars. Technicians who have at least five years of education and/or experience in dental technology are encouraged to distinguish themselves by taking the examinations to be Certified Dental Technicians (CDTs) in different areas. Since certification is voluntary in most states, it represents not only compliance with established standards, but also a personal commitment to quality and professionalism.

Many dental laboratories, larger ones in particular, offer positions for trainees. Persons hired at the entry level may rapidly progress to being productive employees, performing a limited range of laboratory procedures.

Another route to a career in dental laboratory technology is by completing one of the two-year or four-year degrees in dental technology offered through educational programs. Download the current list of U.S. schools offering dental laboratory technology programs:

U.S. Dental Lab Schools

These courses provide students with broad-based theory and an introduction to laboratory procedures across the various dental technology specialties. A graduate may expect to be hired at a salary not significantly higher than that of a paid trainee, but should be able to progress far more rapidly to a professional level.

Most of the dental technicians at Wiand Dental have been trained one-on-one in house through on the job training.  Of our 11 technicians, 3 came with previous experience.  We are always looking for new potential entry-level trainees as the need arises. 

The goal of the CDT examination is to measure competency of a predetermined body of knowledge and the skills deemed to represent the successful, professional-level practice of dental technology. To become a CDT, a technician must demonstrate their knowledge and applied skills in their chosen specialty. There are six (6) specialties currently recognized by the NBC: Ceramics, Complete Dentures, Crown & Bridge, Orthodontics, Partial Dentures and Implants.  Learn how to become a CDT here.

On a national average, technicians earn about $25,000 annually for an entry-level position up to $70,000 annually for a seasoned technician depending on the position. The average technician earns about $18 per hour. There is further earning potential for supervisors and managers. At Wiand Dental, we also provide full health/dental benefits, paid time off (vacation, personal and holidays) as well as other performance incentives.

The field of dental technology is always evolving making it an exciting industry to be a part of.  Because there are less dental technology schools today, the demand for technicians is only increasing.  For this reason, digital technology is emerging to compensate for that need.  As a result, technicians are having to transition from the bench to the computer.  It is critical that they understand anatomy, materials and design equally to be able to produce a successful end product.

Dentistry and dental laboratory technology have been, are and will continue to be ever-changing interrelated fields of endeavor. Both health and aesthetics will continue to be driving forces in the continuing development of dentistry.

As we move onward further into the 21st century, we see a period of true promise and steady growth in dentistry and dental laboratory sales. There will be no decline in the demand for dental services, rather the demand will grow as a result of the baby boomer generation.

The future of the entire dental arena is very promising.