Dental Laboratory Technicians
SOC Code: 51-9081
Dental Laboratory Technicianss read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed. This career typically requires moderate-term on-the-job training (months to 1 year). With an AI-proof score of 82.5/100, this role has high resilience to automation. Key skills include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking.
AI-Proof Score: 82.5 — Very High
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Median Salary
$48,310
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Job Growth
-4.7%
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Training Time
Moderate-term on-the-job training (months to 1 year)
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Job Zone
Zone 2 / 5
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Training Cost
~$5,000
Key Skills
- •Critical Thinking
- •Reading Comprehension
- •Time Management
- •Judgment and Decision Making
- •Operations Monitoring
- •Speaking
- •Active Learning
Common Tasks
- ✓Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
- ✓Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
- ✓Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
- ✓Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
- ✓Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
Training & Resources
Why AI-Proof?
- ✅Requires hands-on physical presence and dexterity
- ✅Demands human empathy, judgment, and trust
- ✅Operates in unpredictable, variable environments
- ✅Social and regulatory barriers to full automation