Dental technicians create crowns, bridges and dentures after receiving an impression of the patient’s teeth from a dentist. There are three main departments in a dental lab: Crown & Bridge, Porcelain, and Dentures. Some dental technicians attend a 2 year school before working in a dental lab. However, the majority of training occurs on-the-job and through courses.
Average Annual Wage
The average annual income for dental technicians, as of May 2010, was $37,980. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $18.26 per hour. These figures are based off of the 38,360 reported dental lab technicians.
National Wage Range
The difference between the highest and lowest earning technicians is almost $40,000. Reported incomes ranged from $20,940 annually to $58,560.
Beginner Technician Wage
Experience and skill level is a major factor in dental technician salary. Based on LMT’s 2012 wage survey beginner technician wages range anywhere from $20,945 to $31,283, depending on job function. By beginner technician, is a dental technician with up to 2 years experience.
After 5 years, the average technician wage jumps up to $29,827 to $46,904, depending on the specific technician job function.