Dental lab technicians fabricate dental prosthetics such as crowns, dentures & veneers. Although some online dental lab technician courses are available, online training in this area can be difficult to find because of the practical nature of a dental technician's work. No formal education or licensing is required to be a dental lab technician; however, certificate & associate's degree programs are available for those wishing to advance their skills.
Overview of Online Dental Tech Courses & Training Programs
No formal degree or license is required beyond a high school diploma in order to obtain employment as a dental lab technician. However, courses & training programs are available for students wishing to learn more about dental technology. These programs typically last 1-2 years & result in a certificate or an associate's degree. Completing an accredited program can improve employment opportunities & prepare graduates to take the certification exam offered by the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology (NBCDT). The exam is offered with a selection of specializations leading to different job titles for a dental lab technician, including dental ceramist, denture technician & porcelain technician.
Course Requirements
Students taking online dental lab technician courses should have access to the Internet through a computer with video & audio capabilities. Faculty & students may use e-mail, messaging boards & webinars for communication & interaction. Some assignments may require the use of word processing or spreadsheet software.
Due to the precise hands-on nature of a dental lab technician's work, practical lab work using various tools & materials is an important component to education programs. For this reason, some dental tech courses may only be offered on-campus, or may involve a mixture of online & in-class study. Schools may offer a selection of local sites from which to complete lab work.
List of Online Dental Lab Technician Courses
Dental Materials Course
In this course, students gain an understanding of the various chemicals, metals & other materials used by dental technicians in creating prosthetics. Specific materials include metals, porcelain & resins.
Dental Anatomy & Physiology Course
This foundational course teaches students about the anatomy of the human body in relation to dental lab skills, emphasizing the head, neck & teeth structure. Lab work demonstrating the fabrication & duplication processes is often part of this type of course.
Complete Dentures Course
Here students learn about the construction of complete dentures, which can replace an entire row of teeth. This type of course takes place mainly in the laboratory & consists of observation, demonstration & supervised practice.
Removable Partial Dentures Course
This course teaches students how to properly design, construct & repair removable partial dentures. A mix of class & lab work explains how to produce casts & construct metal frameworks for dentures.
Orthodontic & Pedodontic Prosthetics Course
Fixed & removable fabrications used in bite adjustment & child dental care are taught in this advanced course. Students are also taught how to repair orthodontic appliances.
Ceramics Course
Students in this higher-level course learn how to create porcelain fused to metal (PFM) & ceramic restorations using ceramic alloy & other techniques. Other topics of study include metal substructures & ceramic firing.
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