A dental lab technician turns a dentist's prescription into a real crown, denture, bridge or appliance that fits a patient's mouth and bite. You can start with a high school diploma, and many people learn on the bench, but a certificate or associate program plus the CDT credential makes you much more hireable. This roadmap takes you from learning tooth anatomy and working with stone and wax, to making accurate crowns and dentures, to digital CAD/CAM, implants and esthetic ceramics. The craft is learned with your hands. Each stage has a project that produces a real, checkable piece of work. Fre
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Every stage from beginner to expert, with lessons, practice drills, projects, interview questions and free resources. Free with a Rolearch account.
Stage 1 of 3 · about 12 weeks
Understand tooth anatomy and occlusion, read a prescription, and make accurate models and simple wax work.
Tooth anatomy and morphology
Every restoration you make recreates a natural tooth. If you don't know the cusps, ridges and grooves of each tooth, you can't tell whether your work looks right or functions right.
Reading prescriptions and impressions
The prescription (Rx) is your contract with the dentist. A missed shade, margin type or material means a remake, which costs the lab time and money.
Models, gypsum and basic materials
A restoration is only as accurate as the model it is made on. Gypsum products (Type III stone, Type IV die stone) expand a little as they set, and the water-to-powder ratio controls that.
Occlusion and articulators
Teeth must meet evenly when the patient bites. Articulators mimic the jaw so you can check the bite before the patient ever sees the piece. This is core to testing appliances for accuracy.
Lab safety and infection control
You handle impressions that have been in patients' mouths, plus silica dust, acrylic monomer and molten metal. OSHA rules protect you and keep you employable.
Then 2 more stages (about 72 weeks in all) with lessons, drills, projects, 6 interview questions with strong answers and free resources.