Is Dental Tech School Right for you?

If you have no idea what dental technology is, then your not alone. When I tell people what I do for a living they rarely have clue. Half of them think i'm a dentist and others think I clean teeth. Neither of which are true.

In reality we take a prescription given to us by the dentist and fabricate what they wish. It can be a crown, sometimes referred to as a cap, a denture, or even orthodontic appliances. In most cases we have no interaction with patients and that's what makes it special.

Going to dental tech school will grant you an associates degree. It's a 2-year program that is generally taught at your local community college. The program involves your standard electives and general education requirements. However, it requires very little math so you have no need to go into the advanced classes. A real treat if you hate math like I do.

Outside of general education requirements your semesters is filled with dental classes. Your first semester introduces you to Dental Anatomy, Partial Dentures, Removables, and Crown and Bridge. These classes may seem hard but you are slowly introduced into the subject matter. You start with the very basics and progress. The second semester of your first year has the same classes, except Anatomy is switched with Occlusion. Which takes everything you learned and takes it to the next level. It requires you to gain an extensive understanding of how the opposing teeth interact with one another. Once again, when taught properly, it is an easy yet informational class.

The second year is much more independent. You have one set class, which is orthodontics, the other days of the week you can work on any project you have due. You have the freedom to choose what you work on. You learn the ability get your lab work in by their due date, much like you would in real life with a dentists prescription. In the second semester you once again have a lot of freedom. Your only base class will be Lab Management. There you get to design your own lab and make a business plan, which will definitely come in handy if you decide to become a lab owner in the future. Other than you get to specialize (fixed, ortho, rpd, dentures) and have the option to extern, which you will do at a local lab. You'll have to work there 18 hours per week. If you can't find an extern for some reason, or you'd rather stay at school, your professors will give you work like you would find in the real world.

After dental tech school you will take your recognized graduate exam, which is a great accolade to have during your career. You can also opt to take the CDT (certified dental technician) exam, which is one of the highest achievements in the profession. It requires skill in the speciality of your choosing (dentures, fixed, rpd, ortho) and is an extensive all day practical exam. In some states having your CDT is a requirment to being a lab owner. Definitely a great certification to get.

Arizona
Pima County Community College

California
Los Angeles City College
Pasadena City College

Florida

McFatter Vocational Technical School
Indian River State College

Georgia

Atlanta Technical College

Iowa

Kirkwood Community College

Idaho

Idaho State University College of Technology

Indiana

Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne

Kentucky

Bluegrass Community and Technical College - Cooper Campus

Louisiana

Louisiana State University School of Dentistry

Massachusetts

Middlesex Community College

North Carolina

Durham Technical Community College

New York

New York City College of Technology

Erie Community College, South Campus

Oregon

Portland Community College

Texas

Medical Education and Training Campus

San Antonio College

Virginia

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

Washington

Bates Technical College