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The differences between dental laboratory technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dental laboratory technician and a technician. Additionally, a dental laboratory technician has an average salary of $55,271, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a dental laboratory technician include dentures, patients and prosthetics. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Dental Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $55,271 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $26.57 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 60,024 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A dental laboratory technician replaces total or partial natural teeth loss by constructing partial and complete dentures. They restore the natural teeth by fabricating bridges and crowns. These professionals produce removable and fixed devices that assist in correcting dental irregularities. Besides keeping detailed reports, logs, forms, and records to note down actions, dental laboratory technicians also re-design, evaluate, and study processes to enhance care quality. Moreover, dental laboratory technicians keep equipment and supply inventories in working conditions. Also, they follow the right procedures and discretion at all times.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Dental laboratory technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dental Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Average salary | $55,271 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $86,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | DCS | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a dental laboratory technician and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Dental Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Business |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | - |
Here are the differences between dental laboratory technicians' and technicians' demographics:
| Dental Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 2% |