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The differences between dental technicians and dental laboratory 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 technician and a dental laboratory technician. Additionally, a dental technician has an average salary of $68,232, which is higher than the $55,271 average annual salary of a dental laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a dental technician include patients, dentures and dental care. The most important skills for a dental laboratory technician are dentures, patients, and prosthetics.
| Dental Technician | Dental Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $68,232 | $55,271 |
| Hourly rate | $32.80 | $26.57 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 45,536 | 60,024 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 28% | Associate Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Dental Technicians manufacture dental prosthetics, such as crowns, bridges, and dentures in accordance with the dentist's specifications. They are also responsible for replacing, repairing, or modifying full or partial dentures.
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.
Dental technicians and dental laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dental Technician | Dental Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $68,232 | $55,271 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $115,000 | Between $35,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Columbia, MD | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Private Practice | DCS |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a dental technician and a dental laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Dental Technician | Dental Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 28% | Associate Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between dental technicians' and dental laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Dental Technician | Dental Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.6% Female, 48.4% | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |