How To Become An Orthodontic Laboratory Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is an orthodontic laboratory technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average orthodontic laboratory technician salary is $33,152. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an general studies major. It usually takes 6-12 months of experience to become an orthodontic laboratory technician. Orthodontic laboratory technicians with a Dental Assistant (RDA) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 2% and produce 1,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreOrthodontic Laboratory TechnicianUS Average

Salary

2.6

Avg. Salary $33,152

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.6

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.80%

Asian 11.40%

Black or African American 10.75%

Hispanic or Latino 17.52%

Unknown 5.13%

White 54.39%

Gender

female 61.61%

male 38.39%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an orthodontic laboratory technician

Explore orthodontic laboratory technician education requirements

Most common orthodontic laboratory technician degrees

Bachelor's

39.0 %

Associate

22.0 %

High School Diploma

20.3 %

Start to develop specific orthodontic laboratory technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Study Models	24.73%
Splints	19.40%
Front Desk	12.09%
Orthodontic Appliances	10.87%
Chair Side	8.71%

Complete relevant orthodontic laboratory technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New orthodontic laboratory technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an orthodontic laboratory technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real orthodontic laboratory technician resumes.

Research orthodontic laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
Place wires, mods, orms, assist with productions (bands, brackets, headgear).
Perform immunological, chemical, microbiological, and hematological tests, critically examine results for accuracy, troubleshoot discrepancies.
Prepare PowerPoint presentations of quality chromosome spread images, used to determine variability in count and morphology.

Prepare your orthodontic laboratory technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your orthodontic laboratory technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an orthodontic laboratory technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable orthodontic laboratory technician resume templates

Build a professional orthodontic laboratory technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your orthodontic laboratory technician resume.

Apply for orthodontic laboratory technician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an orthodontic laboratory technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do orthodontic laboratory technicians rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Orthodontic laboratory technician reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019

Pros

Many many many things. The flexible schedules, the happy patients, the relationships you create with your patients and the lifelong bonds you make. You get to see the Joy and happiness flow off of them when their braces come off. It's so rewarding

Cons

Literally nothing