Dental Lab Tech

[MastaD]

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Do you think working at a dental lab as a tech will benefit me for dental school. I will work part-time right now and full-time for most of the summer. I will start d-school in the fall. The lab is fixed-pros.

 

[dmdluffy]

Yeah, I think it's better than DA or potentially DH to gain applicable skills for dental school. The DT's in our class tend to start off a bit ahead because of their experience.

 

[suarez 7]

Dental techs get a zooming head start over their classmates. The knowledge you will gain as a tech will benefit you throughout your career as a dentist. Go for it.

 

[doc toothache]

It might help in dental anatomy course assuming there is no need to spend time eradicating all the bad habits learned elsewhere.

 

[NAVY DDS 2010]

It might help in dental anatomy course assuming there is no need to spend time eradicating all the bad habits learned elsewhere.

Doc, I am not sure where yo went to school, but we were thrown into the waxing projects before we actually knew a lot of the anatomy. A lot of it early on was all about copying and making it work which is basically how he will be learning it. So, I don't see how his bad habits will be any different than what some students develop in d-school.

 

[doc toothache]

Doc, I am not sure where yo went to school, but we were thrown into the waxing projects before we actually knew a lot of the anatomy. A lot of it early on was all about copying and making it work which is basically how he will be learning it. So, I don't see how his bad habits will be any different than what some students develop in d-school.

Apparently not UTSD (UTDB).

 

[dentalWorks]

Do you think working at a dental lab as a tech will benefit me for dental school. I will work part-time right now and full-time for most of the summer. I will start d-school in the fall. The lab is fixed-pros.

I think being a lab tech is a really fun job... I would do it just because its gonna be one of the most exciting jobs someone can have before starting this career.

As far as doing it for the sake of gaining better skills..... hmm.... It will help with classes/projects like dentures, pouring stone, trimming, etc... and you'll be a star during DS1 when your whole class gets assigned your first wetlab project (great way to make friends by the way... everyone will come to you for help).... but IT IS NOT NECESSARY. There is plenty of time in DS to develop your own skillsets (sure you'll struggle little here and there) but eventually, you'll get there.

 

[suarz]

If you're still in college, how do you get a job as a lab tech? Do you need to get certified first?

 

[ceejay12]

If you're still in college, how do you get a job as a lab tech? Do you need to get certified first?

its my first post ever haha. but anyways i go to pasadena city college for the dental tech program, you dont need to be certified at all to be a technician. Most BIG labs hire the ones with no experience cause they can pay them less. if you do work for them you will probably be doing model work and mix plaster and pour dental stone all day. The reason why I went to Tech school is to just see if the field of dentistry was really for me. Its great and fun, you get to really learn your dental anatomy, how to do wax ups, tooth set ups for dentures, ortho appliances, partial dentures and ceramic. but the pay isnt very well coming out of the program. Thats why im gonna go for my dream to be a dentist!

 

[BRIANISONFIREE]

My parents are dental lab technicians and they own there own business.(they didn't go to college either)
If I were to work for them, would this count as shadowing hours, voluntary hours, or what?
Also, since there my parents, will it certify as the "hours" that i was questioning in my prior sentence.
And how would I present this on my resume?(not going to apply do D school for another 1.5 years)