Dental Laboratory Technician salary: how much do lab technicians make?

• Hourly rate and specialization (ceramics and implant work pay more than removable prosthetics)
• CAD/CAM and digital-workflow skills (scanning, design, milling)
• Certified Dental Technician (CDT) credential
• Commercial lab vs. in-house practice lab vs. self-employment
• Geographic cost of labor
• Years of bench experience

Dental laboratory technicians make the physical restorations dentists and prosthodontists prescribe — crowns, bridges, complete and partial dentures, implant components, and orthodontic appliances. They work from written prescriptions, impressions, and digital scans, increasingly using CAD/CAM design and milling alongside traditional waxing, casting, and ceramics. It is a skilled bench trade, not a licensed clinical role: technicians typically work in commercial labs or in-house practice labs and are often paid hourly, so hourly pay is a useful benchmark.

Career path

• On-the-job apprenticeship or an accredited associate/certificate program
• Bench technician specializing in crown & bridge, ceramics, dentures, or orthodontics
• Certified Dental Technician (CDT) in one or more specialties
• Lead technician, lab manager, or lab ownership

Typical responsibilities

• Fabricate crowns, bridges, and veneers from prescriptions and impressions
• Construct complete and partial dentures
• Design restorations with CAD/CAM software and operate milling equipment and 3D printers
• Cast, wax, layer ceramics, and finish restorations to shade and fit
• Repair and reline dentures and appliances