Most denturists work in private practice. Main Duties Denturists take detailed measurements of patients' jaws to determine the size and shape of dentures required. Then they use various materials to make impressions of patients' teeth, gums and jaws. They fabricate dentures, or supervise dental technicians or laboratory bench workers who fabricate them. When the dentures are completed, denturists fit them on patients and modify them if necessary.
Denturists also repair, reline or rebase dentures.
Since most of these workers have their own denture practices, they have to look after the details of running a business and may hire and supervise technicians and assistants. Denturists and dental technicians are closely related yet different occupations. Dental technicians not only fabricate dentures according to a dentist's or a denturist's prescription, but they also fabricate other dental devices, such as crowns, bridges and dental ceramics. Further, they do not deal with the public directly. In contrast, denturists work with patients and, under the current legislation in B.C., they can only make complete dentures but not partial dentures.