Salaried technicians usually work 40 hours a week, but self-employed technicians frequently work longer hours. Top Dental laboratory technicians held about 44,000 jobs in 1998. Most jobs were in commercial dental laboratories, which usually are small, privately owned businesses with fewer than five employees. Some dental laboratory technicians worked in dentists' offices. Others worked for hospitals providing dental services, including Department of Veterans Affairs' hospitals.
Some technicians work in dental laboratories in their homes, in addition to their regular job.
Approximately 1 technician in 5 is self-employed, a higher proportion than in most other occupations. They begin with simple tasks, such as pouring plaster into an impression, and progress to more complex procedures, such as making porcelain crowns and bridges. Training in dental laboratory technology is also available through community and junior colleges, vocational-technical institutes, and the Armed Forces. Formal training programs vary greatly both in length and the level of skill they impart. These programs provide classroom instruction in dental materials science, oral anatomy, fabrication procedures, ethics, and related subjects.