A dental technician who has received certification is known as a certified dental technician. A person in this field works in a laboratory and creates a variety of dental devices that dentists use in their practices, such as bridges and crowns. A person who wants to become a certified dental technician usually enrolls in an educational program that can lead to a certificate or an undergraduate degree. He can then proceed to meet the requirements of the organization that he is seeking certification from, which may include taking exams. Many governments do not impose any requirements for people who want to work as dental technicians; instead, dental technicians can choose to become certified on their own.
Dentists frequently employ a variety of dental prosthetics in their practices. Materials such as ceramics and metal are used by certified dental technicians to create them. A person in this field might make bridges, crowns, dental implants, and orthodontic equipment, for example. He can do this job without first getting certified, but getting certified can help a technician get more job opportunities.
When a person becomes a certified dental technician, he shows that he has the knowledge and skills to perform the tasks that a dental technician is responsible for. To be eligible to take a certification exam, a person must typically meet certain requirements, which vary from organization to organization. An aspiring certified dental technician must, in most cases, meet educational or experience requirements. Some organizations, in fact, may demand that certification candidates have both training and experience. To obtain certification from certain organizations, an individual may need to complete a dental technology program and gain a few years of practical experience.
The number of exams required to become a certified dental technician varies depending on the certifying organization’s requirements, but most require candidates to pass three or more exams. A written comprehensive exam and a written exam in a specialty, such as dentures, crowns and bridges, or orthodontics, are frequently required. A practical exam is frequently the third.
There are no government-imposed requirements for a dental technician to seek certification in many jurisdictions. Many governments, in fact, do not have any training requirements for dental technicians. Instead, it is usually the responsibility of the employer to establish requirements for dental technicians. Some employers prefer technicians who have earned certification because it shows that the applicant has had adequate training or education in the field. As a result, some employers may believe that a certified technician has more knowledge and experience in the field.