Carries out preventative dental procedures under the direction of a Dentist.

Dental technicians work from a mould of a client’s mouth made by a dentist or a clinical dental technician, and custom-make a wide range of appliances for the mouth, including: removable partial dentures; crowns (covers for broken or damaged teeth); dentures; removable orthodontic appliances (plates with wires to straighten teeth); mouthguards; splints for broken or cracked jawbones; anti-snoring devices; teeth whitening trays. Clinical dental technicians: assess oral tissue; recognise abnormal conditions of the mouth; take impressions of teeth; make partial dentures, full dentures and other oral devices; reline dentures that are ill-fitting.

• Works indoors usually at hospital or private dental laboratories.
• Works in an adequately heated, well ventilated and lit workspaces

• Light physical demand level. Frequently stands or sits at workbenches.
• Also walks about the workspace to gather equipment or materials and to move from work area to work area.
• May occasionally sit when studying dental impressions prior to commencing modelling or development process.
• Stretching and/or twisting movements are not a significant feature.
• Light lifting, pulling or carrying is not a significant feature of the job.
• Repetitive hand and arm movements are necessary for many modelling and construction tasks.
• Driving is not a significant feature of the job.
• Uses a range of precision technical and specialised workshop equipment and materials including power and hand tools, a range of precision engineering (including small lathes, micro-welding equipment and tools), casts and moulds, metals and wire, small furnaces, porcelain and wax and plastics to create base.
• Bending over workbenches is likely to be frequent.
• Squatting, crouching or kneeling is not a significant feature of the job.
• Mental skills necessary include technical, model-making, problem-solving and planning skills.

An NZQF Bachelor degree or higher qualification. At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

There are opportunities for flexibility of movement.