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Pre-Admission Conference
< Home < Allied Health < Dental Laboratory Technology < Pre-Admission Conference 

Pre-admission Conference

APPLICANTS: One of the requirements for admission to the Dental Laboratory Technology Program is a pre-admission conference. This may be done in person with the Program Coordinator (Robin Gornto) or by reading the information on this page and then submitting the Interview Form (see link to the left).

Introduction
Dental laboratory technology is a unique health care profession because most dental laboratory technicians have very little contact with the patients. A technician works from a dental prescription provided by the dentist and then fabricates custom dental appliances and prostheses as replacements for natural teeth so that a person can eat, smile, and talk as well as or better than before.

Dental technicians make crowns, bridges, complete dentures, orthodontic appliances, and removable partial dentures. Each item is customized to meet the needs of one patient.

The dental technician usually works behind the scenes in a laboratory that may or may not be located near the dental office. The work is prescribed by a dentist similar to the doctor/pharmacist relationship.

The ability to work independently and have good hand skills is a must. Attention to detail is a prime requisite of good dental laboratory technicians.

How do I become a dental laboratory technician?
The best way to learn this profession is by graduating from a formal educational program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (such as this one here at the Bluegrass Community & Technical College). The other method is on-the-job training.

Graduates from the BCTC Dental Lab Program earn an Associate in Applied Science degree or a one-year Certificate. Students are prepared for entry-level positions as well as future management and ownership opportunities.

Can I own my own dental laboratory?
Yes. Being your own boss has many rewards - not the least of which is financial.  Many graduates from the BCTC Dental Lab Program own dental laboratories. A survey done several years ago showed that about 40% of the dental laboratories in Kentucky were owned by graduates of this program.

What are the other employment opportunities?
Employment opportunities for dental technicians remain steady throughout Kentucky and the nation. With the population aging and with the possibility of national dental health insurance the longterm outlook is positive . The Lexington area has on average of 2-3 openings per year.

Dental technicians work in a variety of settings:

  • private dental laboratory (1 owner)
  • small laboratory (1 - 5 employees)
  • mid-size laboratory (6 - 29 employees)
  • large laboratory (30+ employees) (Kentucky has 3 in Lousiville)
  • dentist's office
  • dental schools and VA hospitals
  • technical representatives for dental manufacturing companies
  • dental sales
  • teaching positions at dental education programs

How much money do dental technicians make?
Salaries vary widely because of the variety of employment opportunities. Laboratory ownership is usually the highest paying opportunity with many owners with six-figure salaries.

Entry-level positions are in the $10 - $12 per hour range in the Lexington area. That is low compared to the nation but can grow significantly as one's speed and experience increase. Experienced dental technicians earn salaries comparable to those in other health care occupations.

In addition, much of the salary differences are due to the different skill levels and responsibilities of the technician. One of the strengths of the DLT Program at Bluegrass Community & Technical College is the preparation students receive for the higher-end positions of ownership and management.

Salary information can be found at the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What is a Certified Dental Technician and how do I become one?
Kentucky requires that any laboratory doing work for a Kentucky dentist must have a Certified Dental Technician (CDT) working in the laboratory or the laboratory must be owned by the dentist.

To become a CDT you must pass three exams:

  • a written Recognized Graduate Exam (or its equivalent)
  • a written Specialty Exam
  • a hands-on Practical Exam

The specialty areas are crown & bridge, ceramics, complete dentures, removable partial dentures, and orthodontics. Technicians usually specialize in one just area but may specialize in more if they desire.

What are the application requirements to enter the Dental Laboratory Technology Program at BCTC?
Please see the Guideline for Admissions link to the left.

How much does it cost to attend the Program?
Tuition for full-time students at the Bluegrass Community & Technical College for the Fall 2009 semester is $125 per credit hour for Kentucky residents and $425 for non-residents.

Dental Laboratory Technology students must buy a dental instrument kit which costs approximately $400.

The Program loans free of charge approximately $2,500 worth of equipment to each student for use in the laboratory portion of the curriculum.

Are scholarships available?
Yes. There are general scholarships available to all students at BCTC and there scholarships just for Dental Technology students.

1st year DLT students are eligible for free instrument kit scholarships. Winners get to use the instrument kit while in the Program and if they graduate with the Associate in Applied Science degree they can keep the kit.

2nd year DLT students can win one of these program scholarships.

  • Don Shear memorial scholarship (approx. $1,000)
  • Tony Tombasco memorial scholarship (approx. $500)

In addition, there are scholarships available from other sources such as those from the Health Careers Foundation.

How long does it take to complete the Program?

  • Certificate Program - 1 year
  • Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree  - 2 years

What classes do I take during the Program?

What is a typical class schedule?

1st year students

  • Monday - Thursday 8-12 and Monday afternoon from 1-3

2nd year students

  • Fall semester - Monday 8-12, Tuesday 8-5, Wed 1-5, Thursday 8-5.
  • Spring semester - varies with each student

Note: Every student needs practice in order to develop their skills. The dental laboratory is open until 5 p.m. each day (until noon on Fridays). Students should plan to work in the laboratory as much as possible outside of class. It's a time to develop and practice your hand skills, work on assigned projects, catch-up or get ahead, experiment, and just generally become a better dental technician. Plan your schedule with this in mind.

What about part-time jobs & family commitments?
Priorities...we all stuggle with this. The DLT Program is demanding and if you're going to be good at it you're going to have to spend a lot of time in the lab.

There's also homework and studying for exams. Doing all that while working and/or managing a family is a challenge. People do it...some better than others.

This can be a very rewarding career but it doesn't come easy. Successfully completing a college degree is like a full-time job. It's one thing to just want a degree...it's another to actually earn it. One must set priorities regarding family, school and work.

What is the Commission on Dental Accreditation?
This is the formal group charged with overseeing dental programs. They require programs to meet a set of standards which ensure that students receive the proper education and training. A copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or the Commission's policy and procedure for submission of complaints may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678 or by calling 1-800-621-8099 extension 4653.

Infection Control Protocol
Some tasks performed by faculty, students and technical support personnel in the Dental Laboratory Technology Program at BCTC are classified as Category I tasks as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States Department of Labor.

Standard operating procedures are developed for these tasks that rigorously follow the infection control recommendations and guidelines established by the National Association of Dental Laboratories, American Dental Association and the Centers of Disease Control.

The goal is to provide a safe and healthy working environment for employees and students. The Bluegrass Community & Technical College Dental Laboratory Technology Program ensures that all protective measures are available and that employees and students carry out all aspects of this protocol.

Toward this end, we strongly encourage students to obtain the usual vaccinations, e.g. hepatitis B vaccination before working on real cases.

INTERVIEW FORM

If you are an applicant to the Dental Laboratory Technology Program, and have read the above information, please submit the Interview Form (by clicking on the above link or the one in the left side-bar).

Submitting the form completes the pre-admission conference requirement.  If you have further questions, please contact the Program Coordinator - Robin Gornto (859-246-6244). Thank you.