Dental Technician
A Dental Technician is a member of the wider dental team who specialises in the construction of a range of different dental appliances and prostheses such as crowns, bridges and dentures. A Dental Technician can work in a variety of different settings such as in a commercial dental laboratory, a dental hospital or NHS health board or in a high street dental practice. A Dental Technician requires to work closely with a dentist as they manufacture appliances that are fitted for the patients of that dentist.
A small number of Dental Technicians may undertake further training to become a Clinical Dental Technician. A Clinical Dental Technician is able to work directly with patients without the involvement of a dentist. Clinical Dental Technicians can prescribe and deliver treatment directly for patients where this treatment is within their scope of practice.
All Dental Technicians require to be registered with the GDC. Training is only available at one Higher Education Institute (HEI) operating a part-time Diploma in Higher Education in Dental Technology (SCQF Level 8). There is no current training provision in Scotland for Clinical Dental Technicians.