Dental Technologist or Dental Technician salary in Nigeria.
A dental technologist or dental technician or dental laboratory technician is a member of the dental team who, upon prescription from a dental clinician (dentist or orthodontist), constructs custom-made restorative and dental appliances. Dental technologists work hand-in-hand with dental surgeons.
The dentist communicates with the dental technologist with prescriptions, drawings, and measurements taken from the patient. The most important aspect of this is a dental impression into which the technician flows a gypsum dental stone to create a replica of the patient’s anatomy known as a dental cast. A technologist can then use this cast for the construction of custom appliances like dentures, artificial tooth, crowns, bridges, veneers etc.
The work of dental technologists helps to improve patients’ appearance and also helps improve patients’ speech and ability to chew. Without the services offered by a dental technician, dentists would not be able to offer the full range of services to their patients.
There are 4 specialist areas with this specialty:
Prosthodontics technicians specialise in designing and making dentures, which can be made of acrylic or chrome cobalt
Orthodontic technicians specialising in designing and making braces to align proper tooth positions
Conservation technicians focus on crown and bridge work using a wide range of materials, including porcelain, gold or metal alloys
Maxillo-facial technicians or maxillofacial prosthetists are in great demand in hospital oral surgery, ophthalmic, burns and cancer units, where they help to reconstruct faces damaged by disease or accident.
Dental Technician Workplace
The majority of dental technicians are employed in commercial dental laboratories, which could range from small, family-run businesses to large multi-site laboratories offering a comprehensive service. Jobs for dental technicians are also available within hospitals, general dental practices and the armed forces.
In Universities, dental technologists can also be involved in research or teach undergraduate dental students some of the technical aspects of dentistry.
Dental Technologist or Dental Technician salary in Nigeria
A senior dental technician earns close to #240,000 – #300,000 per month as salary. The least a dental technologist earns is #100,000 naira monthly and it can be as high as #400,000 monthly in some dental clinics… Don’t for a dental technician also pays tax.
Sources:
www.nimedhealth.com.ng
Wikipedia
Global Premeds
