How to become a Dental Technician
Constructs and repairs dentures and other dental appliances.
Main tasks
- Creates models of the mouth and teeth from impressions taken by a dental practitioner
- Makes replacement braces, retainers or dentures for patients using plastic, metal or ceramic materials
- Crafts braces, mouthguards and plates for correcting irregular or damaged teeth
- Designs, constructs and repairs ceramic restorations such as crowns, bridges or dentures
- Polishes and finishes braces or retainers before they are placed in a patient's mouth
Ways in
- TAFE and VET: Diploma of Dental Technology (HLT55118); Advanced Diploma of Dental Prosthetics (HLT65015); Certificate III in Dental Laboratory Assisting (HLT35115)
- Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Typical full-time pay: $114,920 a year
- About 7,500 people work in this job group now, and about 9,100 are projected by 2035. (+20.6%)
- AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Related jobs
- Anaesthetic Technician
- Medical Laboratory Technician
- Operating Theatre Technician
- Respiratory Technician
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Dental Technician?
Ways in include: Diploma of Dental Technology; Advanced Diploma of Dental Prosthetics.
How much does a Dental Technician earn in Australia?
Median full-time pay is $114,920 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Is a Dental Technician a growing career in Australia?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 21% by 2035, from about 7,500 to about 9,100 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).
Do you need a degree to become a Dental Technician?
Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Diploma of Dental Technology; Advanced Diploma of Dental Prosthetics.
Will AI change the work of a Dental Technician?
AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.
Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
- Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04
Updated 2026-10-04