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Dental technicians

How to become a Dental Technician

Makes and repairs artificial teeth following a dentist's instructions.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say vocational college (senmon gakko) is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

To become a dental technician you must pass the national dental technician exam. After high school, you enter a dental technician training institution such as a two- or three-year senmon gakko (vocational college), a tanki daigaku (junior college) or a four-year university, and become eligible for the exam after at least two years of study gaining the necessary knowledge and skills. Some schools also run evening courses. Once you pass the exam, you apply to the registration body designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (the Dental Medicine Promotion Foundation), are entered on the register of dental technicians and receive your licence. New graduates often find jobs through vacancies sent to their school or information from related organisations. Dental technicians do fine, detailed work with their fingers, so you need precise, accurate skills and knowledge, along with the patience to work steadily. Fine work such as dentures also needs an eye for appearance. You must keep practising after you qualify, and it is said to take several years of work experience to become fully capable. Dental technicians work closely with dentists. After building experience at a dental clinic or dental laboratory, you can eventually set up your own laboratory.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Dental Technician?

To become a dental technician you must pass the national dental technician exam. After high school, you enter a dental technician training institution such as a two- or three-year senmon gakko (vocational college), a tanki daigaku (junior college) or a four-year university, and become eligible for the exam after at least two years of study gaining the necessary knowledge and skills. Some schools also run evening courses. Once you pass the exam, you apply to the registration body designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (the Dental Medicine Promotion Foundation), are entered on the register of dental technicians and receive your licence. New graduates often find jobs through vacancies sent to their school or information from related organisations. Dental technicians do fine, detailed work with their fingers, so you need precise, accurate skills and knowledge, along with the patience to work steadily. Fine work such as dentures also needs an eye for appearance. You must keep practising after you qualify, and it is said to take several years of work experience to become fully capable. Dental technicians work closely with dentists. After building experience at a dental clinic or dental laboratory, you can eventually set up your own laboratory.

How much does a Dental Technician earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,586,300 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

Do you need a degree to become a Dental Technician?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 7% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Vocational college (専門学校) course: Dental technology.

Will AI change the work of a Dental Technician?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026