Online Dental Tech Courses and Training Programs

Dental lab technicians fabricate dental prosthetics such as crowns, dentures and veneers. Although some online dental lab technician courses are available, online training in this area can be difficult to find because of the practical nature of a dental technician's work. No formal education or licensing is required to be a dental lab technician; however, certificate and associate's degree programs are available for those wishing to advance their skills.

Overview of Online Dental Tech Courses and Training Programs

No formal degree or license is required beyond a high school diploma in order to obtain employment as a dental lab technician. However, courses and training programs are available for students wishing to learn more about dental technology. These programs typically last 1-2 years and result in a certificate or an associate's degree. Completing an accredited program can improve employment opportunities and prepare graduates to take the certification exam offered by the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology (NBCDT). The exam is offered with a selection of specializations leading to different job titles for a dental lab technician, including dental ceramist, denture technician and porcelain technician.

Course Requirements

Students taking online dental lab technician courses should have access to the Internet through a computer with video and audio capabilities. Faculty and students may use e-mail, messaging boards and webinars for communication and interaction. Some assignments may require the use of word processing or spreadsheet software.
Due to the precise hands-on nature of a dental lab technician's work, practical lab work using various tools and materials is an important component to education programs. For this reason, some dental tech courses may only be offered on-campus, or may involve a mixture of online and in-class study. Schools may offer a selection of local sites from which to complete lab work.

List of Online Dental Lab Technician Courses

Dental Materials Course

In this course, students gain an understanding of the various chemicals, metals and other materials used by dental technicians in creating prosthetics. Specific materials include metals, porcelain and resins.

Dental Anatomy and Physiology Course

This foundational course teaches students about the anatomy of the human body in relation to dental lab skills, emphasizing the head, neck and teeth structure. Lab work demonstrating the fabrication and duplication processes is often part of this type of course.

Complete Dentures Course

Here students learn about the construction of complete dentures, which can replace an entire row of teeth. This type of course takes place mainly in the laboratory and consists of observation, demonstration and supervised practice.

Removable Partial Dentures Course

This course teaches students how to properly design, construct and repair removable partial dentures. A mix of class and lab work explains how to produce casts and construct metal frameworks for dentures.

Orthodontic and Pedodontic Prosthetics Course

Fixed and removable fabrications used in bite adjustment and child dental care are taught in this advanced course. Students are also taught how to repair orthodontic appliances.

Ceramics Course

Students in this higher-level course learn how to create porcelain fused to metal (PFM) and ceramic restorations using ceramic alloy and other techniques. Other topics of study include metal substructures and ceramic firing.