Dental Lab Technician (Dentures)

Join National Dentex - a leading healthcare organization specializing in the dental industry! We offer a full spectrum of specialized products, services, and technologies to address any dental restoration need. Currently, we have 50 labs throughout the country. We are seeking to fill a number of key positions within our organization including this Dental Lab Technician opportunity specializing in denture fabrication at NDX Nelson Dental Laboratory in Rochester Hills, MI. 

The regular hours for this position are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and subject to change from time to time. 

This is a full-time position featuring employee benefits including: health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid holiday, vacation, and sick time; 401K with company contribution; and tuition reimbursement!  

Responsibilities and Functions of the Position you may be assigned:

• Models - Using the denture impressions of the patient’s jaw and mouth, create a model based on the prescription sent from the dentist. Pour the impression in dental stone using a vibrator to eliminate bubbles and voids.
  • The model is placed in an articulator. The use of a mechanical device (articulator) is to represent the jaw to attach the teeth with wax.
  • Using the wax model, shape and carve the wax, so it looks like gums. This wax base will be used for finished dentures.
• Custom Trays – Fabricate a custom impression tray and wax bite rims. The bite rims need to be contoured to provide the correct lip support and indicate future incisal edge positions, the occlusal plate, the vertical dimension and the midline.
• Set up- Set up the teeth, in the desired occlusal scheme, assuring proper form and function. Once all the teeth are correctly set up, add additional wax around the teeth, gradually building up the correct gingival contours. Sufficient wax is added to properly support the facial muscles and create a natural-looking appearance. The wax should be lightly stippled so that when the denture is finished, the acrylic gums do not look unnaturally smooth.
• Flasking- Set dentures in a flask. Place the dentures in a flask, which is a holding device into which more plaster is poured, so the shape of the dentures can be maintained. The flask is then placed in hot water (boil out) and the wax is melted off.
  • Inject acrylic into the plaster mold. Once the wax has been removed, add a liquid separator onto the plaster layer. This separator stops the acrylic from sticking to it, and the acrylic is then injected into the flask to replace the wax.
  • The plaster is removed. Carefully remove the plaster mold using special lab tools and place the acrylic dentures in an ultrasonic bath to remove any remaining plaster.  The articulation is checked and adjusted if necessary.
• Finish- Trim and polish the denture. Any excess acrylic from the dentures will be cut from the denture. After trimming, use pumice to polish.
• All other duties as assigned

Skills and Abilities that may be Required:

• Preparing (box and pour impression material, trim models, set and seal bites and articulate)
• Set Up (select and setup teeth)
• Wax (wax dentures for try-in and/or finish)
• Processing (invest and boil-out, pack)
• Finish (finish and contour dentures, polish dentures)
• Must be able to understand, read, write and speak English

Minimum Education and Experience Required:

• High School diploma or equivalent preferred
• Demonstrated relevant employment may be considered in lieu of education
• Minimum one (1) year of experience as a Dental Lab Technician within a denture fabrication department

Hazardous Materials or Equipment that may be Used:

• Laboratory equipment that may include: grinders, lathes, ovens, burners, steamers and boiling water

Physical Skills and Abilities that may be Required:

• Requires sitting for long periods of time, uncommon posture when fabricating and continuous maneuvering of hands and fingers while working with small tools.
• Exhibit fine motor skills and/or perform repetitive motions
• Good hand-eye coordination
• Good manual dexterity
• Ability to walk and stand for long periods of time
• Repeated bending and kneeling
• Vision capabilities: Depth perception, attention to detail and/or color
• May be required to push, pull, lift, and/or carry up to 25 pounds