Technician - Becoming a Dental Technician
There are a number of educational establishments in the UK that offer courses for the Business and Technician Education Council (BTEC) course leading to a National Diploma in Science (Dental Technology), or the Scottish Vocational Educational Council (SCOTVEC) Diploma.
The entry requirements are: four GCSE passes at Grade C and above, of which two should be in science subjects; or a BTEC first certificate in science, or recognised equivalent.
There are three main training routes.
(1) You can obtain a training place within a commercial laboratory and attend a college of further education or technology one day a week, for up to five years.
(2) Alternatively some colleges offer a three year full-time course in dental technology. Some hospitals and Health Authorities operate a four year sandwich course within the NHS, where part of the time is spent at college and part at the laboratory.
Formal three-year training courses are run from four academic centres in the UK of which three also offer Degree Courses in Dental Technology. Degree courses can currently be undertaken at Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Sheffield and the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff.
Successful completion of the BTEC National Diploma entitles you to apply for inclusion in the United Kingdom voluntary National Register of Dental Technicians, maintained by the Dental Technicians Education and Training Advisory Board.
However, there are no mandatory requirements or qualifications for a Dental Technician to work in the UK. The majority of technicians work in commercial laboratories where entrants may learn the craft from laboratory owners.
