"My instructors were dedicated and extremely caring. They kept me focused and pushed me past my comfort zone, which helped me achieve my goals." - Nikki N., CDI College Graduate
The Dental Technician diploma program at CDI College provides students with a unique learning opportunity in the fascinating field of dentistry.
Through a series of lectures, group activities and hands-on projects, students will gain a fundamental understanding of conventional dental technician practice. They will also learn about related research and practice involving state of the art computer-aided design and manufacturing of dental ceramics, dental implants, attachments and milling techniques.
Students enrolled in the Dental Technician program will also participate in several practicum placements where they will have the opportunity to work in a dental laboratory under the guidance of professional dental technicians.
Through a series of lectures, group activities and hands-on projects, students will gain a fundamental understanding of conventional dental technician practice. They will also learn about related research and practice involving state of the art computer-aided design and manufacturing of dental ceramics, dental implants, attachments and milling techniques.
Students enrolled in the Dental Technician program will also participate in several practicum placements where they will have the opportunity to work in a dental laboratory under the guidance of professional dental technicians.
This program is 94 weeks in length.
Job Opportunities
- Dental Laboratories
- Dental Manufacturers and Suppliers
- Dentist Owned Clinics
- Government Owned Labs
Dental Technician
Offered in British Columbia At:
SurreyFor programs offered in Alberta:
Calgary City Centre Calgary North Calgary South Edmonton City Centre Edmonton North Edmonton South Edmonton WestProgram Courses
The program outline below is for British Columbia.
Term 1
| Code | Course Name | Hours |
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- Focus on theoretical and practical applications in relation to the cooperation of the dental team, understanding of the laboratory equipment and materials used in the steps leading to the fabrication of complete dentures.
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- Focus on theoretical and practical applications in relation to the cooperation of the dental team, understanding of the laboratory equipment and materials used in the steps leading to the fabrication of acrylic removable partial dentures with wrought wire clasps.
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- Students are introduced to “Digital Workflow in the Dental Laboratory”. With the continuing advances of digital technology in the dental field, students will be introduced to concepts, techniques and materials used in scanning/software and hardware technologies to give a working foundation for the utilization of these developing technologies in future dental clinical procedures. Dental anatomy and "tooth libraries" will be discussed. Introduction to Virtual reality (3D) designing techniques using solid modeling on dental anatomy.
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- Focus on introduction and practice of preparing and trimming master casts, sectioning and preparing dies, occlusal principles pertinent to fixed restorations, articulating casts using semi-adjustable articulators. Students will wax and cast patterns for single fixed restorations, gold crowns and ceramic substructures.
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- Students will be introduced to the characteristics, manipulation and composition of porcelain, including esthetics, colour and shading. Methods of building and firing single unit porcelain fused to metal restorations will be explored. Design components for various ceramic and /or metal margins will be discussed. Building on course DD1-103, the students will also utilize "digital workflow" techniques for the production of basic "all-ceramic" restorations.
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- Focus on theoretical and practical applications in relation to the understanding of the laboratory equipment, instruments and materials used in the steps leading to the fabrication of simple removable and fixed orthodontics including soldering, bending of arch wires, wrought clasps and orthodontic clasps. Notation theory and practical application related to the development and eruption of teeth and the anatomical features of both the deciduous and permanent dentition.
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- Focus on theoretical knowledge relating to the anatomy and physiology of the head and oral cavity with emphasis on common terminology to communicate with members of the dental team.
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- This course provides an introduction to the personality styles that will be encountered in the workplace and allows students to practice appropriate and productive interaction between the various styles. Emphasis is placed on the types of communication that works with each style in order to achieve a good working relationship and to manage and resolve conflicts that arise. This course discusses the professions within dentistry, including ethics, jurisprudence and regulation. Students are also introduced to strategies for setting personal goals, managing time and managing the stress that results from study or work. Included is a lecture by the College of Dental Technicians of BC stating the scope of practice and legal requirements of dental technicians.
- This course provides an introduction to the personality styles that will be encountered in the workplace and allows students to practice appropriate and productive interaction between the various styles. Emphasis is placed on the types of communication that works with each style in order to achieve a good working relationship and to manage and resolve conflicts that arise. This course discusses the professions within dentistry, including ethics, jurisprudence and regulation. Students are also introduced to strategies for setting personal goals, managing time and managing the stress that results from study or work. Included is a lecture by the College of Dental Technicians of BC stating the scope of practice and legal requirements of dental technicians.
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- Health and safety awareness is an essential, integral part of this program. This course addresses potential risks associated with working in a dental laboratory environment, including infection control, WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), laboratory hygiene, equipment and instrument maintenance, and general rules and safety procedures for dental laboratories.
- Health and safety awareness is an essential, integral part of this program. This course addresses potential risks associated with working in a dental laboratory environment, including infection control, WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), laboratory hygiene, equipment and instrument maintenance, and general rules and safety procedures for dental laboratories.
Term 2
| Code | Course Name | Hours |
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- Focus on building on skills introduced in Term 1, setup of complete dentures, utilizing 0 degree flat plane teeth. Fabricating, polishing and finishing complete dentures, as well as the practice of repairing, relining, soft relining and rebasing dentures.
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- Focus on building skills introduced in semester 1, students will survey and duplicate master models, waxup refractory models, fabricate cast removable partial frameworks using the lost wax burnout technique, recover, trim and polish cast metal removable partial denture frameworks.
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- Continuing and adding to basic knowledge from Introduction to Digital Design.
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- Students will review and add to basic competencies from DLT-104. Further instruction fabrication of wax patterns for fixed restorations. Cast single and multiple unit full metal crowns and porcelain fused to metal (PFM) substructures will be constructed.
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- Continuing and adding to basic knowledge from DLT-105.
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- Building on theoretical and practical knowledge gained in Term 1. Students will fabricate simple removable retainers, removable appliances with bite planes, fixed unilateral and bilateral space maintainers night guards and bleaching trays. Perform simple repairs.
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- Students will visit laboratories to observe and report on general laboratory practice. This internship will provide students an opportunity to observe lab procedures and acquire direct work experience building dental appliances, and may also provide contacts which can be drawn on after completion of this course which may lead to employment.
- Students will visit laboratories to observe and report on general laboratory practice. This internship will provide students an opportunity to observe lab procedures and acquire direct work experience building dental appliances, and may also provide contacts which can be drawn on after completion of this course which may lead to employment.
Term 3
| Code | Course Name | Hours |
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- Focus building on skills introduced in Term 1 & 2, setup of complete dentures on semi-adjustable articulators, utilizing 20 degree semi-anatomical teeth in balanced occlusion. Fabricating, polishing and finishing complete dentures.
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- Focus on building skills introduced in Term 1 & 2, students will survey and duplicate master models, waxup refractory models, fabricate cast removable partial frameworks using the lost wax burnout technique, recover, trim and polish cast metal removable partial dentures. Select and setup denture teeth.
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- This course will review and add to the skills gained in previous Introduction to Digital Design and Digital Design 2. The student will apply their learning to the set up and operation of Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) machines to produce various finished dental restoration parts, using different materials. Computer Assisted manufacturing software will introduce the student to proper tooth preparation techniques for successful generation of multiple axis tool paths. Machine set-ups and demonstrations will be used for part manufactory. Explore techniques for successful generation of multiple axis tool paths. Machine set-ups and demonstrations will be used for part manufactory.
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- Introduction and further practice for fabricating connected multiple units, crowns or substructures, to be created of different materials. Waxing of occluding crowns and bridges, casting full metal crowns, inlays, and pontic design will be practiced. Soldering principles will be discussed and practiced.
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- Students will further develop on theory and practical skills from the previous terms. Fabrication techniques for cast post and core restorations will be practiced. An introduction to attachments and implant theory/assembly will be presented. Further design and material options will be discussed for all-ceramic and ceramometal substructures.
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- Focus building on theory and practical skills from terms 1 & 2 with emphasis on ability to design appliances, problem solve and self-evaluation. Students will fabricate more complex fixed and removable orthodontic appliances.
Term 4
| Code | Course Name | Hours |
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- Focus building on skills introduced in semester 1, 2, & 3, setup of complete dentures on semi-adjustable articulators, utilizing 33 degree anatomical teeth in balanced occlusion. Fabricating, polishing and finishing complete dentures. Students are introduced to immediate dentures and overdentures over various dental implants.
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- Focus on building skills introduced in terms 1, 2 & 3 students will survey and duplicate master models, waxup refractory models, fabricate cast removable partial frameworks using the lost wax burnout technique, recover, trim and polish cast metal removable partial dentures. Select and setup denture teeth. Students are introduced to precision, semi-precision and various stress breaker type attachments.
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- Utilizing skill sets developed in the previous courses, the student will practice and apply the techniques and theory learned. Students will design and execute solutions to a series of cases using digital technology, sourced from patients either privately or from the dental clinic. There will be individual and group projects, helping develop a collaborative atmosphere and explore common workplace issues to develop solutions for an effective transition into the work force.
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- Further theory and practice utilizing information learned in previous terms. Multiple unit construction and implant theory/fabrication will be of particular focus.
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- This course will review the information from previous Fixed Prosthodontics terms and integrate the entire series. Students will be expected, upon completion, to produce a commercially acceptable restorative solution of either ceramometal or an all-ceramic alternative.
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- Focus building on theory and practical skills from terms 1, 2 and 3 with emphasis on ability to design, troubleshoot, evaluate and fabricate more complex fixed and removable orthodontic appliances.
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- Students will visit laboratories and further add to the experience gained in term 2. This internship will provide students an opportunity to observe lab procedures acquiring direct work experience building dental appliances, and may also provide contacts which can be drawn on after completion of this course which may lead to employment.
- Students will visit laboratories and further add to the experience gained in term 2. This internship will provide students an opportunity to observe lab procedures acquiring direct work experience building dental appliances, and may also provide contacts which can be drawn on after completion of this course which may lead to employment.
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- This course builds on the skills learned in the Student Success Strategies course. It provides information on how to use the communication skills learned in order to make a successful presentation to a prospective employer. Students also learn to uncover the hidden job market and identify employment opportunities. Self assessment during this course allows students to identify their personal skills that are transferable to the workplace and to describe these skills to a prospective employer. Students are videotaped during a mock interview and participate in the analysis of their performance in the interview.
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- Marketing and sales are the key elements in the success of a business. This course provides an overview of the many elements of marketing, including developing, pricing, promoting, selling, and distributing various types of goods and services nationally and internationally.