Bachelor of Dental Technology

Dental Technology is the technical side of dentistry where a dental technician, on prescription of a dentist, makes any prosthesis or appliance for the head and neck.

Dental technicians do not have direct contact with patients. Instead they work in a dental laboratory where various prosthetic appliances are custom made. Dental technicians can be thought of as artists who, with a thorough understanding of dental materials science, use their artistic skills to fabricate the form, colour and function of individual teeth or maxillofacial prostheses for a patient. The fact that the product can affect the health and appearance of a person demands of the technician a high level of responsibility and accuracy. For this reason, the profession of dental technology is registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2004. Graduates with the Bachelor of Dental Technology degree are automatically entitled to register with the New Zealand Dental Technicians Board.