DLT~"A ROSE by Any Other Name...." "The labor status of dental laboratory technicians has been downgraded from skilled to unskilled labor by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. September 29, 2010."
Techs are now classed as professionals in the UK, yet unskilled in the US and doing the same job.
So how does that work?
I THOUGHT this must be written in error but no, here is the IDT web link.
Status Change - Dental industry fights the government's recent downgrade of labor status for dental technicians | Inside Dental Technology | dentalaegis.com YOU KNOW, SO FAR EVERY TIME I click on a NADL link it brings me to an ADA.org web page.
If the powerful, moneyed ADA lobby has anything to do with this downgrade,
and so far I'd say they do at least by default, then US Dentists are cutting their own throats.
Why?
Well would you rather have your teeth done by an unskilled laborer DLT in the US, or by a professional DLT abroad, exotic vacation included for the same money or less ??
No wonder more and more big US restorative cases that can be done in a few weeks or sittings are going to Drs in other countries. True Story LIKE I TOLD MY DOC, any competent, caring, careful US dentist should be able to do great crown, bridge, and veneer preps; all get the same training.
What sealed the deal for me with my Dr is his DLT knowledge. It is far more extensive than that of most Drs I've interviewed, even though he will have a dental lab make my crowns.
DLT Training in US Service Prosthodontics Program DR BECAME A PROS in the US Service nearly 40 years ago. Program application reqs were a dental degree and having practiced dentistry for a minimum of 5 years.
If Drs were accepted into the 2-year postdoc prosthodontics program, besides more academic classes including in DLT, they had to broaden and refine their hands-on knowledge of all relevant aspects of the technology. Not only that, they had to be their own lab tech for the entire 2 years, p/ts having usual rights of refusal.
Orofacial 3rd-Year Postdoc MY PROS TOOK AN OPTIONAL, postdoctoral 3rd year in orofacial prosthetics,
he and his mates by then practicing Drs for at least 7 years by 1st semester start. A huge part of this 3rd-year postdoc training was hands-on orofacial laboratory technology, learning to personally custom create prostheses for accident victims, cancer cases and war wounded. Drs had to apply all their knowledge of human anatomy, art and design, science of structural materials, and whatever all else goes into making the strongest, most functional, aesthetic custom prostheses.
Doc tells me that for him, contouring a good-looking silicon ear was even harder than crafting a realistic dental crown. He eventually narrowed down to working mostly in dental prosthodontics where he felt most comfortable.
Funny you say that. In my area if a 50 man lab wants to scale down to 10 just do a lab wide drug test lol....I'm wondering I'd our profession attracts addicts, or creates them
I'M SORRY TO READ THIS. When I was in high school,
even though I took electives in painting and drafting and loved working with my hands, no counselor formal or otherwise ever talked to me about any of the trades cuz I was in the College Prep Program.
Right up until fairly recently I was one of the ignoramuses thinking Drs made my dental crowns. When I finally learned different every one of them let me believe they micromanaged the lab fabrications.
Pretty much up until I found DLN I had no idea a true DLT profession existed.
Advanced Degree Programs in Medical and Dental Lab Technologies APPARENTLY THERE AREN'T any, and not saying this is where to go beyond CDT, and other current DLT certifications. But given the DLT research I've already seen, new as I am to these studies, and having walked my share of hallowed university halls it would seem a relative campus picnic to design some curricula. Some original research in DLT is PhD worthy; even more research, including applied, written up could earn their authors MAs (see fn). And institutions of higher learning bestow honorary degrees, which could help get the ball rolling; and they also give academic credit for course equivalent certifications and proven life experience.
The research I refer to is not only by professional DLTs abroad, but also by some of our own "unskilled-laborer" DLTs right here in the good ole US of A! Dental Laboratory Technology Unskilled Labor ?! R O F L M A O :rofl:2
Maybe in a Chinese assembly line factory.
OTHERWISE, as the old saw sings it,
A rose by any other name is still a ROSE. And, from what I've seen, CAD CAM technology is much like digital painting in that results only can reflect the mind, heart, skill, and talent of the artist holding the digital brushes and paints.
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footnote: PhD research must be original, solve or partially solve a significant problem. An MA thesis also is a research writeup, e.g., how you tested an application would work. "Effects of Varying Sintering Temperatures and Cooling Rates on Porcelain Strength" could be an MA thesis title, (titles cannot be copyrighted),and something I've seen discussed on DLN. There are many ways to skin the MA cat.
