In-house lab tech pay

[bonbon]

I am designing clear aligner treatments, custom aligner trays, orthotics, retainers digitally and post processing them and also repairing some orthotics.
I am also maintaining and troubleshooting the 3d printer.
What should the appropriate pay be?

 

[grantoz]

are you a fully trained technician or an inhouse trained nurse?

 

[bonbon]

I am not trained in anything. I was a patient and the doc asked me to be his in-house lab guy. I have fabricated retainers, orthotics and repaired some orthotics mostly through trial and error approach. They didn’t have digital side of the lab at all. I told them what 3d printer to buy and what softwares to use for what purposes. I have to figure out all CAD/CAM part all on my own. I am setting up the printer and associated equipment all on my own. I will have to maintain and troubleshoot all of this on my own. We will be designing and direct printing clear aligners, EMA sleep appliances, models, and everything else related to orthodontics. Another doctor here wants me to get CDT so I can fabricate crowns and bridges and full arches too. It’s just too much and they know virtually nothing about the digital/tech side of things.

 

[bonbon]

are you a fully trained technician or an inhouse trained nurse?

I am technically and digitally inclined though and took some programming classes during college years. That’s why tech side of things comes easier but it’s still so much because I have to put it all together. I am also responsible for inventory.

 

[JonnyLathe]

You don't need to be a CDT to fabricate crowns, bridges, or full arches. Getting your CDT will not mean you know how to create them either, it will take very specialized training and take a lot of time.

I think most in house ortho techs around here are making around $25-30/hr. This is a high cost of living area.

An in house tech who can do implants, dentures, bridges, and full arches can earn easily well into the 6 figures. It's all about how much value you bring. That's the "unicorn" tech everyone talks about. Especially if they know design and finishing.

If your docs expect you to get your CDT you should expect them to pay for the training and exam fees.

 

[desertfox384]

Shows how little the docs think about techs to literally bring a person off the street to be an in house tech - so either they’re desperate or just that cheap.

 

[kimba]

Do you like to ski?

 

[bonbon]

You don't need to be a CDT to fabricate crowns, bridges, or full arches. Getting your CDT will not mean you know how to create them either, it will take very specialized training and take a lot of time.

I think most in house ortho techs around here are making around $25-30/hr. This is a high cost of living area.

An in house tech who can do implants, dentures, bridges, and full arches can earn easily well into the 6 figures. It's all about how much value you bring. That's the "unicorn" tech everyone talks about. Especially if they know design and finishing.

If your docs expect you to get your CDT you should expect them to pay for the training and exam fees.

I think he just wanted me to get CDT but he also showed me these online courses. It was a whole bundle about veneers, smile design, implants, crown and bridge. I do realize that to fabricate those, I would have to actually use my hands and practice. I have been watching exocad training videos by professional lab techs. Not saying that will make me a lab tech but I am just trying to get familiar with 3shape and exocad regarding crown and bridge work.

When you say that it will take a long time, are you talking 1 year or 2 years or more? I can be very good with my hands and be a perfectionist in a sense. I used to draw human sketches as a kid but that was 2D and this is 3 dimensional. I also get satisfaction from end-to-end production of whatever I work on.

 

[bonbon]

Shows how little the docs think about techs to literally bring a person off the street to be an in house tech - so either they’re desperate or just that cheap.

I can’t speak to their view on it. For me, I wouldn’t call my self a tech just yet. I have looked at the workflow for clear aligners and EMA sleep appliances and those things seem easy to me. I can also get help with some training videos on specific workflows from the company we purchased the 3d printer from. Crown and bridge work is what seems labor intensive and something that I would have to practice a lot for. I think I would actually need a professional training me for that in person that I can imitate.

 

[bonbon]

Do you like to ski?

I just got back from hiking on this mountain lol I have never skied before but I would definitely be into it. I like the cold, mountains, snow, and trees. That’s not to say that I don’t like the sunny weather and beaches, but all of my family and friends don’t like the cold weather like me lol

 

[bonbon]

Shows how little the docs think about techs to literally bring a person off the street to be an in house tech - so either they’re desperate or just that cheap.

Also, I am not doing any wire bending making nance button, hawley retainers etc. I think the plan is to get a machine for it, but I am not opposed to learning to do that by hand either. I guess I am just too overwhelmed by everything being discussed all at once which I would be able to handle if I was a seasoned professional.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Shows how little the docs think about techs to literally bring a person off the street to be an in house tech - so either they’re desperate or just that cheap.

or have so little respect for the profession

 

[bonbon]

In their defense, I don’t think they have low respect for the profession. Everything they have done so far has been sent out to actual labs which they pay a premium for. Some of the retainers were being fabricated in house and some through Invisalign. They order EMA which costs them $750 per patient. They do custom MARPES which they pay $1600 for. They pay around $1800 for Invisalign. They order orthotics from labs which I don’t know the price of. Same thing with crowns and bridges. I think the plan is to have me trained properly which they understand will take time. I am just overwhelmed with everything being in a new state and having to go through so much material alone. I don’t know if all of that equates to respect for techs. Just giving my view from my understanding.

 

[grantoz]

ive had a couple of clients actually send their nurses to college to become techs they really get disappointed that they still cant do everything. the nurse / dental tech usually leave the dentist in about 6 months after graduation for a higher paid job as the dentist expects a return on their investment and wants to still pay them minimum wage for about 10 years its quite amusing to watch i even tried to warn one of my clients that this will happen especially after he set up his in house lab under the house with a tiny window and no aircon or heater and they were at 1000m altitude a really warm place not .

 

[JonnyLathe]

I think he just wanted me to get CDT but he also showed me these online courses. It was a whole bundle about veneers, smile design, implants, crown and bridge. I do realize that to fabricate those, I would have to actually use my hands and practice. I have been watching exocad training videos by professional lab techs. Not saying that will make me a lab tech but I am just trying to get familiar with 3shape and exocad regarding crown and bridge work.

When you say that it will take a long time, are you talking 1 year or 2 years or more? I can be very good with my hands and be a perfectionist in a sense. I used to draw human sketches as a kid but that was 2D and this is 3 dimensional. I also get satisfaction from end-to-end production of whatever I work on.

It's going to take a few years. It's one thing to make a pretty smile design in CAD, but another to really get into the nuance of occlusion, function, and esthetics. You really need to know what's going on surgically to do implant work and what's required for proper patient healing and hygiene.

Then CAM is another beast. Knowing your equipment, maintenance, materials, furnaces, technique on the bench, etc. In my opinion no restoration comes off of a mill or printer ready to go. They all need fine tuning and adjustments by hand which just comes from reps on the bench.

I'm not trying to be discouraging, but being an in house tech without a senior tech to train/guide you will land all of this responsibility on your shoulders and your doctors will likely be expecting results and ROI.

 

[labdude]

At $30.00 an hour, if you work 5 days, 8 hours a day, is 60k before taxes. You are worth, from what you stated, at least 100k.
And the doc can afford it too. Best choice, tough it out, open your own lab. You will bring in 200k a year, and as time goes by, even more. I truly don't understand, and haven't understood for 55 years now, why people don't have their own businesses. 72 now, slowed way down, way down. Still at it, it's fun and easy. At this stage you can work for who you choose. I have told the narcistic twits to take a hike, many times over those 55 years.

 

[Foggy_in_RI]

At $30.00 an hour, if you work 5 days, 8 hours a day, is 60k before taxes. You are worth, from what you stated, at least 100k.
And the doc can afford it too. Best choice, tough it out, open your own lab. You will bring in 200k a year, and as time goes by, even more. I truly don't understand, and haven't understood for 55 years now, why people don't have their own businesses. 72 now, slowed way down, way down. Still at it, it's fun and easy. At this stage you can work for who you choose. I have told the narcistic twits to take a hike, many times over those 55 years.

This is why...

Comparing the costs of generations

How much has the cost of living changed from the 1970s to the 2020s? We compare financial burdens when baby boomers and Gen Z were in their 20s.

www.consumeraffairs.com

Key takeaways
Gen Z dollars today have 86% less purchasing power than those from when baby boomers were in their twenties.

 

[labdude]

Yes. Why I pointed out his starting wage, 100k. Crank it up, do your own lab. It's hard but well worth it today as it was yesterday.

 

[bonbon]

It's going to take a few years. It's one thing to make a pretty smile design in CAD, but another to really get into the nuance of occlusion, function, and esthetics. You really need to know what's going on surgically to do implant work and what's required for proper patient healing and hygiene.

Then CAM is another beast. Knowing your equipment, maintenance, materials, furnaces, technique on the bench, etc. In my opinion no restoration comes off of a mill or printer ready to go. They all need fine tuning and adjustments by hand which just comes from reps on the bench.

I'm not trying to be discouraging, but being an in house tech without a senior tech to train/guide you will land all of this responsibility on your shoulders and your doctors will likely be expecting results and ROI.

I see for the first part. I think I wouldn’t have a hard time when it comes to occlusion, function, esthetics if you are referring to conceptual side of things. I think applying that information in practice would be something I would have to really work on. Like something can make sense in your head but it’s different when it comes to actually doing it. I have no idea when it comes to proper patient healing and hygiene. If it’s a bunch of material I have to memorize, I wouldn’t find it problematic.

Setting up the equipment, maintaining it, and calibrating doesn’t come difficult for me from what I have done so far. I have only set it up so far so I don’t know if it counts for anything. I have also narrowed down the list of software but I don’t know if that counts for anything either. I know this would be an ongoing process based on what sort of problems I run into.

Oh don’t worry, you are not being discouraging at all. I love to be told reality and facts because that’s the only way that would help me in knowing which direction to go in and what to tackle. I also do agree with your point in a seasoned professional guiding me through it all because everything I come across brings up a bunch of questions in my mind. I have to look up everything.

I know I haven’t done much and relatively very new but I am optimistic and motivated to learn while also being aware of the reality of things.

 

[bonbon]

At $30.00 an hour, if you work 5 days, 8 hours a day, is 60k before taxes. You are worth, from what you stated, at least 100k.
And the doc can afford it too. Best choice, tough it out, open your own lab. You will bring in 200k a year, and as time goes by, even more. I truly don't understand, and haven't understood for 55 years now, why people don't have their own businesses. 72 now, slowed way down, way down. Still at it, it's fun and easy. At this stage you can work for who you choose. I have told the narcistic twits to take a hike, many times over those 55 years.

He is not offering me $30.00 an hour. I am about to start working 40 hours a week. The plan is to tough it out and have my own lab. I have no wife and kids or other obligations so I have the time to learn and flexibility to move around. I just don’t have all the expertise and knowledge to go on my own yet, so I wanna learn all the ins and outs of this business which I know will take some time. I guess I just need mentoring and guidance as I go along and that would prevent me from selling myself short and keep me sane. Even now, being brand new and having to set up the equipment, and knowing how to maintain it, and also learning the dental side of things all at once can get overwhelming at times. Thank you for your input and please feel free to add any more bits of advice and guidance!