GENERAL DESCRIPTION

A Dental Technologist is a person who is knowledgeable and skilled in the design, repair or alteration of dental prosthetic, restorative and orthodontic devices which are prescribed by dentists, orthodontists or denturists for their patients.

Only individuals who have successfully completed the Registration Examination set by the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario (CDTO) and are registered with the CDTO may:

  • use the protected title "Dental Technologist", or its variation, or the "RDT" designation;
  • practise dental technology independently; and
  • supervise the design, construction, repair and alteration of dental prosthetic, restorative or orthodontic devices being processed by assisting technical employees in a dental laboratory.

Technicians who are not registered with the CDTO may work as assistants. They must work under the direct supervision of "Dental Technologists" and are not allowed to use the protected title.

The practice of the profession is regulated by the College of Dental Technologists of Ontario (CDTO) in accordance with the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, the Dental Technology Act, 1991 and Regulations.

The most accurate way of depicting how a Dental Lab functions is to think of the communication between you physician and the pharmacy. The process of having your prescription filled is much the same.

Think about a doctor's consultation. After the examination, he or she may prescribe medication(s) suitable for your circumstances. The pharmacy, consisting of individuals specializing in medications, fill the prescription according to your doctor's plan of treatment.

A Dental Lab operates in much the same way as the pharmacy, but there is little interaction between you, the patient, and us, the Dental Lab. After your visit with your dentist, he or she will determine what treatment is best suited to your individual circumstances. Perhaps you are in need of a crown, bridgework, or an oral appliance. Most dentists then have these customized elements produced at a dental lab, made for you according to your dentist's prescription.


Dental labs make strides in dental technology. Labs work with new materials, improve designs, and advance the processes used to make the various elements used in treatments such as crowns, dentures, oral appliances and others. The lab will then make these new products and improvements available to dentists, who can then incorporate them into their practice.