Welcome message from the Chairman

Thank you for visiting UTHSCSA's Dental Laboratory Technology website. As a department in the School of Allied Health Sciences, we are committed to providing excellent dental technology education programs. The Department of Dental Laboratory Sciences at the UTHSCSA has been recognized as the leader in a growing number of post two-year entry-level dental technology education programs. Dental Laboratory Technology may truly be the best kept secret in today’s family of dental professions. New and emerging technologies have made Dental Laboratory Technology an extremely exciting and challenging profession, resulting in increased demands and a greater position of value for the dental technologist as a member of the dental health care team. We offer a flexible curriculum that is user-friendly for the practicing technologist whose responsibilities might limit him/her to a specific geographic location.

Our flagship program is our Bachelor Degree in Dental Laboratory Sciences. For the non-degree seeker we offer an advanced certificate program. The objective of both programs is to provide dental laboratory technicians with training far beyond the entry level. These programs are designed to serve as a career ladder from the level of basic dental laboratory technician to the advanced level of technologist with mastery of dental laboratory prosthodontics and/or dental laboratory management operations.

The Bachelor Degree Program’s primary focus is on dental laboratory leadership, technical and research skills. Completion of this program requires 120 semester hours. These hours must be a combination of general education, dental technology, and laboratory management courses. Non traditional applicants are reviewed and given consideration on a case by case situation. During the final semester, students may complete an internship under supervision in a commercial or government dental laboratory. Graduates will receive a Bachelor Degree in Dental Laboratory Sciences.

The Advance Certificate Program

In addition to the basic sciences, the Advance Certificate curriculum will focus on three major areas: Fixed Restorative, Removable Prosthetics and Specialized Prosthetics. Each of these major areas will be presented at three levels. This will prepare the technologist to work closely with the dentist from treatment planning to post insertion evaluation. Considerable emphasis is placed on case planning, documentation, presentation and problem solving. This program is a vision of future dental technology education.