For those who are anxious to get into a career in the dental profession, there is good news.
Many prospective students, especially in the Lower Mainland area, have been looking to take a Dental Technician program but have found it difficult due to the severe lack of institutions that provide such training and education. Up until now, there have been only five approved colleges that offer the Dental Technician program throughout Canada – with Vancouver Community College being the only one in B.C.
This has resulted in considerably long wait-list times that can reach up to two years or more despite the growing shortage of skilled professionals in the field.
In response, CDI College submitted its application to offer the Dental Technician program, and has recently celebrated joining the list of approved institutes.
“CDI College”s Dental Technician program will provide its students with everything they need, from state-of-the-art labs to the well-qualified professors that bring their own success and personal hands-on experience to the classroom,” said Joseph Wallace, R.D.T, Program Head for Dental Technology at CDI College.
Wallace brings eight years of teaching experience in the Dental Technician program at Vancouver Community College and four years of professional experience as inspector and technical assistant at the College of Dental Technicians of British Columbia, the regulatory body for the profession of Dental Technology in B.C.
Wallace joined CDI College as he found it meaningful “to be able to offer the program to more students in the community, and in the country as a whole.”
Reflecting on his past experience to improve the existing programs, he incorporated a longer practicum time and the latest technology, such as CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing) in CDI College”s new curriculum. Graduates are eligible to write the licensure exams required to practise with the College of Dental Technicians of British Columbia.
Dental laboratory technology is a flexible career offering several opportunities for advancement. Experienced technicians can find well-paid positions in commercial laboratories based on their technical or communication skills, become department heads in larger laboratories where they would have supervisory responsibilities, or potentially own their own laboratory.
Dental technicians may also teach dental technology courses in educational programs and apply their knowledge to research, sales and/or marketing of prosthetic materials, instruments and equipment. Annual salaries vary depending on one’s years of experience, the size of the lab, and the range of duties and tasks one is assigned in the position.
CDI College has been helping students achieve career goals and aspirations for more than 40 years. With 25 campus locations across Canada, including Surrey, CDI College offers more than 50 industry-influenced diploma programs in the fields of business, technology, healthcare, early childhood education, legal studies and art and design.
For general information regarding dental technology in Canada, visit http://dentaltechinfo.blogspot.ca.
