Interested to take up denturism as a career? This CareerStint post tells you what are the basic requirements in order to become a denturist.
Did You Know?
Only five states in the US allow denturists to practice independently. They are Arizona, Maine, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
A denturist is a licensed oral health care provider who specializes in constructing and delivering removable oral prostheses (dentures and partial dentures) directly to the patient. Denturists work with patients who have lost some or all of their teeth, and are looking for replacements. They are also known as clinical dental technicians or dental prosthetists.
To take up a career as a denturist, you must be creative and dedicated, with an attention to detail. Do you think you have what it takes? Well, then let us take a look at the duties performed by a denturist, along with the educational qualifications required.
Job Profile of a Denturist
So, what exactly does a denturist do? Here we shall learn about the duties of a denturist.
● Performing a complete oral examination of the patient, and analyzing his/her dental history
● Taking necessary measurements of the oral cavity of the patient, an impression of the mouth, and assessing the type of denture required
● Designing functional, complete, or partial dentures, based on the requirements of each individual patient
● Repairing, realigning, or adjusting existing dental prostheses
● Inserting the dentures in the mouth of the patient and making him/her understand how to use and maintain them
● Consulting dentists, or other dental health professionals, as and when required
● Creating clones of a patient’s dentures (denture cloning)
Educational Qualifications Required
Now, that we have a fair idea of what a denturist is expected to do, let us learn about the educational qualifications that you should seek if you wish to become one. In order to become a denturist, one must complete a graduation program from an accredited college, the duration of which is 2 or 3 years. To get admission to a college offering a program in denturism, one must be a high school graduate and preferably, possess an Associate Degree with a science background.
Other Skills Required
In addition to acquiring the educational qualifications, one needs to possess the following skills in order to be successful in this profession.
- Good interpersonal skills
- Good communication skills
- Flair for creativity and design
- Good vision and imaginative skills
- Ability to distinguish between fine color shades
- Basic analytical skills
Training and Practice
A denturist is not only trained in constructing dentures, but also in oral pathology, microbiology, and anatomy of the neck and oral cavity.
In order to acquire a license for practicing as a denturist in the US, one must complete at least four years of internship in dental technology.
Denturism is not legalized as a profession in most states of the US, because dentists are of the opinion that denturists do not have a complete knowledge of dentistry as dentists do, and hence, would not be capable enough to identify a patient’s needs as a dentist would. Denturists, on the other hand, argue that dentists are not trained in the technical aspect of creating dentures, and hence, may end up constructing ill-fitted prostheses.
However, denturism is gradually becoming popular as more and more bright minds are dedicating themselves to the art of constructing dentures that bring a smile to a patient’s face.