Why Become a Certified Dental Technician ?

Although certification is costly and requires a sustained commitment, it has many benefits for dental technicians, laboratory owners and the dental customer. CDTs and RGs have not only demonstrated competency, but they have shown determination and commitment in completing the certification process. The attained skill and knowledge of the CDT is highly desirable to laboratories. Having this certification provides the dental technician with the advantage of higher salaries, advancement and job satisfaction.

This value is affirmed by statistics that show almost two-thirds of CDTs have held their certificate more than 10 years. Today's CDTs are dedicated individuals who believe strongly in improving themselves and their profession.

The extensive knowledge gained by the CDT and RG during the required continuing education process assures the laboratory owner, dental customer and the public that this individual is a true student of the profession with a solid commitment to remain at the cutting edge of his or her field.

 

How to Become a Certified Dental Technician

All dental technicians who possess the required education and/or experience, have a working knowledge of the English language, and have not been found guilty of practicing dentistry illegally are eligible to become a Certified Dental Technician.

The Examinations

A candidate for certification must successfully complete three examinations, taken in any order, within a four-year period: a written Comprehensive Exam, a written Specialty Exam, and a hands-on Practical Exam in the same specialty.

Recognized Graduates (RGs) have four years to substitute the RG examination for the comprehensive examination and pass the other exams (the written specialty and the practical exam) to become a CDT.

After four years, the RG would need to take and pass all three examinations to achieve the CDT status.

The comprehensive examination has 160 multiple-choice questions and the specialty written examinations have 80 multiple-choice questions. The goal of the CDT examinations is to measure the mastery of knowledge and applied skills that are representative of the successful, professional practice of dental technology.

As part of NBC's ongoing efforts to ensure that the questions included in its written examinations are contributing to the reliability of the examinations, NBC includes an additional ten field test questions embedded on each examination form. These ten questions are not graded, but instead are used to gather statistical data to allow NBC to determine if the field test questions may be used on future examinations. Using field test questions is a common practice in the certification and licensure testing industry.

Candidates for CDT examinations must submit a completed application and payment for a specific examination. If approved, the candidate will be sent a confirmation.

Visit the CDT Application & Exam Process Page

See a list of CDT Study Clubs

 

Examination Preparation

Several tools are available through the National Association of Dental Laboratories and are shown below. Candidates should refer to the CDT Handbook and Application for a complete list of references.