How Dental Technology can benefit patients and dentists worldwide

The dental industry provided 19 million fewer treatments between March and November 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.  

For an essential industry responsible for the patient’s dental welfare, this was catastrophic with dental practices forced to operate at a fraction of their full capacity. Despite this, emerging technology is generating a constant evolution in the industry; creating monumental advances in dentistry, through specialised diagnostic tools that are proving to be indispensable. With this industry-changing technology in the pipeline, there’s never been a more exciting time to consider a dental technology degree. Our BSc (Hons) Dental Technology course taught in the £4.8 million Centre for Dental Sciences at the University of Bolton will teach you the digital techniques you need to be able to graduate with the knowledge to become a dental technician. 

Let’s take a look at some technologies you can expect to learn about upon starting your dental career with the University of Bolton! 

Fixed and Removable Prosthetics  

Have you ever had a tooth removed and felt self-conscious because of the gap that it’s left in your teeth? This is the case for 66% of British adults who have had a tooth extracted. 

Thanks to dental technicians, dental prosthodontics solve this feeling of anxiety. Removable prostheses are usually a common feature when referring to dentures; created for the benefit of people who have lost multiple teeth and need to restore the ability to speak and eat without difficulty.  

Fixed prostheses include crowns, bridges, and other prostheses, that can only be removed by a dentist. These are what were created by dental technicians to make the everyday lives of patients easier as they are attached to the bone in the jaw with titanium posts. 

Dental Technology Techniques for Orthodontics  

Whether you have experienced it yourself or have children who have, it’s probably fair to say that you are familiar with the orthodontist. Each year, around 250,000 children in the UK receive orthodontic treatment; in which most of whom have four or more teeth extracted. 

You might be wondering about the relevance of this in terms of the role of dental technicians? Orthodontic technology has evolved a lot since the days of braces. From digital x-rays to 3D dental imaging, dental technicians have helped make the creation a lot easier. Not only do digital x-rays allow dentists to get a more detailed look at the structure of the mouth, but the 3D dental imaging system can also allow for a 360-degree scan and the creation of 3D images of the teeth.  

Heard of an Itero Scanner? It’s fair to say, probably not. Well, it’s an orthodontic tool created for dentists to digitally generate teeth impressions. By simply scanning a patient’s mouth, not only can the results be shown much quicker, but it also creates a more accurate reading, thereby reducing the number of fit issues that typically occur with braces.

Why consider Dental Technology at Bolton? 

When applying for university, you want to ensure you are making the right decisions that will help you obtain a job as a dental technician. Let’s see why you should look no further than our BSc (Hons) Dental Technology course at Bolton University! 

Not only do we offer a course that is specifically tailored to dental technology, but we are proud to be one of only four UK universities doing so! Using facilities like our commercially sponsored digital dental laboratory and dental processing rooms, you can expect to learn how to design and manufacture them through practical work, work-based placements, guided independent study, and scheduled learning and teaching activities. Our positive and supportive environment is designed to give you access to the wealth of knowledge of our experienced lecturers; helping you complete your studies with an accredited degree that can lead to professional recognition as a Dental Care Professional. 

When searching for universities to include in your five UCAS application choices, is student satisfaction part of your decision process? At Bolton, we are delighted to have been voted first for Student Satisfaction for the fifth year running*; welcome to #UniAsItShouldBe! We are lucky enough to have a smaller campus than other universities, meaning that our students benefit from more one-to-one support to help them excel in a future dental technology career.   

Interested in finding out more about our university that puts our students and their needs first? Look at our full course details and discover how dental technology at Bolton can fulfil your career ambitions.  

Come and visit! 

Book your place on one of our upcoming Open Days; see what #UniAsItShouldBe is all about and why our students love it here! 

To speak to a member of our Open Day team, either send us an email at opendays@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903807. 

*Complete University Guide – Northwest – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019