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HomeCoursesDentistry and oral healthCertificate III in Dental Laboratory Assisting

Certificate III in Dental Laboratory Assisting

Dental laboratory assistants turn the impressions and bite records a dentist sends them into the plaster models, trays and appliances a patient's treatment is built on.

  • Study mode: On campus
  • Course code: HLT35115

Where you can study this course

Where

  • TAFE SA

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    Campuses
    26 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Students rate the trainers, teaching, facilities and campus highly, though some found the organisation, admin and communication frustrating; opinions are mixed on facilities and campus.

  • North Metropolitan TAFE

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    Campuses
    Leederville
    Duration
    Not stated by provider
    Study mode
    On campus
    Full fee
    Not stated by provider

    What students say

    Opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching, with some students finding the organisation and admin frustrating and a number unhappy with the course content.

Last reviewed 20 September 2026.

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Is this course right for you?

Entry requirements

N/A

  • Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.

Entry recommendations

To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:

  • an interest in working with your hands
  • care and attention to detail
  • good communication skills
  • a willingness to follow safety and hygiene practices

What will you learn?

You learn to pour and cast impressions, shape custom trays, and make registration rims that record how a patient's jaws meet. Mouthguards and other thermoformed appliances are part of the work, along with the infection control and safety habits every lab relies on. Training also covers first aid and the day-to-day communication with the dentists and patients you deal with.

  • Making plaster models
  • Custom impression trays
  • Bite registration rims
  • Articulating models and records
  • Mouthguards and thermoformed appliances
  • Infection control in the lab

Units of competency (10 core, 1 elective)

The qualification is made up of 11 units. Everyone completes the 10 core units below, and the remaining 1 are electives chosen from the list on training.gov.au, so they vary by provider. Select a unit to see what it covers.

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Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).