Dental Technician (Lab Leader)
Bolton | On-site | Full-time
Role overview
We are hiring a hands-on Dental Technician (Lab Leader) for a modern, digital dental laboratory in Bolton. This is a technical leadership role focused on quality, workflow standards, and team development across implants, crowns and bridge, dentures, chromes, orthodontics, and lab-to-lab production.
You will work closely with an Operations Manager and the wider management team. You will lead the technical side of the lab, while day-to-day operations, scheduling, and resourcing are managed alongside you.
About the lab
This laboratory delivers premium restorative and prosthetic work for clinicians and a strong UK lab-to-lab network. The lab operates a fully digital workflow with an in-house CAD-CAM suite, advanced manufacturing capability, 5-axis milling, and 3D printing. The lab also supports fast-turnaround, same-day full-arch style services, so consistent processes and clear technical decision-making matter.
Key responsibilities
Technical leadership and quality control
* Lead technical standards across implants, crown and bridge, dentures, chromes, orthodontics, and removable prosthetics.
* Own quality control, remake reduction, and root-cause improvement activity.
* Act as the escalation point for complex cases, troubleshooting, and clinician queries.
* Support case planning on materials, fit, function, occlusion, and finish requirements.
Digital workflow and production standards
* Drive best-practice workflow from scan intake through production to finishing and final QC.
* Partner with digital and production teams to improve handovers, repeatability, and turnaround reliability.
* Support best-practice use of milling and 3D printing to maximise accuracy and efficiency.
* Identify and implement process improvements without compromising quality.
Same-day and fast-turnaround case support
* Maintain technical readiness for urgent and fast-turnaround prosthetic workflows.
* Coordinate technical requirements for full-arch and high-priority cases.
* Ensure predictable outcomes through clear standards and proactive communication.
People leadership and training
* Coach and mentor technicians through bench-side guidance and structured development.
* Set expectations for workmanship, quality consistency, and turnaround discipline.
* Support hiring, onboarding, and capability-building as the team grows.
Collaboration with operations and management
* Work hand in hand with the Operations Manager to align capacity, priorities, and resources.
* Provide technical input on quality trends, training needs, equipment, and materials.
* Represent the lab professionally with clinicians and lab-to-lab partners when required.
Essential requirements
* Proven experience as a dental technician in a commercial dental laboratory environment.
* Strong technical capability across fixed and/or removable restorations aligned to the lab’s service mix.
* A quality-first mindset, with evidence of improving consistency and reducing remakes.
* Comfortable working alongside digital production, including CAD-CAM workflow, milling, and 3D printing.
* Strong communication with clinicians and lab partners around case planning and outcomes.
* Leadership experience through mentoring, training, supervision, or senior technician responsibility.
Desirable
* Implant restorations and full-arch workflow exposure.
* Experience supporting fast-turnaround or same-day prosthetic services.
* Experience improving workflow handovers between scan intake, production, and finishing.
* GDC registration, if relevant to scope.