Ten trainees from the first cohort of the National ITE Certificate (NITEC) in Dental Technology training programme received their certificates after successfully completing a programme which provides trainees with technical skills and dental knowledge in fabricating dental appliances. The graduation ceremony was held at the National Dental Centre Auditorium on 4 February 2005. The last graduation for dental technicians in Singapore was held 10 years ago, in 1995.

Background

Early dental technician training in Singapore was provided through the Ministry of Health between 1955 and 1995, chiefly to meet the needs of public dentistry. Lack of interests and poor job prospects led to the gradual decline and eventually, to the closure of the in-house programme. Without a fresh pool of locally trained technicians to hire from, laboratory owners sourced technicians from overseas, facing difficulties in ascertaining the training standards of these hires.

The results of a survey on dental technicians’ training published in the Singapore Dental Journal (Vol. 24, No.1 Jun 2001) indicated a renewed interest in a local dental technology course and national certification due to:

-       Yearly increase in the number of practicing dentists

-       Need to introduce national certification to improve qualification, especially in the face of increasing consumer demands for sophisticated dental work and complementing special appliances

-       Need to train replacement technicians for those retiring

NITEC in Dental Technology Programme

The National Dental Centre (NDC) and the Institute of Technical Education jointly started the NITEC in Dental Technology training programme in 2002 to address the needs of the industry. The programme curriculum was developed after consulting dentists and technicians from the industry. Lasting two-year-nine-months, trainees attend lectures and hands-on practice either at the National Dental Centre or a sponsoring dental laboratory.

Through the structured training and certification process, it is hoped that standards of quality and professionalism will be established, thereby leading to industry recognition and more career options. Strong industry support, in addition to excellent training expertise and facilities at NDC, is a pillar for the programme’s success.

Programme Development

The second cohort of trainee technicians are due to graduate in 2007. Discussions between NDC and ITE are underway to develop the programme further, to incorporate advance stage training modules.