The use of the sentence, "State government does not license dental technology and/or dental laboratories except in a handful of states," is slightly misleading. We are not aware of any state that actually fully licenses dental technicians. There are five states that require either registration or certification of dental laboratory technicians. However, that is a lesser level of regulation than full licensure.
Ultimately, the position of the ADA is that it is the fully educated dentist who is in the best position to diagnose conditions, prescribe treatment and provide coordination for all of those individuals involved in the care of a patient. To provide quality, comprehensive care, it is essential that dentists provide a "global" view of these needs, as they are the only health care professionals with the qualifications to do so.
