Dental technology services and industry trends in New Zealand from 2010 to 2012.

Objective: To provide a snapshot of the New Zealand dental technology industry and influencing factors.

Background: Developing an understanding of the commercial dental laboratory environment in New Zealand can provide insight into the entire dental industry.

Methods: A web-based survey was the primary method for data collection, with separate questionnaires used for dental laboratory owners and dental technician employees.

Results: The mean net income for dental laboratory owners in New Zealand was similar to that of the United Kingdom, at $40.50 per hour. Clinical dental technicians are the highest paid employees, with a mean of $33.49 per hour. The mean technical charge for complete dentures was $632.59; including clinical services, it was $1907.00. The mean charge for a porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crown was $290.27. Dental laboratory owners expressed fear about the possibility of losing dental clients to overseas laboratories due to the availability and cheap charge of offshore work. Only 25.4% of dental laboratories surveyed had computer-aided design (CAD) facilities, and even fewer (7.9%) had computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems.

Conclusion: Clinical dental technology appears to be prospering. The dental technology industry appears to be adapting and remains viable, despite facing many challenges.