NBC Celebrates 50 Years

The National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology is celebrating 50 years of service in 2005 to the dental professional.

The certification program for dental technicians was initiated by a formal resolution of the House of Delegates during the 1954 convention of the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) in New Orleans, La. This formal resolution came out of the Education Committee of the NADL. It authorized the appointment by the NADL president of the first board of trustees to consist of seven members; NADL President Deurmyer served as chairman of the trustees.

The original concept of an intra-organization program was transformed into an industry-wide certification program once it was decided that the curriculum should be a stand-alone entity. Certification was further progressed at the 1955 NADL convention in Los Angeles by electing a seven member board of consisting of five laboratory owners, two technicians and one dentist.

The election of a board for the certification program was to be called the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology (NBC). Soon after the formation of the NBC board of trustees in 1955, the ratification of bylaws and standards were set. This new set of skill standards forms the basis of federal guidelines used to this day.

In December of 1955, the Federal Trade Commission Code went into effect. For the first time the profession was provided with a yardstick for protecting it from the unskilled laboratory owner.

At the core of this federal code is contained the following provision; It is an unfair trade practice for a member of the industry to represent, claim or guarantee that his/her laboratory has the skill, ability, equipment or personnel to design, construct or fabricate a product of the industry under a specific technique or method, unless such representation, claim, or guarantee is made with the knowledge that complete and satisfactory accomplishment can be furnished with the facilities and personnel of such member laboratory.

The code now forms the basis of NBC's set of skill standards for certification programs.

NBC has never been more fully engaged with its certificate holders and striving to enhance the value of the programs offered to dental professionals.

Please join us as we celebrate 50 years of being a part of the formula that provides superior oral health to the citizens of the U.S. and the world.