The invention relates to a light curing device comprising a control circuit by means of which said light curing device can be switched on and/or off, particularly from a stand-by mode into an operating mode and back again, and comprising a sensor for triggering switching on and/or switching off, characterised in that the sensor is designed as a capacitive proximity sensor (36) having a sensitivity of less than 1 pF, and that the control circuit (40) differentiates between the approach of a user's hand to the light curing device (10) and the approach of the light curing device to a base.