Whoops, yeah my bad – I had that answer drafted, but never actually sent it! I just replied here (in case anyone else wants to read it): Dimmer Switch question - #2 by Eric_Inovelli
The short answer is that it works a little different, but also similar in that it can turn into a, “button controller”. You essentially can disable the internal relay of the switch (which makes it so that when someone presses the switch nothing happens to the load) and then send Z-Wave Central Scene Commands to the HUB (which then relays the commands to any device controlled by the HUB).
The major difference between the fan/light switch is that the fan light is meant to directly talk to the fan module, whereas in the Dimmer switch scenario, only other Z-Wave devices can be directly controlled by the switch (ie: Hue, Osram, LIFX would not be able to be directly controlled as they are different protocols). However, as noted, Hue/Osram/LIFX could be controlled via a Z-Wave Central Scene Command (you tap the switch > command is sent to the HUB > HUB sends command to bulb).
Hopefully that makes sense?