Voices From The Bench

It was so good to be back at LMT Lab Day Chicago back in February! We got to talk to so many amazing people while recording in the Ivolcar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) Ballroom. We are just as excited to start releasing these conversations in no particular order. First up is a very special friend of the podcast, Allie Williamson. Allie is well known for being an excellent in-lab trainer, working at some pretty decent sized labs. After a time in Florida, Allie found herself back in the Midwest looking for her next chapter. Seeing a need to take dental lab training to more people, Allie started DLT Training & Education (https://dlttraining.com/). Allie talks about why it’s important to understand not only the basics but to also understand the why. This fun conversation covers all the different programs she is offering like fundamentals, PTC, CDT study clubs, and so much more. Check out DLTtraining.com and take your career to the next level! If efficiency and performance are what you are looking for in a mil

Every time you blink, technology and materials change in dentistry. One man who seems to keep up on a lot of it is Brian Binnie. Brian grew up in his father's lab but never really had the hands to do the work. Moving over to a supply vendor sent him on a journey to be a part of many big releases in dental laboratory history. Brian talks about the introduction of Empress to North America, the early days of Cerec, the formation of the Leixir Group (https://leixir.com/), and his current role at Pac-Dent (https://pac-dent.com/). It is a wonderful look at where the industry has been and where it is going. If efficiency and performance are what you are looking for in a compact milling system, then the PrograMill DRY (https://www.ivoclar.com/enus/products/digital-equipment/programill-dry) from Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/enus) is the right choice for you. Produce precise zirconium oxide crowns and bridges plus a range of PMMA materials including the innovative IVOTION (https://www.ivoclar.com/enca/products/dig

We love passion on this podcast. We love talking to people that just by the tone of their voice when talking about teeth, you can tell they are smiling. Tracy Graham loves teeth. But she wanted more. After being chairside for many years, Tracy decided to go the extra step and become a dental technician. Tracy talks about the transition to the program at LSU (https://www.lsusd.lsuhsc.edu/FSDLT.html), the classes, and the workflow with having a clinic in the same building. Going the extra step, Tracy has already set up a lab at home to continue her success after graduation. This conversation is all about passion, dedication, balance, and growth. If efficiency and performance are what you are looking for in a milling system, then the high-performance PrograMill PM7 (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us/products/digital-equipment/programill-pm7) from Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) is the right choice for you. Equipped with a high-performance spindle, this high-power 5-axis milling machine efficiently produces b

We can hardly believe that for the last 260 straight weeks, we have been able to talk to so many amazing people in and around the dental laboratory industry. Early on we thought we would struggle to find guests, but as it turns out, our industry is even more amazing than we thought. Every year on our anniversary we catch up with the first guest who took a chance on us, Renata Budny. Renata is a professor at the New York City College of Technology Restorative Dentistry program (https://www.citytech.cuny.edu/restorativedentistry/). She again updates us on the school but brings along some amazing past students and now adjunct instructors who just happen to be married, Oscar and Natalie Galvis. Oscar and Natalie talk about attending the school, going back to teach, what they are seeing in new students, and balancing all that with their own lab and family. Cheers to another 5 years! If efficiency and performance are what you are looking for in a compact milling system, then the PrograMill DRY (https://www.ivoclar.

We know how fun it is working with a dentist right out of school, right? Well imagine working with them while they are still in school. Raul Garcia was a police officer in Dallas. Wanting to change and also meeting the right person, Raul soon found himself as a intern working with the digital workflow at a trauma clinic. It wasn't long before the University of Oklahoma (https://www.ou.edu/) found him and put him in charge of the their digital laboratory at the School of Dentistry (https://www.ou.edu/admissions/academics/dentistry). Raul talks about the journey, his daily workflow, researching on equipment and materials, and working with different types of students. If efficiency and performance are what you are looking for in a milling system, then the high-performance PrograMill PM7 (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us/products/digital-equipment/programill-pm7) from Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) is the right choice for you. Equipped with a high-performance spindle, this high-power 5-axis milling machine

We are always fascinated by technicians that are married and work together. Successfully. This week we talk to Lola and Mark Welch. Both technicians from the UK who worked in the same area. After finally running into each other, Mark and Lola dated and eventually got married. Still working together, their careers grew and soon went different but similar paths. They talk about their journey in dental technology, the journey together, and what they are doing now. Mark is with Nexa3D (https://nexa3d.com/), helping to bring a new printer to the industry and Lola is growing on Instagram, teaching courses, and now a proud member of the DTG (https://www.dentaltechniciansguild.com/) family. Lola's upcoming courses: The power of conversion- All on X full arch immediate load at the North of England Dentistry Show (https://dentistry.co.uk/shows/north-of-england-dentistry-show-2023/) Staining and Characterizing of 3D printed and milled teeth (https://www.the-dts.co.uk/stand-education?utm_campaign=1234919_Healthcare++DTS2

We are back from LMT Lab Day Chicago 2023 with an episode we recorded before the epic event. Dr. Mark Nation is a prosthodontist out of Louisville, Kentucky in a practice called Advanced Dental Solution (https://adslouisville.com/)s. Dr. Nation is known for the one to fix the unproperly planned full arch restorations. Working with all the ones that "don't work", he is able to work with patients to get them restored the way they should. Dr. Nation talks about getting into Oral Surgery, his time in school, understanding how the patient's symptoms or complaints are not just teeth, and how doctors and labs can work together to better treatment plan and restore full arches. The new PrograScan PS3 and PS5 (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us/products/digital-equipment/prograscan-ps5-and-ps3-laborscanner) provide true-to-detail, high-resolution and accurate scans for coordinated digital workflows that are precise, fast, and always accurate. The PS3 and PS5 are powered by the popular and intuitive DentalCAD software from E

Be sure to come see ELVIS and BARB in the IVOCLAR (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) Grand Ballroom AB during LMT Lab Day Chicago 2023 (https://lmtmag.com/ivoclar) February 24 & 25 Be sure to stop by the Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) booth during Lab Day Chicago (https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday) and tell them you are a fan of the podcast (https://www.facebook.com/groups/4141108352651184) to get a special sticker only for the fans. Be sure to come see Barb on stage and join a great association. The Cal-Lab meeting February 23 & 24 in Chicago! JOIN TODAY! (https://cal-lab.org/) We say there is a lack of the public knowing about dental laboratories. Thankfully we are slightly closer to the world knowing about us because a dental technician wrote the story of his life, and a big part of the book is dental laboratory technology. Anas Afana, from Ace Dental Studio (https://www.acedentalstudio.com/) in Omaha, Nebraska, comes on this week to talk about his life and eventually writing the book "DESTIN

Be sure to stop by the Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) booth during Lab Day Chicago (https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday) and tell them you are a fan of the podcast (https://www.facebook.com/groups/4141108352651184) to get a special sticker only for the fans. 100 years ago a company started making denture teeth. Now Ivoclar is known for some of the best products and equipment for both labs and clinical offices. To celebrate their century of helping us make restorations, they are going all out at this year’s LMT Lab Day Chicago. Laura Gilbert, their North America Marketing Director, comes on to talk about Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) and what they have planned in their Grand Ballroom A&B. It’s going to be the place to be! Joining Laura, and also in Chicago, is Dr. David Rice. Dr. Rice founded a group called IgniteDDS (https://ignitedds.com/) that helps newly graduated dentist succeed after school. He sits in the hot seat to answer some common questions labs have for dental offices and

Be sure to come see ELVIS and BARB in the IVOCLAR (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) Grand Ballroom AB during LMT Lab Day Chicago 2023 (https://lmtmag.com/ivoclar) February 24 & 25 Be sure to come see Barb on stage and join a great association. The Cal-Lab meeting February 23 & 24 in Chicago! JOIN TODAY! (https://cal-lab.org/) Let's face it. Digital is a majority of our workflow. At least for fixed and it's quickly becoming the workflow for removables. As labs scale, there has been a need for someone to handle the design side of the production. Enter Full Contour (https://www.fullcontour.com/). In 2011 Rob Laizure and his father decided to take their lab and dedicate it to only design services. Slowly scaling as they grew, they soon went from 3 technicians in an apartment to over 150 worldwide. Rob talks about the journey, the relationships, and the need to deliver 100% to labs. Now even bigger, Full Contour became part of the 3shape (https://www.3shape.com/) family and renamed 3Shape Design Services and still o

Be sure to come see ELVIS and BARB in the IVOCLAR (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) Grand Ballroom AB during LMT Lab Day Chicago 2023 (https://lmtmag.com/ivoclar) February 24 & 25 It's hard to name a company that was hand making porcelain denture teeth in the 30s that is still around today making teeth. One such company is Candulor (https://www.candulor.com/en-us). This Swiss company is a global leader in products for removable technicians. Joining us is Alexander Ewert, the Director of Marketing and Education. Alexander talks about the early days of Candulor, some of the products they excel at, amazing yearly contest for removable technicians (https://www.candulor.com/en-us/kunstzahnwerk-competition-2023), and how they have positioned themselves as high quality providers of both clinical and technical educational courses. Swiss School of Prosthetics (https://www.candulor.com/en-us/kunstzahnwerk-competition-2023) Episode 147: The Need for (the Curve of) Spee with Steffen Rohrbach and the Swiss School of Prosth

Be sure to come see Barb on stage and join a great association. The Cal-Lab meeting February 23 & 24 in Chicago! JOIN TODAY! (https://cal-lab.org/) Over the years, we have talked to a lot of families in dental. Husband and wife. Fathers and Sons. Mothers and Daughters. Bothers. Sisters. But never have we talked to 5 family members at the same time all in the industry. Let us introduce you to the Szara's (sort of). Many of you might already know. First up is the guy that started it all, Wayne Szara Sr. Wayne went to technical school, he did dental technology in the Navy. After he opened up his own lab in his house and taught at the local dental technology program. He introduced the profession to his brother-in-law. Mike Capps (the non-Szara), who had the passion to be his own boss and went on to open a great lab outside of Chicago called Technic Dental Lab (https://www.technicdentallab.com/). Wayne had two sons that spent their youth with dad in the house working in the lab, and there was no way they couldn't

This is the LAST week to get the limited edition “4 out of 5 Dentist Recommend a Dental Technician” shirt before Lab Day Chicago (https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday)! Order before January 22nd. All profits go towards the Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology (https://dentallabfoundation.org/). ORDER TODAY!! (https://www.bonfire.com/4-out-of-5/) We love learning about the people behind the Instagram accounts. We have been following the adventures of @RVAtoothfairy (https://www.instagram.com/rvatoothfairy/) for a while. There we can see the beautiful full arch zirconia that she obviously puts a lot of work into. But it wasn’t until we talked to her that we learned so much more she has done in our industry. Marithe Baclagon wanted to be a dentist and remembers the exact moment when the laboratory side of it became her passion. After attending a dental technology school and working at a lab, she went back to the school to help develop and create the digital dentistry program. Now she’s at a private practice usin

Get a "4 out of 5 dentists recommend a dental technician" shirt highlighting the LMT Lab Day Chicago meeting! ORDER BEFORE JANURARY 22, 2023!!!!!!!! (https://www.bonfire.com/4-out-of-5/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=campaign_details_share&utm_campaign=4-out-of-5&utm_content=default) As we get into 2023, we get to celebrate our 250th episode of the podcast! What an honor it is to bring you so many great conversations with all the wonderful people in our industry. This week we get to talk to Tra' Chambers from Express Dental Laboratory (https://www.xdentallab.com/) out of Oklahoma. Tra's story is a bit different than what we usually hear. Starting as an assistant, then a practice manager, and then a lab owner, Tra' was able to understand what the dental offices needed from a lab when he started his own. Great stories from the early days of same day crowns with the Cerec system to positioning himself a leader in the digital dental lab workflow. Your digital inspiration is important to Ivoclar (https://www.ivo

Vision 21 - Janurary 19-21 at the Aria in Las Vegas! (https://nadl.org/events/v21/2023/) Do you remember the early 2010 and doing zirconia? Because milling machines were not yet affordable to most labs, milling centers did most of the work. One of the biggest players back then was CAP (Custom Automated Prosthetics). One of the founders and the CEO was Rob Nazzal. Rob comes on the podcast to talk about getting into the dental industry, becoming a milling center known for great customer service, and pivoting the business as more and more labs got their own milling machines. 7 years after, Rob is now providing labs a fantastic software that takes the data you already and makes it easy to read and use to grow your lab called icortica (https://icortica.com/voices-from-the-bench/). Does your lab use Magic Touch? If not, you should think about switching just so you can use icortica (https://icortica.com/). Icortica is a program that uses all the data you already collect in Magic Touch and puts it in one easy to see

When we think of advances in digital dentistry, 3D printing is at the top of the list. Many companies have entered the field, but only a few have stood out as leaders that changed the ways other companies create their product. Once such company is Keystone Industries (https://dental.keystoneindustries.com/). Makers of finger nail acrylics, they hired a lawyer that saw potential. Ira Rosenau admittedly knew nothing about dental. With a lot of hard work, education from friends in the industry, and a lot of smart scientist, Ira brought KeySplint (https://keyprint.keystoneindustries.com/keysplint-soft/) to market. Ira talks freely about what it take to create, design, test, and validate a printed splint material that has forever set the bar for what patients, doctors, and labs need. Does your lab use Magic Touch? If not, you should think about switching just so you can use icortica (https://icortica.com/). Icortica is a program that uses all the data you already collect in Magic Touch and puts it in one easy to s

Elvis and Barb on episode 362 of Tale of two Hygienist. Listen TODAY! (https://www.ataleoftwohygienists.com/listen/hygienists-and-dental-lab-operations-with-elvis-dahl-and-barbara-warner-wojdan-cdt-aaacd-362/) Imagine being a solo lab owner in a town of only 4 dentists… and being related to 3 of them! Meet Anne Koelzer, owner of AMK Dental Lab (https://www.amkdentallaboratory.com/) in O’Neill Nebraska. Anne comes from a family FULL of dentist but decided that her future is in the dental lab industry. After attending lab school and a short time at another lab, she returned to the family practice to be their technician. Soon she built and opened her own lab and is getting work from all over the rural areas. Anne talks about getting the InLab system, printing 3d dentures, teaching offices and staff MIYO (https://miyoworld.com/), putting on events, balancing work and life, and running a lab in the middle of nowhere. Check out the MIYO course with Anne and Dr. Vetter in Fargo, North Dakota! (http://events.r20.c

We can’t believe we have gone this long with out talking to someone from Affordable Dentures and Implants (https://www.affordabledentures.com/). Luckily Ashleigh Henderson was willing to step up to the mic and tell us all about life there. Ashleigh started as a assistant and soon found the blood to be too much. After a clear aligner company and Aspen, Ashleigh then found her current home at Affordable. She talks about the training, the workflow, meeting patient expectations, going digital, and the benefit of Instagram. Does your lab use Magic Touch? If not, you should think about switching just so you can use icortica (https://icortica.com/). Icortica is a program that uses all the data you already collect in Magic Touch and puts it in one easy to see, use, and understand dashboard. Look at every account and see trends, sales, notes, payments, and even remake percentages. Use the data you already have to take your lab and your customer service to the next level. Elvis uses it daily and swears it is a huge par

All good things must come to an end. Unfortunately. This episode is finishing the conversations we got while at the Whip Mix (https://www.whipmix.com/) Digital Forum back in October. We start with the famous Step Toothmaster Bay. Step talks about his name, his start in the industry, the DTG, and what he is up to now. Then we talk to the man who is putting the priority of training at the top of our industry, James Mahan with PTC (https://ptc-dental.com/). James talks about the history of PTC, all the levels and type of education they provide, and how they are keeping relevant in today's digital workflow. A BIG thanks to Whip Mix for putting on such an amazing event! Whip Mix (https://www.whipmix.com/) is thrilled to announce their most recent addition to their milling product line. Introducing the DWX-53DC (https://www.whipmix.com/products/roland-dgshape-dwx-53dc-dental-mill/) from DGSHAPE. This powerful mill satisfies your 'NEED FOR SPEED'. Three reasons to consider this mill: 1. It has 3 times the gripping

We continue this week to showcase all the wonderful people that were lucky enough to attend the Whip Mix (https://www.whipmix.com/)Digital Forum (https://www.whipmix.com/special-events/2022-digital-forum/) in Louisville, Kentucky last October. This time it's two conversations, each with a past podcast guest that brought a friend. First up is one of the co-founders of Ladies of the Mill (https://www.ladiesofthemill.com/) and owner of Oak Dental Designs (https://www.oaksdentaldesigns.com/), Jill Swafford. Jill brings along her first employee, Eiron Simmons who joined Jill with zero experience. They talk about working together, moving into the new facility, and what we might see at the next Ladies of the Mill Summit. Then we are joined by Todd Hydock from Zest Dental Solutions (https://www.zestdent.com/). Todd was at the show exhibiting and doing a hands-on course with Dr. Michael Scherer. Dr. Scherer talks about his practice, his love of overdentures, the new Locator Fixed solution, and everyone's favorite sh