Voices From The Bench

DON'T MISS the dental event of the year, November 7-8. Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) is hosing NOLA Lab Fest (https://www.nolalabfest.com/) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Head over to nolalabfest.com to see the line up and to register. A HUGE thanks to Aidite North America (https://www.aidite.com/) for hosting the podcast at their booth. Come find us and be on the podcast! This week, Elvis and Barb sit down with Lori Margiotta, the founder of Bookkeeper for Dentists (https://bookkeeperfordentists.com/), to talk about how labs and dental offices can grow together by focusing on one key number: case acceptance. Lori shares her journey from high school “recall girl” to practice manager, lab sales rep, and now consultant helping dental offices understand their business metrics. She breaks down how labs can help their clients track simple data like lab expenses and unbooked treatment to reveal hidden opportunities. With decades in the dental industry, Lori shows that when dentists increase thei

DON'T MISS the dental event of the year, November 7-8. Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) is hosing NOLA Lab Fest (https://www.nolalabfest.com/) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Head over to nolalabfest.com to see the line up and to register. A HUGE thanks to Aidite North America (https://www.aidite.com/) for hosting the podcast at their booth. Come find us and be on the podcast! MICRONMAPPER from SIN360: https://sin360.us/micronmapper/ This week we chat with the hilarious and inspiring Will Varda, a second-generation dental technician, lab owner, and president of the Dental Technicians Association of BC. Will takes us on an incredible journey from his father’s early days crafting crowns for Iranian royalty — complete with goat-horn hammers and plaster impressions — to the modern world of digital design, milling, and 3D printing. Along the way, he shares stories of growing up in a lab, learning every step the hard way, and how a Facebook study group and a few friends completely changed the course

DON'T MISS the dental event of the year, November 7-8. Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) is hosing NOLA Lab Fest (https://www.nolalabfest.com/) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Head over to nolalabfest.com to see the line up and to register. A HUGE thanks to Aidite North America (https://www.aidite.com/) for hosting the podcast at their booth. Come find us and be on the podcast! In this episode, Elvis and Barb welcome Ed Molina, a dental technician and trainer with a fascinating journey from retail work to becoming an influential figure in digital dentistry. Ed shares how his brother and mentors like Dr. Art Mirelez and Fernando Polanco guided him into the dental field, eventually leading him to help pioneer digital workflows and facially driven design systems such as InstaRisa (https://www.instarisa.com/). With a background in both clinical and lab settings, Ed discusses the evolution of his career — from assisting with surgical guides and imaging to mastering Exocad and teaching offices how to

This week we are joined by Jed Archibald for his first solo interview, and he didn’t disappoint. Coming from a family deeply rooted in dentistry, his father worked closely with Dr. Gordon Christensen. Jed has built his own reputation as an innovator. In 2006 he launched Archibald Digital, (https://www.archibalddigital.com/) embracing CAD/CAM at a time when most technicians were skeptical. His philosophy? Don’t just ask what digital can do now—ask what it could do. Jed also shared insights on materials, praising the underrated Empress Multi (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us/products/digital-processes/ips-empress-cad)for its beauty and reliability, and highlighting Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us)’s ZirCAD Prime (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us/products/digital-processes/ips-e.max-zircad-prime-family) zirconia for solving problems that plague other multilayer products. Not content with what the market offered, Jed even created his own line of 3D printing resins (https://www.archibalddigital.com/about-6)—incl

DON'T MISS the dental event of the year, November 7-8. Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) is hosing NOLA Lab Fest (https://www.nolalabfest.com/) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Head over to nolalabfest.com to see the line up and to register. A HUGE thanks to Aidite North America (https://www.aidite.com/) for hosting the podcast at their booth. Come find us and be on the podcast! Who wouldn't want to become a Master at the staple of the most common abutment in overdentures, the locator? This week we welcome back to the podcast, Todd Hydock, who updates everyone on the new Angled Locator abutments and Locator Fixed. For the first time on the podcast is Zest Dental Solution (https://www.zestdent.com/)'s Director of Education, Amy Helayel. Amy talks about her journey from clinical to lab to eventually Zest. Discovering a passion for education, Amy travels constantly to teach labs and clinics the proper way to use the Locator system. NOW, they have created the Zest Lab Mastership (https://info.zestden

The race is OVER! Thank you to everyone that donated to this wonderful organization. But the fundraising doesn't end at the race, you can donate all year long at: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ This week wraps up the collection of conversations we got at the Jensen Dental (https://jensendental.com/) booth at the FDLA Symposium and Expo (https://www.fdla.net/). Thank you Jensen Dental (https://jensendental.com/) for hosting us at this wonderful event. First we talk to Leah Gold, an assistant turned dental technician. Leah got into assisting while in Ohio and during the pandemic, she moves down to Florida and starts working in a in-office lab for a prosthodontist. Basically having to teach herself most of the skills, she was soon setting teeth, using exocad, and doing custom shades with MIYO (https://miyoworld.com/). Then as a BONUS, not at the FDLA, we bring back on Jade Connors, denturist out of Canada. We just talked to Jade last March at IDS and she was a day away from finding out if she won the

It's the 11th running of the Race For the Future in Fort Worth, TX on September 14, 2025. This is YOUR chance to make a difference in a industry we all love so much. Important links: All the money goes to The Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology: https://dentallabfoundation.org/ All about the Race: https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/ Race website: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/ TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ Select: Race for the Future Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS Enter the amount (One Million Dollars) A BIG thanks to Jensen Dental (https://jensendental.com/) for allowing us to record at the amazing FDLA Symposium & Expo! First up is a dentist turned sales rep and now 26 years with Jensen Dental (https://jensendental.com/), Nick Bathija. Nick talks about becoming a dentist, falling in love, and learning that he's not really suited to be a dentist. Starting with Jensen when it was still

It's the 11th running of the Race For the Future in Fort Worth, TX on September 14, 2025. This is YOUR chance to make a difference in a industry we all love so much. Important links: All the money goes to The Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology: https://dentallabfoundation.org/ All about the Race: https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/ Race website: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/ TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ Select: Race for the Future Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS Enter the amount (One Million Dollars) A HUGE thanks to Jensen Dental (https://jensendental.com/) for allowing Elvis to go to one of the greatest regional shows left, the https://www.fdla.net/ Southern States Symposium & Expo. First up we meet two "newish" technicians in our industry. From Alaska to Florida, Savannah Jones taught herself exocad and is now doing removable work at DCS Dental Lab (https://dcslab.com/). Gabriel Ji

It's the 11th running of the Race For the Future in Fort Worth, TX on September 14, 2025. This is YOUR chance to make a difference in a industry we all love so much. Important links: All the money goes to The Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology: https://dentallabfoundation.org/ All about the Race: https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/ Race website: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/ TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ Select: Race for the Future Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS Enter the amount (One Million Dollars) Full Arch Immediate Load Hybrids is still one of the most profitable restorations to a lab. The skill and confidence to do them is difficult, but thanks to Dr. Brandon Kofford, the day of surgery is getting even easier. Two years ago, Dr. Kofford came on this podcast to talk about Smart Denture Conversion. The workflow to make a faster and better converted denture. Well after a lot of wor

It's the 11th running of the Race For the Future in Fort Worth, TX on September 14, 2025. This is YOUR chance to make a difference in a industry we all love so much. Important links: All the money goes to The Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology: https://dentallabfoundation.org/ All about the Race: https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/ Race website: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/ TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ Select: Race for the Future Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS Enter the amount (One Million Dollars) All good things must come to an end. No, not this podcast... but the recordings we got while with the AMAZING people of exocad (https://exocad.com/) at IDS 2025. It was a wonderful trip and we got to meet and talk to a lot of fantastic people from around the world. This week is no different as we meet a married couple that met in a lab, married, and now own a lab. Agata Bak is from Poland

DON'T MISS the dental event of the year, November 7-8. Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) is hosing NOLA Lab Fest (https://www.nolalabfest.com/) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Head over to nolalabfest.com to see the line up and to register. A HUGE thanks to Aidite North America (https://www.aidite.com/) for hosting the podcast at their booth. Come find us and be on the podcast! Yet even more conversations that Elvis and Barb got while in the exocad (https://exocad.com/) booth at IDS 2025..... back in MARCH!! First up is a visit from on one our favorite companies that make bars, Panthera (https://pantheradental.com/). Instead of our usual guest we get to meet Pierre-Luc Duchesne and Dereck Donnelly. PL is their Director of Marketing and Derek is head of Global Customer Experience. Together the talk about being at their second IDS show, how they make their product an experience for the customer, the Fusion Bar (https://pantheradental.com/products-solutions/panthera-fusion-bar/) that only needs 5m

It's the 11th running of the Race For the Future in Fort Worth, TX on September 14, 2025. This is YOUR chance to make a difference in a industry we all love so much. Important links: All the money goes to The Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology: https://dentallabfoundation.org/ All about the Race: https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/ Race website: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/ TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ Select: Race for the Future Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS Enter the amount (One Million Dollars) August 14 & 15: PrograMill CAM Academy: A Hands-On Introduction to Digital Milling for Dental Professionals Ivoclar Academy – Amherst, NY : https://www.ivoclar.com/enca/course/programill-cam-academy-module-i-introduction/251438?utmsource=Email&utmmedium=Pardot&utmcampaign=Academy+Newsletter&utm_term=July This episode is featuring two conversations that Elvis and Barb got while in Geman

It's the 11th running of the Race For the Future in Fort Worth, TX on September 14, 2025. This is YOUR chance to make a difference in a industry we all love so much. Important links: All the money goes to The Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology: https://dentallabfoundation.org/ All about the Race: https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/ Race website: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/ TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ Select: Race for the Future Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS Enter the amount (One Million Dollars) It's hard to believe that IDS 2025 happened over 4 months ago and we are still bringing out conversations we got while at the exocad booth. This one is jam-packed with three conversations with 4 different people in the dental industry that really are making huge impacts. First up is two dentist that are using their time and talent to teach other clinicians from around the world how to im

It's the 11th running of the Race For the Future in Fort Worth, TX on September 14, 2025. This is YOUR chance to make a difference in a industry we all love so much. Important links: All the money goes to The Foundation For Dental Laboratory Technology: https://dentallabfoundation.org/ All about the Race: https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/ Race website: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/ TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/ Select: Race for the Future Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS Enter the amount (One Million Dollars) We are back with two great conversations that Barb and Elvis got while attending IDS 2025 in the exocad booth. First up is a Canadian Denturist who was just on the podcast back September but has a LOT to update us on. Jade Connors found some time (and found us) to update us on all the adventures she has been on since your last episode, her entry in the Candulor KunstZahnWerk (https://www.

When you think of huge advances in digital dentistry, a lot of companies and names come up. But there are two that are really making a huge impact on how we get things done and they continue to do it with the passion of the lab industry supporting it. First up is Björn Zäuner. Björn grew up in a dental family and wanted nothing to do with teeth. We've all heard this story, right? It wasn't long before Björn had a milling center and even an ortho lab. But he noticed that miss mounted cases were a problem and a main cause to most of his remakes. So he developed Bite-Finder to use AI to find the true bite and not the one "captured" with a blue bite or iOS scanner. He talks all about what it is, how it works, how to integrate it, and how you can try it for FREE for 2 weeks. Then we meet the CEO and co-creator of exocad, Tillmann Steinbrecher. We have talked to literally hundreds of people on this podcast that all sing praises for the "purple program" and this time we get to hear the origin story. Tillmann talks a

DON'T MISS the dental event of the year, November 7-8. Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) is hosing NOLA Lab Fest (https://www.nolalabfest.com/) in New Orleans, Louisiana. Head over to nolalabfest.com to see the line up and to register. A HUGE thanks to Aidite North America (https://www.aidite.com/) for hosting the podcast at their booth. Come find us and be on the podcast! We are once again showcasing some wonderful conversation that we got while in the exocad (https://exocad.com/) booth at IDS 2025. It's funny to travel all the way to Germany to talk to two Americans, one of them even works with Barb! First up is the CEO of the Leixir Dental Group (https://www.leixir.com/), John Krier. John talks about coming to dental from orthopedics and the differences he is noticing. Only 18 months into his new role, John has already visited every lab in the Leixir group and has started to change the culture of over 1000 employees to empower them to take ownership of the work they do. Then we meet fell

Elvis and Barb are back (once again) with more amazing conversations that they got at the exocad (https://exocad.com/) booth during the 4 days at IDS 2025 in Cologne, Germany (https://www.english.ids-cologne.de/). First up is two gentlemen out of Columbia that their lab 70 years ago decided that it was easier if they just started manufacturing their own materials. Juan David Jaramillo and Luis Diego Monsalve talk about the history of New Stetic (https://www.newstetic.com/en/), the regulation of getting it into 65 different countries, the world of making dental anesthesia, and how they use IDS as a way to connect with customers from around the world. Then we bring back the wonderful Steve Campbell from Nexus Dental Laboratory (https://nexus.dental/)in the UK. Steve is at IDS speaking for exocad and the new exocad ART (https://exocad.com/our-products/exocad-art). He talks about how with exocad, AI, and a video of a patient talking, we can create a video of the patient talking with their new teeth that haven't

Check out the article in the latest issue of JDT about Barb and Elvis' visit to IDS: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnadl.memberclicks.net%2Fassets%2Fjdt%2FJDTJJ25%2FFeature%2520JDT725.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CElvis%40derbydental.com%7Cc33fea7508384105f07a08ddad0e04e9%7C6fa28314e906466889bfaddab1c310c2%7C0%7C0%7C638856998445771892%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=a64QAz1D6fk6BQEJASihLI%2FzjALozgRhkauA4gpLzpE%3D&reserved=0 We all know and love Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) for not only their products and services, but for everything they do for our industry. This week we talk to two people from Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) that are bringing the conference/party of the year to New Orleans in November. Brandi Nowak is one half of the owners and she tells the story of starting in 2000. Taking over her grandfather's legacy that started in

While fresh back from the Florida Dental Lab Association meeting in Orlando, THANKS JENSEN DENTAL (https://jensendental.com/)… we are still bringing you conversations from the exocad (https://exocad.com/) booth from the largest dental show in the world, IDS in Cologne Germany (https://www.english.ids-cologne.de/). But first… We are many, many months away from Chicago in February, but our very own Barb Warner is going to be the very first female Chair of the Cal-Lab Association (https://cal-lab.org/) that is over 100 years old. Let’s make this the most well-attended event ever. Head over to Cal-Lab.org and sign up for this amazing meeting that takes place the Thursday and Friday of the same weekend as Lab Day Chicago. Let’s all plan to go and support Barb! Now, first up we chat with a dentist from India, Dr. Manish Chhabra. After going though the school, Dr. Chhabra discovered that he really had a fondness for digital design. So he opened a lab. Eventurally he meets the owner of Leixir Dental Lab Group (https

Come join us THIS WEEK at the Jensen Dental (https://jensendental.com/) booth during the FDLA Southern States Symposium & Expo (https://www.fdla.net/attendee-information) - June 13-14 at Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in Orlando, FL Register today at: FDLA.NET We return to the "Olympics of Dental", IDS in Cologne Germany. Set up very nicely in the exocad (https://exocad.com/) booth, Elvis and Barb got to talk to three more amazing people from around the world. THANK YOU EXOCAD!! We start the episode with Amy Tate who joined her uncle a year ago at nexus dental laboratory (https://nexus.dental/) because she saw all the amazing places it has taken him. Now enrolled in a 3 year online course, a mentorship, and also working in the lab, Amy is all in with dental technology and shares her hopes for the future. Then we chat with Rami Gamil, who years ago saw a need for dental technology in Egypt. After getting a degree in it in France, Rami now owns multiple locations called TriScan that provides iOS, CBCT,