Voices From The Bench

We hear about dental offices having a in-office dental lab, but what we don't hear enough is a dental lab in a dentist office doing what they are doing at Family Dental Associates (http://www.dralexbell.com/) in Georgia. Dr. Jack Bell is sailing the vessel as Patch Garcia (Excel Dental Lab (http://www.dralexbell.com/excel-dental-lab)) is the crew that every successful dentist needs. Together they are leading the digital workflow and providing top-of-the-line restorations to the "land lovers'' in the south. Hoisting the flag when a full arch is seated, they truly are "Bad To The Bone Dental (https://www.facebook.com/badtothebonedental/)". Dental Services Group (https://www.dentalservices.net/)is proud to support the National Board of Certification in Dental Technology and proudly promotes certification for dental technicians throughout their national network of laboratories. The CDT Designation sets certified dental technicians apart from others in their field demonstrating a mastery of knowledge and applie

Voices From the Bench is all about showcasing people that love what they do, show true passion for it, and do everything they can to share it with our community. Not many people do this more than Josef Kolbeck. Josef came into our industry through jewelry and has not stopped learning and growing since. His passion is strong and he wanted to educate others what he has learned. He developed the OMP, the Phi tool-guide, and takes education one on one with the "Webinar-in-a-box". Find out why many refer to this as the Kolbeck technique. Get yourself one of these amazing tools: OMP Clear (https://www.ebay.com/itm/274222406014) OMP Blue (https://www.ebay.com/itm/274437959166) Phi (https://www.ebay.com/itm/274497710036) To get going on the Webinar in a Box email Josef at kolbeckdental@gmail.com Dental Services Group (https://www.dentalservices.net/)is proud to support the National Board of Certification in Dental Technology and proudly promotes certification for dental technicians throughout their national netwo

Dental Technicians, learn about a possible career path. This weekend is the National Denturist Association Virtual Conference - October 16-17, 2020 (https://nationaldenturist.com/). CHECK IT OUT! Vincent Silva is a technician that saw a need for computers being built specifically for dental CAD/CAM systems. Jed Archibald is a mega technician with experiences most of us could only dream of having. Putting these two together, we end up with a very exciting new format for dental laboratories to expand their resources. Imagine having a mill go down. You can put on your VR goggles and have a trained technician show you in real (3D) times how to make the repair yourself to keep production going. Imagine attending an in-person hands of training seminar without leaving your lab. Keep an eye on these two. We have a feeling it's only going to get better. VHS (Virtual Healthcare Systems) (https://www.vhs-vr.com/) See the latest on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/virtualhealthcaresystems/) Dental Servic

Denturism is a great way for a dental technician to take their career to the "next level". It's really the best of both worlds. Maybe you don't think you can do it? Maybe it's not regulated in your state? On this week's episode the president of the National Denturist Association Eric Hansen and past guest Patrick Allen talk about running their practices during COVID, working with states to become regulated, and their annual conference that is being held virtually this year and how it is a great way for a technician to get a "taste" of denturism. National Denturist Association Virtual Conference - October 16-17, 2020 (https://nationaldenturist.com/) Dental Services Group (https://www.dentalservices.net/)is proud to support the National Board of Certification in Dental Technology and proudly promotes certification for dental technicians throughout their national network of laboratories. The CDT Designation sets certified dental technicians apart from others in their field demonstrating a mastery of knowledge a

We love it when we have a guest on and we get surprised with all the amazing things they do. Daniel Alter did just that. We knew he was a teacher at the New York City College of Technology (http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/restorativedentistry/) restorative department and did something with IDT magazine (https://www.aegisdentalnetwork.com/idt), but as the conversation unfolded, Daniel's passion for our industry was strong. Daniel talks about learning the craft and opening a lab, taking that desire to learn more and passing it on to students, and how he stays relevant in an industry that always seems to be changing. Dental Services Group (https://www.dentalservices.net/)is proud to support the National Board of Certification in Dental Technology and proudly promotes certification for dental technicians throughout their national network of laboratories. The CDT Designation sets certified dental technicians apart from others in their field demonstrating a mastery of knowledge and applied skills in the art of denti

BEFORE September 27th order a Voices From the Bench: The Face Mask. (https://www.bonfire.com/voices-from-the-bench-the-face-mask/) His friends call him Taco. His enemies call him Taco. But the industry tells him thanks. Gary Iocco from Apex Dental Group has been a promoter and supporter of our industry for a long time. As he starts his "semi-" retirement, Gary reflects back on the early days of getting into the industry, opening his own lab, and getting with other technicians to start a group to help them all succeed. That history gives him a nice perspective of where our profession is going and what labs can do to stay relevant in business and technology. FDLA Virtual Symposium - October 2, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (EST) (https://www.fdla.net/symposium/) 2020 DLAT Southwest Conference & Expo - October 2 & 3, 2020 (https://members.dlat.org/membership/) National Denturist Association Virtual Conference - October 16-17, 2020 (https://nationaldenturist.com/events) Dental Services Group (https://www.

### Order a "Voices From the Bench: The Face Mask" today! (https://www.bonfire.com/voices-from-the-bench-the-face-mask/) We welcome Leonard Hoffman to the podcast. Leonard took over his family's business, Aurident (https://www.aurident.com/) in 1983. Since then he has had to adapt the business to the digital needs of the industry. He talks about the early days with same day delivery, getting into zirconia and digital scanners, and making sure that customer service still remains number one on the services provided. Dental Services Group (https://www.dentalservices.net/)is proud to support the National Board of Certification in Dental Technology and proudly promotes certification for dental technicians throughout their national network of laboratories. The CDT Designation sets certified dental technicians apart from others in their field demonstrating a mastery of knowledge and applied skills in the art of dentistry. Certification also raises the standards of dental health through education in all aspects of d

Happy Labor Day 2020. I think most can agree that we deserve a day off. But let's talk about a little tool that has taken a lot of the manual labor out of dental labs over the years. As digital workflow grew and expanded, mills became a necessary piece of equipment. But inside these workhorses are the true "laborers'', the burs. These small, yet crucial pieces allow most labs to do what they do all day long. Greg Everett and Nick Alonge with Sierra Dental Tool (https://www.sierradentaltool.com/) come on to talk about their journey to making burs. These two bring a passion stronger than just selling burs. They bring years of lab experience and the desire to help any lab that needs assistance. But who wouldn't want a bur that last up to 10x as long. It's all about how you make or "GROW" them. If you have a mill, you don't want to miss this episode. We Team Up Dental Video Blog (https://www.weteamup-dental.com/) Dental Services Group (https://www.dentalservices.net/)is proud to support the National Board

With news of LMT Lab Day Chicago being pushed back to May, this is a great time to stay connected with the industry though the podcast. Like us on Facebook and Instagram, share the episodes with your friends, co-workers, vendor reps, and doctors. Leave us a review and send us an email at info@voicesfromthebench.com. We want to hear from you! Every lab looks for a partner that they can align with that allows them to have a better workflow and a better restoration. Scott Mappin from Strategy Milling (https://strategygoldmilling.com/) is one such partner. Scott comes on the podcast to talk about how he got into the gold milling business, what makes Strategy Milling unique, all about this facinating process, and why we all think full cast crown will be around for a long time to come. DDC World with Digital Dental Craftsmen (https://www.digitaldentalcraftsmen.com/) Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/) introduces the Bellus3D Dental Pro Face Scanning Solution. This new, practical addition to dentistry provides the dent

Roe Dental is known for being on the cutting edge of just about everything in our industry. If you ever got to hear B.J. Kowalski speak, you would know. Elvis and Barb had a chance to chat with B.J. a few weeks ago to find out what goes on in the mind of Roe's owner. B.J. talks about getting into the business, being a early adopter to the digital workflow, getting into guided surgery, using a system to control implant parts, bringing in a dentist to provide dental care to all his employees, using a unique program to give other technicians a chance to do chairside conversion, and a lot more. It's a jam packed conversation that covers a ton. CHAIR: Clinical Help & Assistance In-Region (https://www.chairsidesupport.com/) Inventrix : LabTrac (https://www.inventrix.us.com/) Zimbus: Smart Inventory Cabinets (https://zimbis.com/) Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/) is a company that wants to partner with your lab to make sure you are getting the impressions you need. You know dental offices often ask dental l

Most dental technicians have a little nerd in them. You know, that desire to learn more about what we do. The most used material on the fixed side of our industry is Zirconia. Introduced in the mid-2000's, it has taken over as the "go to" restoration in dentistry. But what exactly is Zirconia? How does it get from the earth into a mill? Paul Cascone from Argen (https://www.argen.com/#/) comes on the podcast to explain all of this in terms that Elvis and Barb can understand. Everything from the mining to the fabrication of the pucks to getting the shade right. Amazing information to feed your inner nerd. ArgenZ HT+ Zirconia Discs (https://argen.com/store/products/9164#/) Few things create more interest today than the Digital Denture. Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/) has developed a processing system for printed dentures, which uses Dentca (https://whipmix.com/products/dentca/), the first 3D-printed denture and denture teeth resins to receive FDA clearance. Their physical properties and biocompatibility pas

Three things in life are constant. Teeth, teeth, and taxes. Yay, taxes! Are you excited for taxes yet? You should be, because there is an amazing tax credit you or your lab could be getting right now. Tracy Lustyan from the alliantgroup (https://www.alliantgroup.com/) comes on the podcast with John Beasley from Classic Craft Dental Lab in Savannah Georgia to talk about how Tracy took John through the whole process of getting the R&D tax credit (https://www.alliantgroup.com/services/r-d-tax-credit-2/). John talks about first-hand what it's like for a lab to go through it, what he had to do, how it changed his lab, and how easy it is. When you team up with the right tax company. Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/) is a company that wants to partner with your lab to make sure you are getting the impressions you need. You know dental offices often ask dental labs what they recommend for impression material. Tell them with confidence a material that backed with amazing customer service and proven results

There are many online groups for dental technicians. Very few of them have had a profound impact in such a short amount of time. Jeffry Tobon from DesignLab Dental (https://www.designlabdental.com/) and Sander Polanco from FMR Prosthetic Center (https://www.fmrlab.com/) saw a need for good quality education for all technicians no matter what software or systems they use. That is when they created Digital Dental Craftsmen (https://www.digitaldentalcraftsmen.com/), an online platform that allows instructors from around the globe to reach technicians of all skill levels. Jeffry and Sander talk about how they got into the industry, how they met and came up with the idea, why they created Digital Dental Craftsmen, how they find their instructors, and what exciting platform they are working on next. Stay up-to-date on DDC World at Digital Dental Craftsmen (https://www.digitaldentalcraftsmen.com/) and their FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/DDCraftsmen) Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/) is very excited to ann

We welcome to the podcast two Denturists from Washington State. Vallan Charron and Melissa Brulotte, both rich in family history, talk about the early days of getting Denturism recognized, going through the school, running a practice during and after COVID, and how other states can start the processes of bringing Denturim to their state. National Denturist Association (https://nationaldenturist.com/) American Denturist School (https://americandenturistschool.com/) Bates Technical College: Denturist Program (https://www.batestech.edu/programs/denturist/) Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/) is a company that wants to partner with your lab to make sure you are getting the impressions you need. You know dental offices often ask dental labs what they recommend for impression material. Tell them with confidence a material that backed with amazing customer service and proven results. Give them a call at 877-532-2123 and mention the code Dental Lab Podcast 25 to get 25% off your order Special Guests: Meliss

Elvis and Barb are excited to bring you a conversation they had with Lou Azzara, the CEO of Dental Services Group (DSG) (https://www.dentalservices.net/). Lou started in the industry with Captek and now he oversees 40+ labs across the United States. He talks about how DSG handled COVID and their predictions for life after COVID. Lou explains his inspirations and why it is extremely important to him that each lab, each technician, and each patient gets treated with the care they deserve. It’s okay to fail, as long as you fail forward. We all do zirconia. There are many options out there. Are you using multi-layered zirconia? You should. Vericore ZR Pro ML (https://whipmix.com/products/vericore-zr-pro-multi-layer/) from Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/) is a fantastic multi-layered zirconia that is designed with a built-in gradation of color that closely mimics that of natural dentition. Call Whip Mix today to learn more at 800-626-5651. Special Guest: Lou Azzara.

When a non-dental individual thinks of Ottawa, Illinois, they probably think of 4H and quilt shows. (Two things on the town's main page). But if they ever hear this episode they will know that a great dental lab started in this small town and has grown to be well respected in the area and in our industry. Jim Caruso's grandfather opened Ottawa Dental Lab back in the 30's and now the operation is 4 labs in 2 states. Jim talks about coming into the family business, the logistics of running drivers over 5,000 miles a day, life during COVID, and creating a culture that encourages technicians to succeed. Go Fleet (https://www.gofleet.com/) Cal-Lab (https://cal-lab.org/) Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/) is a company that wants to partner with your lab to make sure you are getting the impressions you need. You know dental offices often ask dental labs what they recommend for impression material. Tell them with confidence a material that backed with amazing customer service and proven results. Give them a

Elvis and Barb talk to the guys that run Alien Milling Technologies (https://www.alienmilling.com/). These two brothers, after leaving their dad's lab, opened up a milling center in California that does design and milling all right here in the US. Saro and Raffi Hatzakortzian talk about how they got into the milling business, what's it it like running a milling center, what exciting things they are working on, and how Alien Milling can be a partner for any lab. BEGO™ Varseo XS 3D Printer and the printed temporary crown (https://www.alienmilling.com/collections/bego/products/bego-varseo-xs-3d-printer-bundle) Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/) is very excited to announce the new PRO 4K large format 3D printer from Asiga. It’s ideal for printing any kind of model, dentures, splints, surgical guides, impression trays and more. The Asiga Pro 4K DLP printer (https://whipmix.com/products/asiga-pro-4k/) is priced at under $25,000, has a large build plate and is available in both 65µm and resolution versions. For info

Barb loves a good lab story about taking over a parents lab and then passing it on to their kids. Jerry Kaizer from Murray Kaizer (https://www.murraykaizer.com/) is just one of those tales. Jerry talks about starting in the lab, working with his brother and sister, becoming a leader in the removable business, bringing all his kids into the lab, and what we can do as the current generation of technicians to make sure the next generation understands the fundamentals. Also the last collection of "Audio Thanks" that listeners have sent in to celebrate Dental Technician Appreciation Month! Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/) is a company that wants to partner with your lab to make sure you are getting the impressions you need. You know dental offices often ask dental labs what they recommend for impression material. Tell them with confidence a material that backed with amazing customer service and proven results. Give them a call at 877-532-2123 and mention the code Dental Lab Podcast 25 to get 25% off you

June is CDT and Dental Technician Appreciation Month. There is no better way to celebrate than talking to a couple of people who have volunteered their time to help promote, educate, and strengthen our industry. First up is Dennis Urban CDT from Dental Services Group (https://www.dentalservices.net/) who is also the Chairperson on the National Board of Certification (NBC) (http://nbccert.org/homepage.cfm). Dennis talks about getting his CDT, finding the motivation to get on the board to promote it, and what the NBC is doing to make sure technicians still have the opportunity to get certified during these difficult times. Then we talk to Sean Siegel from Castable Ceramics (https://www.castableceramics.com/) (also the Chairperson of the Foundation of Dental Laboratory Technology (http://dentallabfoundation.org/)) and Shawn Nowak from Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/) (also the Fiscal Officer of the Foundation). They give us an update on the Foundation, all the grants and scholarships tha

There are names in our industry that almost everyone knows. One of those names is Peter Pizzi. Maybe you have seen him speak? Maybe you read his articles in the IDT magazine (https://www.aegisdentalnetwork.com/idt), that he is editor-in-chief of? Elvis and Barb had a fantastic casual conversation with Peter as he tells them about the early days of getting into dental technology, who was his influencers and where he picked up his skill. They also talk about how he puts his lectures together, how he got hooked up with Inside Dental Technology magazine, and what he thinks we should be doing as a profession to ensure that we survive all the changes happening. Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/) is a company that wants to partner with your lab to make sure you are getting the impressions you need. You know dental offices often ask dental labs what they recommend for impression material. Tell them with confidence a material that backed with amazing customer service and proven results. Give them a call at 8