Voices From The Bench

June is CDT and Dental Technician Appreciation Month. Send us your audio thanks to info@voicesfromthebench.com. Super easy but super supportive! With all the canceled dental laboratory shows, it was nice to release all the conversations we got at the Argen (https://argen.com/#/) booth at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020. But sadly, it has now run out. But we end them with two great recordings. First up is Michael Thomas CDT and Shannon Foscue who run Edge Dental Solutions (https://www.edgedentalsolutions.com/). With the experience and knowledge they got with Affordable Dentures (https://www.affordabledentures.com/), they started a company that helps dental technicians and labs reach their full potential. THEN we have our annual conversation with the one and only Judy Fishman from LMT. She is joined by the Event Coordinator Jenny Abbott-Cole as they talk about this years show, the next exhibit hall, and LMT magazine going digital. Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/) is very excited to announce the new PRO 4K large

A Big thanks to all the Dental Technicians out there for keeping our industry strong! We have an episode packed full of great technicians from all around the world. Remember when we could still travel. When we were set up at the Argen (https://argen.com/) booth at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020 we talked to a great technician/dentist duo. Tommy Rodgers CDT from Iverson Dental Labs specializes in full arch hybrids and teamed up with a Dr. Mike Clark who understands the need for treatment planning with a good technician to do those cases. THEN all the way from Romania, we talk Ionut "Bob" Pitu who talks about what our industry is like over there and why he traveled to Lab Day. THEN we sit down with Joshua Fitzgerald again to talk with him about running a one-person lab and using social media as a tool of advertising. Record yourself giving thanks to that special person or group in our industry and send it to us at info@voicesfromthebench.com. We will play them during all the episode in June to celebrate Dental Te

Happy Memorial Day 2020.... the oddest one ever. First up we wanted to bring you some more "Vendor Perspective’s" from our industry and how they are dealing with the pandemic. We talk with Shawn Nowak from Nowak Dental Supplies (https://www.nowakdental.com/nowak/) who talks about what they did when everyone shut down, what they have been doing, and what Nowak is doing as we all start getting back to work. Get your PPE gear: https://www.dental-ppe.com/ (https://www.dental-ppe.com/) Back in February, most of the industry went to Chicago for LMT Lab Day 2020. We were set up at the Argen (https://argen.com/#/) booth recording pretty much anyone that would sit down. One of the best parts of doing that is all the people that we get to record that we might not record remotely. This week we bring you three conversations we got while at the biggest event in our industry. First up are two last-year students of the IU Fort Wayne Dental Technology program. Bob Martin and Samuel Kenchanh come on to talk about why they s

NADL Free Webinar - Navigating the New Normal in Dentistry: A Panel Discussion May 21st: 2:00 - 3:00 EST Barbara Warner Wojdan, CDT, AAACD: Mike Cash, CDT, Rudy Ramirez, and Larry Weiss, CPA (https://nadl.org?m7efn0) Elvis and Barb wanted to bring a perspective of the pandemic response from the vendor side of things. Elvis talked to Pat Higgins, who is the new Vice President of Marketing and New Business Development at Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/). Pat comes on to talk about what Whip Mix did when the pandemic started, what they are doing during, and what they have planned for the future. Two things in life are certain. Bad dentist equals bad impressions and taxes. We talked to two CPAs about dental laboratories maximizing tax credits from their research and experimentation. Adam Herman and Doug Kolker from Mueller Prost (https://muellerprost.com/) have been working with labs for a long time and understand our industry. They provide some wonderful ideas for labs to get some much needed cash during these

Remember when we all packed into a hotel convention center in a very busy city to talk about the dental laboratory industry? How crazy were we? :-) Elvis and Barb are back with more conversation they got while at the Argen booth at LMT's Lab Day Chicago 2020. First up we talk to a very well-rounded dental technician that has moved more in 6 months then most move in a lifetime. But all this experience has helped David Lindsay make the decision to become a denturist. He tells his story and shares some insight that he has learned along the way. Then we are joined by the dental product manager from Formlabs, Sam Wainwright. Sam talks about the history of Formlabs, what they are working on now, and what we can expect from this popular 3d printer company. Whip Mix (https://whipmix.com/) is extremely proud to introduce the Whip Mix VeriBuild 3D Printer (https://whipmix.com/products/veribuild-lcd/) with features rarely seen in economically priced printers. Your lab or dental practice can now print extremely precise

Elvis and Barb had the extreme pleasure to speak with Béatrice Robichaud who is the co-founder of Panthera Dental (https://pantheradental.com/) and Kim Solomon who is the Senior Vice-President of US sales. Béatrice and Kim tells us the story of how Pantera got started, Why they got into sleep apena devices (https://pantheradental.com/d-sad/), the use of tele-dentistry, and how Panthera stepped up to print PPE for hospitals. Download the .STL file of Panthera's 3D Printed Face Shield (https://pantheradental.com/covid-19/) 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: Béatrice Robichaud and Kim Solomon.

As states start to allow dental offices to open up to non-emergency patients, labs are starting to get back to work. Of course, it will be a slow start, but it is a sign of things starting to get back to the "new normal". First up is a weekly update from Bennett Napier from the NADL (https://nadl.org/) talking about the next webinar and what's new with our industry and the COVID-19. NADL Free Webinar - Protecting Patients and Staff when Re-Opening The Dental Practice (https://nadl.org/news/#n1369)  Thursday, April 30, 2020 2:00pm-3:00pm EDT ADA Report on 2020 and 2021 Dental Spending based on Covid 19 Impact (https://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science%20and%20Research/HPI/Files/HPIbrief_0420_1.pdf?la=en%3F&utm_source=adaupdate&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cv-hpi-modeling-impct-of-covid-19-on-dental-spending&utm_campaign=covid-19&fbclid=IwAR3iB9XI4ZSNRIA2vEAfPFc8WQm_Iv5ZYRDBFVC6ivLcBU5oQ6jfTYTcxbk) This week we are back to LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020. Recording from the Argen (

YAY! Half of April 2020 is done! That is something to celebrate, right? We welcome Bennett Napier from the NADL back on the podcast to update us on our industry and the COVID-19. NADL Interactive Roundtable Discussion: Big Picture Thinking for Dental Laboratories post COVID-19 - A Strategic Conversation Webinar Wednesday, April 22, 2020 1:00pm-2:00pm EDT (https://nadl.org/news/#n1339) ADA News Stories (https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/ada-news-archive) Remember when a whole bunch of people could get in a room to celebrate what they love? Those were the days! And to relive those days we take you back to the glory days of LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020. There Elvis and Barb set up at the Argen (https://argen.com/#/) booth and invited anyone to sit down and tell their story. First up we have the first couple to sit down with us. While Barb was out being president Elvis got to talk to Scott and Randi James who are doing amazing job running a family lab in Minnesota. Then they both got to talk with Ferna

We are back with another conversation from the pre-COVID-19 days. Long before LMT Lab Day Chicago we got contacted by a orthodontics doctor who is helping labs get into clear aligners. Dr. Amanda Wilson has spent time in private practice and has work along a few big aligner companies. Now she owns StraightSmile Solutions (https://www.straightsmilesolutions.com/) that works with doctors and LABS to help them get into this booming aspect of our industry. Good information for a very popular item with dental laboratories. StraightSmile Solutions' GP Webinar Page (http://gpwebinar.com/dr-wilson31775959) Clear Aligner manufactures for laboratories: Smile Shapers (https://smileshapers.com/#) Argen Clear Aligners (https://argen.com/clear-aligners#/) Have you tried Whip Mix’s Vericore ZR Pro zirconia (https://whipmix.com/products/vericore-zr-pro/) discs yet? They not only produce very natural looking crowns and bridges, but they are very strong, at 1,140 megapascals. When it comes to zirconia use in dentistry, high st

What a bleeping week. Hard to imagine that this will end and everything will get back to normal. But until then, the podcast must go on! First up is an important update from Bennett Napier from the NADL (National Association of Dental Laboratories) (https://nadl.org/). NADL Recorded Webinar COVID-19 Safety and Infection Protection Guidance for Dental Laboratories (https://nadl.org/news/#n1283) Executive Summary of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (https://nadl.org/news/#n1276) Let's get a sense of being normal, shall we? Back in January Elvis and Barb, thanks to Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/), got to go to the Voices of Dentistry Summit. First up they talked to the co-host of DA Rockstars podcast (https://www.dentalassistantsrock.com/da-rockstars-podcast) and super cool dental assistant, Ronda Holman. She talks about the relationship between dental assistants and laboratories, interviews Elvis and Barb a little, and why she loves being a dental assistant. Then they t

What a terrible week for our world, country, and industry. More and more states enacted the "Stay-at-Home" mandate and dentist seeing only emergency patients, the labs are getting next to no work. We hear every day of layoffs, Furloughs, and closings. It is sad but at the same time important that when the COVID-19 virus starts to "die off", that we are more than ready to get back to being the growing industry that we were just a few months ago. To update us of what the dental laboratory industry needs to know is once again Bennett Napier from the NADL. COVID-19 Safety and Infection Control Guidance for Dental Laboratories Webinar (https://nadl.org/news/#n1248) April 1, 2020 2:00pm-3:00pm EST CARES Act Relief Bill (https://nadl.org/news/#n1237) CDC Update for Dental March 27, 2020 (https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/statement-COVID.html) To keep a sense of normalcy in our lives, we continue with the original conversations we were going to bring you. This week brings three interviews we got at th

What a strange week for the world. We can't even begin to express our feelings for everyone and our industry. That is why we wanted to bring in the Executive Director of the NADL to give us an update for our industry on the COVID-19 virus. NADL COVID-19 Resource Links (https://nadl.org/news/#n1166) The Foundation of Dental Laboratory Technology Learning Library (http://fdlt.peachnewmedia.com/store/provider/provider09.php) Then because we want everyone to have some sense of normalcy we continue with the originally planned episode. Back in January and thanks to Kettenbach (http://www.kettenbachusa.com/), Elvis and Barb went to the Voices of Dentistry. A event geared towards podcast in the dental field. Being the only podcast dedicated to dental laboratories at the event, we were able to talk to a bunch of people that give us an interesting perspective that we normally don't see. First up is Jordon Comstock from Boomcloud (https://boomcloudapps.com/). Jordon comes from the lab and now runs a service to hel

There is always a need for good leadership in dental laboratories. Ricki Braswell talks about taking a current leader or a technician turned leader and working with them to excel at their new role. Ricki Braswell was a co-executive director of the NADL for years and fell in love with our industry. She took that love and became the CEO of the Pankey Institute where she made the dental technician a key part of the program. Now Ricki has taken her skill and experience to dental practices and to dental laboratories. She talks about some wonderful ideas to help your lab create great leaders and great teams. March 26 – 28 Dental Laboratory Association Texas Conference – Grapevine, Tx (https://members.dlat.org/membership/conference-registration-portal/) Alien Milling Technologies (https://www.alienmilling.com/) is a cutting-edge Dental Milling Center known for using the latest methods and technologies in milling top dental prosthetics. They can help your lab by milling everything, like crowns, abutments, partials,

Elvis and Barb wrap up the conversation they got while at the Vision 21 meeting from Las Vegas back in January. Elvis met Jesse Flor who owns a laboratory in California that has become a 100% digital lab, but also with his background working for DSOs has also opened up a few dental practices. His ownership of both has given him an interesting perspective into both fields. Then Elvis talks to two of the four participants who were on stage during the “Fireside Chat” about second generation lab owners. Michael Farago and Dory Sartoris both took a path in life that originally had them doing something other than the family lab. But they have now taken a leadership roll in their lab and are killing it by bringing non-bench-technician experiences into the workflow. March 26 – 28 Dental Laboratory Association Texas Conference – Grapevine, Tx (https://members.dlat.org/membership/conference-registration-portal/) *Ortho Technicians!!! Register for the AOLP meeting! * (https://assocolp.org/2020-conference-and-expo/) L

Way back in January 2020, the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) put together a meeting in Las Vegas called Vision 21. This outstanding dental laboratory business meeting is a must attend for anyone on the business side of their lab. While there they gave Elvis and Barb a table to record some of the high profile attendees and speakers. This first episode from Vision 21 features 5 amazing people from our industry. Sean Siegel - Castable Ceramics, Steve Killion CDT - Killian Dental Ceramics Don Albensi - NDX Albensi Heather Voss CDT - Legacy Dental Arts Denise Burris CDT - By Design Dental Studio They talk about the Foundation of Dental Laboratories, one of the Keynote Speakers, becoming part of the NDX family, and the 2019 CDT of the Year! It's a lot of conversations, with a lot of people, for a whole lot of fun. See what you missed! Keynote Speaker mentioned: Diana Kander (https://dianakander.com/) Order her book HERE! (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0692135944/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_

Happy 100th episode! A big thanks to everyone that has been a guest, listened to, or sponsored Voices From the Bench! We love bringing you the podcast every week and have enjoyed every second of it. And we have a GREAT episode for you this week. To celebrate our 100th episode we welcome Anton Woolf, CEO of the Argen Corporation (https://argen.com/#/) to the show. Anton is a living icon in our industry by leading Argen to be one of the most established and innovated companies in our industry. Anton comes on the podcast to talk about the start of Argen, how he came to be the CEO, his family's involvement, becoming more than just a alloy company, and what new and exciting things Argen is working on next. March 26 – 28 Dental Laboratory Association Texas Conference – Grapevine, Tx (https://members.dlat.org/membership/conference-registration-portal/) *Ortho Technicians!!! Register for the AOLP meeting! * (https://assocolp.org/2020-conference-and-expo/) Last year was a huge success and we loved this show. We are

LMT LAB DAY Chicago is this weekend! Elvis and Barb are super excited to be there recording as many people as we can. But first we must bring you a fantastic interview we got a few months ago. Eugene Royzengurt is an assistant that became a technician, who then became an educator, and is now becoming a denturist (https://nationaldenturist.com/) living in a state he can't even be a denturist in. Eugene talks about his beginnings, running a one-person lab, and attending the American Denturist School (https://americandenturistschool.com/). Thanks to the wonderful people at ARGEN (https://www.argen.com/#/), Elvis and Barb will be recording at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020 - February 21 & 22 (https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday). We will be set up at the Argen Booth (I16/I17) (https://argen.com/chicago-midwinter#/) to talk to all the amazing attendees, educators, vendors, and anyone else willing to sit down. If you want to schedule a time, be sure to send us an email at info@voicesfromthebench.com and we can get it lined up

We really enjoy talking to people that are passionate about what they do. When JDT released their 2020 “Who’s Hot” there was one technician that stood out. Christopher Gajewski is a man on the mission to organize and educate all the ortho laboratories. Chris owned a ortho lab but has now started working 100% for the Association of Orthodontic Laboratory Professionals. We talk to Chris about his beginning, were he sees ortho labs going in the age of digital dentistry, his opinion on clear aligners, starting the AOLP, and his desire to educate the public. Check out the AOLP: Association of Orthodontic Laboratory Professionals (https://assocolp.org/) Thanks to the wonderful people at ARGEN (https://www.argen.com/#/), Elvis and Barb will be recording at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020 - February 21 & 22 (https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday). We will be set up at the Argen Booth (I16/I17) (https://argen.com/chicago-midwinter#/) to talk to all the amazing attendees, educators, vendors, and anyone else willing to sit down. If y

There are not many accredited schools left. They lack funds and enrollment. One school seems to be doing pretty good and they are positive about the future. While at the Eastern Conference of Dental Laboratories in Concord, NC, Elvis got to talk to three people associated with the program to get some different perspectives. First up is Erin Popov CDT who got into the industry via the school, graduated, and then came back to be an instructor. During the conversation, current student Jill Adams sits down to talk about why she signed up for the program and what she hopes to do with the knowledge after graduation. Then Elvis is joined by the 2020 NADL Educator of the Year award winner Greg Walton CDT who heads up the whole dental technology program at Durham Technical Community College. Greg went through the program, opened his own lab, and came back to help make the program what it is today. LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020 (https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday) is only a few weeks away and Elvis and Barb have partnered with Ar

Celebrate 2020 and LMT Lab Day with these limited edition shirts! Sale extended until Feb 2, 2020 (https://www.bonfire.com/celebrate-lmt-lab-day-chicago-2020-vftb-shirt-1/) This week Elvis and Barb talk to a good friend to them and the whole industry. Jeff Stronk from Treasure Dental Studios (https://www.treasuredentalstudio.com/) sits down to talk about getting into the industry, buying out some partners, volunteering and leading various national boards, and is now the Chairperson of the Cal-Lab Association. Jeff tells us about this year’s amazing meeting that takes place February 20 & 21 in Chicago. This annual meeting is shaping up to be the best one yet. Do yourself and your lab a favor by registering for this peer-to-peer business meeting. Cal-Lab Annual Meeting (http://cal-lab.org/annual-meeting/) Also that same weekend, thanks to the wonderful people at ARGEN (https://www.argen.com/#/), Elvis and Barb will be recording at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020 - February 21 & 22. We will be set up at the Argen Boot