Voices from The Bench

Come join us 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 This week we wrap up the episodes that we got while in the Ivoclar Ballroom at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2025. First up is Federico Manes from MODJAW (https://modjaw.com/en/). Federico talks about discovering the world of dental, using his digital background to help a lab get digital, and how they have worked out a system to bring accurate jaw motions to all design software. Then we meet Mellissa Everett. Mellissa loves being a dental technician. She loves it so much, she is usually working at two labs at the same time. She talks about finding out about dental, her desire to become a ceramist, and how her crazy work schedule has actually helped her become a better technician. We then wrap up the episode with a different conversation. Two past podcast guests come on to give us a follow up. Sandra Puurits is from Finland. Jay Work is from Pennsylvania. Last year they meet at Lab Day 2024 for the first time. Now they are engaged and enjoying being them..... together. Sandra's episode: https://www.voicesfromthebench.com/214 Jay's episode: https://www.voicesfromthebench.com/271 Don't miss this incredible webinar with Tanya Little, a dentist from beautiful Vancouver, Canada. We would like to invite you to a special webinar that she's hosting with Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) and LMT (https://lmtmag.com/) on Wednesday, May 7th, titled "Reflections from a Denturist: 20 Years of Crafting Dentures!". In this program, she will review the incredible history of removables with Ivoclar and focus on the new and exciting evolution based print resin and of course, the PM7. Her goal is to provide you with several key takeaways that will allow you to work smarter and not harder. You can join on May 7th by registering at https://lmtmag.com/webinars/reflections-from-a-denturist-20-years-of-crafting-dentures Are you a dental lab in need of more talent to improve your bottom line and keep production on schedule? Are you a dental tech with great skills but feel you're being limited at your current lab? Well, the answer is here and this is precisely why WIN WIN GO (https://www.winwingo.com/) was created. The dental lab and dental tech community needed a place where labs and technicians can meet, talk about their needs and connect in ways that foster a win win outcome. As a tech. If you're ready to make a change, thinking about moving in the next year or just curious what's out there, sign up today. It's totally free. As a lab, you might be feeling the frustration of paying the big employment site so much and getting so few tech candidates. We understand they don't much care about our industry. WINWINGO.com is simply the best place for lab techs and lab owners to actively engage in creating their ideal future. WINWINGO.com, how dental techs find paradise. Special Guests: Federico Manes, Jay R. Work III, Mellissa Everett, and Sandra Puurits.

This week we bring 3 great conversation from the great Cal-Lab Association meeting that happened in February during Lab Day Chicago. First up is someone that has to put up with Elvis on a regular basis at Derby Dental Lab (https://www.derbydental.com/), Liam Johns. Liam talks about growing up with a technician father, becoming the removable manager at a young age, and how digital excites him for the future of dental technology. Then we chat with two gentlemen from Wiand Dental Lab (https://www.wiandlab.com/), Tom Wiand and Scott Lowrey. Tom tells the story of starting the lab in the early 90s, organically growing through the years, and keeping up with technology. Scott talks about going from selling burs to selling restorations 10 years ago. Now he does education, chairside support, and helps the lab succeed. We wrap up the episode with former player for the Pittsburg Steelers, Matt Cushing. Once done, a buddy asked if he would do sales for his lab. Not knowing anything about teeth, it wasn't long before Matt found a passion for the industry and opened First Choice Dental Lab (https://www.firstchoicelab.com/) and is now (17 years later) a lab that has acquired other labs, grew to full service, and has a satellite lab in another state. Don't miss this incredible webinar with Tanya Little, a dentist from beautiful Vancouver, Canada. We would like to invite you to a special webinar that she's hosting with Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) and LMT (https://lmtmag.com/) on Wednesday, May 7th, titled "Reflections from a Denturist: 20 Years of Crafting Dentures!". In this program, she will review the incredible history of removables with Ivoclar and focus on the new and exciting evolution based print resin and of course, the PM7. Her goal is to provide you with several key takeaways that will allow you to work smarter and not harder. You can join on May 7th by registering at https://lmtmag.com/webinars/reflections-from-a-denturist-20-years-of-crafting-dentures Are you a dental lab in need of more talent to improve your bottom line and keep production on schedule? Are you a dental tech with great skills but feel you're being limited at your current lab? Well, the answer is here and this is precisely why WIN WIN GO (https://www.winwingo.com/) was created. The dental lab and dental tech community needed a place where labs and technicians can meet, talk about their needs and connect in ways that foster a win win outcome. As a tech. If you're ready to make a change, thinking about moving in the next year or just curious what's out there, sign up today. It's totally free. As a lab, you might be feeling the frustration of paying the big employment site so much and getting so few tech candidates. We understand they don't much care about our industry. WINWINGO.com is simply the best place for lab techs and lab owners to actively engage in creating their ideal future. WINWINGO.com, how dental techs find paradise. Special Guests: Matt Cushing, Liam Johns, Scott Lowrey , and Tom Wiand CDT.

The amazing people we talked to in the Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) Ballroom during the 40th anniversary of LMT Lab Day Chicago just keep coming and this week we have a stellar line up. First up is Eric Kukucka. Eric came on the podcast years ago to talk about his multiple denturist practices in Canada. But he has since sold them and has joined the Aspen Dental (https://www.aspendental.com/) group as their Vice President of Clinical Removable Prosthetics & Design Technologies. Eric talks about going from making dentures for hundreds of patients to working with a team to produce quality dentures for millions. Then we chat with Chelsea Homire, who has years of dental assistant experience, but when given the oppritunity to learn the in-office lab work, she took off. With a passion for printing, Chelsea is now teaching other offices (and even a few labs) how they can optimize their digital workflow. We wrap up the episode with Brittany Mitchell. You might know her becuase she designed (and made the denture) on our "Just Say No to Brushing" shirt, but she's also a talented removable technician. Brittany talks about starting in at the front desk, drawing a picture that got notices and placed in the lab, falling in love with it, and making digital dentures for a 12 doctor dental group. Don't miss this incredible webinar with Tanya Little, a dentist from beautiful Vancouver, Canada. We would like to invite you to a special webinar that she's hosting with Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) and LMT (https://lmtmag.com/) on Wednesday, May 7th, titled "Reflections from a Denturist: 20 Years of Crafting Dentures!". In this program, she will review the incredible history of removables with Ivoclar and focus on the new and exciting evolution based print resin and of course, the PM7. Her goal is to provide you with several key takeaways that will allow you to work smarter and not harder. You can join on May 7th by registering at https://lmtmag.com/webinars/reflections-from-a-denturist-20-years-of-crafting-dentures Are you a dental lab in need of more talent to improve your bottom line and keep production on schedule? Are you a dental tech with great skills but feel you're being limited at your current lab? Well, the answer is here and this is precisely why WIN WIN GO (https://www.winwingo.com/) was created. The dental lab and dental tech community needed a place where labs and technicians can meet, talk about their needs and connect in ways that foster a win win outcome. As a tech. If you're ready to make a change, thinking about moving in the next year or just curious what's out there, sign up today. It's totally free. As a lab, you might be feeling the frustration of paying the big employment site so much and getting so few tech candidates. We understand they don't much care about our industry. WINWINGO.com is simply the best place for lab techs and lab owners to actively engage in creating their ideal future. WINWINGO.com, how dental techs find paradise. Special Guests: Brittany Mitchell, Chelsea Homire, and Eric Kukucka DD.

Way back in February, thousands of dental technicians gathered in Chicago for the 40th anniversary of LMT Lab Day Chicago. While stationed in the Ivoclar (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us) Ballroom, we got to talk to many wonderful people that make up our industry. We start this episode with a technician that followed his dentist uncle in Mexico and went to dental technician school. Christopher Hernandez soon found himself making sleep apnea devices for years before finding his new home at Clear Choice doing All-on-X cases. Then we welcome back to the podcast, Greg Everett. Last time we talked to Greg, he was with a company that manufactured milling burs. Now he works on the whole mill with his new company Denteon (https://denteon.com/). Specializing in Roland Mills, Greg provides a service to complete rebuild or repair your mill so you can continue to get your monies worth for years longer than expected. We suggest visiting denteon.com if you have any Roland Mills. We wrap up the episode with Ivoclar's own Joe Braxon. Still talking about mills, but this time exclusively with Ivoclar mills. Joe is responsible for the installation, training, and service for all of the PrograMills. Joe talks about his background, finding Ivoclar, and what sets their mills above the rest. Take it from Laura Prosser, the digital marketing manager for Ivoclar North America (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us). She would like to invite you to start following them on Instagram. It's your chance to obtain exclusive updates on product announcements, industry news, upcoming educational events, and heartwarming stories about our local team and industry professionals. Let's get social together. Simply start following us on Instagram @Ivoclar.na (https://www.instagram.com/ivoclar.na/). We'll see you there. Are you a dental lab in need of more talent to improve your bottom line and keep production on schedule? Are you a dental tech with great skills but feel you're being limited at your current lab? Well, the answer is here and this is precisely why WIN WIN GO (https://www.winwingo.com/) was created. The dental lab and dental tech community needed a place where labs and technicians can meet, talk about their needs and connect in ways that foster a win win outcome. As a tech. If you're ready to make a change, thinking about moving in the next year or just curious what's out there, sign up today. It's totally free. As a lab, you might be feeling the frustration of paying the big employment site so much and getting so few tech candidates. We understand they don't much care about our industry. WINWINGO.com is simply the best place for lab techs and lab owners to actively engage in creating their ideal future. WINWINGO.com, how dental techs find paradise. Special Guests: Christopher Hernandez, Greg Everett, and Joe Braxton.

We are back from IDS in Cologne, Germany. THANK YOU exocad for hosting us and everyone, be prepared for some amazing new features coming to you soon! Along with a TON of crazy good conversations. So when we got an email from the creators of a device that Elvis uses all the time asking to be on the podcast, we jumped at the opportunity. Luckly we were all going to be at the Cal-Lab Association (https://cal-lab.org/) meeting that happens the same week at Lab Day Chicago. This time, Elvis sits down with Danny Yao and Dr. Russell Crockett. Danny has a long history in sales with implants and full arch workflows. Dr. Crockett is a practicing Prosthodontist that loves to design better ways to do dentistry. Meeting awhile ago, Danny saw Dr. Crockett’s prototype for a way to get accurate full arch records using just an iOS scanner. Together they created OptiSplint (https://digitalarches.com/collections/optisplint%C2%AE-the-easiest-and-most-accurate-implant-positioning-system-for-full-arch) and ArchTracer (https://digitalarches.com/collections/archtracer%E2%84%A2-the-only-fiducial-marker-you-will-ever-need). Simply put, they screw onto MUAs, lute together, and you can get a series of scans pretty much guaranteed to perfect. Want to know more about this amazing workflow? Take a listen as we dive deeper into all that Digital Arches (https://digitalarches.com/) does. Take it from Laura Prosser, the digital marketing manager for Ivoclar North America (https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us). She would like to invite you to start following them on Instagram. It's your chance to obtain exclusive updates on product announcements, industry news, upcoming educational events, and heartwarming stories about our local team and industry professionals. Let's get social together. Simply start following us on Instagram @Ivoclar.na (https://www.instagram.com/ivoclar.na/). We'll see you there. Are you a dental lab in need of more talent to improve your bottom line and keep production on schedule? Are you a dental tech with great skills but feel you're being limited at your current lab? Well, the answer is here and this is precisely why WIN WIN GO (https://www.winwingo.com/) was created. The dental lab and dental tech community needed a place where labs and technicians can meet, talk about their needs and connect in ways that foster a win win outcome. As a tech. If you're ready to make a change, thinking about moving in the next year or just curious what's out there, sign up today. It's totally free. As a lab, you might be feeling the frustration of paying the big employment site so much and getting so few tech candidates. We understand they don't much care about our industry. WINWINGO.com is simply the best place for lab techs and lab owners to actively engage in creating their ideal future. WINWINGO.com, how dental techs find paradise. Special Guests: Danny Yao and Dr. Russell Crockett.