Larry Wiess from Weiss Advisors started a company to help other labs after his time with Keller Dental Lab and NDX. Larry has taken his years of experience to assist labs that needed the extra, "outside" help to either prepare for sale or to increase productivity. Jim Gorgol from Distinctive Dental Studio is looking at eventually retiring. Jim wants to make sure that he can do that comfortably but wants to also make sure that the employees are left in a good spot too. They talk about determining the ultimate goal, setting up milestones along the way, and the type of processes they put in place to reach that goal.

Special Guests: James (Jim) Gorgol, CDT and Larry Weiss.

Do you know a technician that just started? Working in the model room or opaquing crowns? That person could be the next CEO of a global network of labs. We welcome Laura Kelly who had a similar story. She started at Microdental Laboratories not knowing what a dental lab was and has worked hard to become it's CEO. Along they way she became the first female and the first technician to be the president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and owned her own lab that grew to be purchased by another lab group. She talks about what MicroDental stands for, how they dealt with the pandemic shutdown, and how they came out of it strong.

Smile Matters Podcast

Special Guest: Laura Kelly AAACD.

Successfully having the first dental laboratory convention of 2021 took the work of many passionate people involved with the Dental Laboratory Association of Texas (DLAT). While we were not there physically, we were there live, not live from the Argen booth. This week we got to talk to:

Enjoy the conversations from the first show of 2021

Special Guests: Bennett Napier, Jan Rainey, Keith Wilson, and Tim Frenzel CDT.

What do you call a group of technicians in Texas? The first successful lab meeting of the year! That's right, back in late March the Dental Laboratory Association of Texas (DLAT) held their annual conference. It was also the first in-person dental lab meeting of 2021. While we couldn't be there, our good friends at Argen set up a laptop, microphone, and some speakers so we could record remotely from their booth. Local Argen rep and all around rockstar Keith Wilson kept us busy bringing by so many great people at the show. This week we have conversations from 5 wonderful attendees/staff/vendors.

Sit back and enjoy the sounds of live "in-person" conversations.

Special Guests: Cade Tippett, CDT, Fernando Sanchez, Jr. CDT, Gary Osborn CDT, Marlin Gohn CDT, and Spencer Watkins.

We take for granted the dental design softwares that are here. Sure is nice that someone took the time to make and teach us all how to use them. On this week's episode we talk to one of the technicians responsible for bringing Exocad to North America. John Orfanidis has only known the dental laboratory industry. His past lab was the first lab to get the German made software, Exocad. John learned everything he could about the software and then took it across the country teaching and training other labs to use it. John talks about the early days of Exocad, some amazing things you can do with the software, and what is next for Exocad and John.

Special Guest: John Orfanidis CDT.

From working with zirconia that gets sintered by the trainload to working with it in a dental lab, Chris Bradley is not a stranger to the dental laboratory industry. In 2008 she partnered with a dental laboratory instrument manufacturer out of Switzerland and started Smile Line USA. Chris talks about the different porcelain mixing trays, what make a good porcelain brush good, the 80's colors of the United Colors of D. Vinci, and a super cool accessory for your phone to take your photography to the next level. This year she introduces the smartest thing we have seen in a long time. The "My Bench Box" is a fantastic program that allows technicians to try anything before they commit to buying it.

Ladies of the Mill Summit: July 23 - 24 Chattanoogan, TN

Special Guest: Chris Bradley.

Every lab relies heavily on design software these days. The two biggest in our industry are 3Shape and ExoCad. But what are the differences? Is one better than the other? This conversation starts the conversation of 3Shape vs ExoCad. Three technicians that use their software every day come on to discuss the differences and the similarities. Not sales people. Not the company. Real technicians that understand the daily struggles lab face every day.

Team ExoCad:

Team 3Shape:

Team Everything:

Special Guests: Enja Dorjchuluun, Matt Mills, and Sevan Pulurian.

Remakes. Adjustments. More Adjustments. Maybe other labs can do flexible partials with ease, but the ones we talk to can't. Doesn't matter which system you use, flexibles in general have a higher remake or adjustment number. With the growing popularity of digital dentistry with removables, it is about time someone stepped up to make a printable flexible partial. Justin Marks from Arfona Printing has developed the first printed Valplast flexible partial. Justin's grandfather created the first flexible and the family has been carrying on the Valplast legacy. Justin decided that the need of the industry was not just the product, but an ease of service. Justin comes on the podcast to talk about his history of Valplast, the workflow for labs to send to Arfona, and the new faciating method he has developed to print a flexible Valplast partial.

Vision 21 this Weekend! Register here and head to Nashville!

Dental Laboratory Association of Alabama meeting! April 24 in Huntsville. Take a look and register here.

Special Guest: Justin Marks CDT.

We all know how hard it is to be a dental technician. How about being the only dental technician where you are? Sure it has it's pros and cons and Tom Panei CDT joins us on the podcast to talk about his journey to become a solo lab owner. Tom is a musician, and got a gig at a dental office opening and is now their denture technician. He's also a professional artist and repairs statues. He's a busy guy and talks about the balance he finds in all of them.

Special Guest: Tom Panei CDT.

It's amazing how quick the last three years have gone. Elvis and Barb have enjoyed every minute making this podcast and getting to meet so many wonderful people in our industry. To celebrate your birthday/anniversary, we brought back our very first guest on the podcast, Renata Budny. Renata is an associate professor at the New York City College of Technology teaching in the Department of Restorative Dentistry (dental lab). She is joined by two graduates of the program. First up is past podcast guest and co-creator of the Digital Dental Craftsman, Jeffry Tobon and Aneeza Hussain who is on her way to become a dentist. They talk about why they went into the program, their experiences at the school, how the school is doing now, and of course, life after graduation.

Special Guests: Aneeza Hussain, DA, DT, A.A.S, BS, Jeffry Tobon CDT, and Renata Budny, CDT, TE.