the DLP Editorial Team

	Are you ready for a 3D printer?  Here are DLP's top three reasons a 3D printer might be beneficial to you.

Let’s face it ... there’s no cooler piece of technology out there right now than a 3D printer. It’s hard to go very far without seeing an article about the latest thing that was successfully printed using a 3D printer. When they start discussing the possibility of producing human organs with a 3D printer, how can you not think to yourself, “Wow, that is amazing!” Now imagine being in that same “wow” thought process with your customers. If you want your lab to appear very 21st century to your current (and potential) customers, a 3D printer is a must-have for your lab.

	02. It prints wax so you don't have to waxup

How nice would it be to be able to skip this manual step and be able to tell your customers that you are passing along that savings of cost and time to them? You’re still providing the same valuable preview to your customers, but you’re adding in that “wow” factor from above as well. Nice!

	03. It eliminates messy impressions and model-making

Whether it’s the patient, the dentist, the assistant or the lab, no one likes having to deal with the goop and gunk of impressions and stone models (read our cover story this month on page 24 to learn more about the digital impression age). With a 3D printer in your lab’s arsenal, the mess is a thing of the past, and you can still get a physical model. Goodbye yuckiness and hello future! 

Photo shows printed 3D wax framework created in the FrameWorx 3D Wax Printer from Stratasys.

This article originally appeared in the June 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click here to subscribe to 

Articles

 Are you ready for a 3D printer?  Here are DLP's top three reasons a 3D printer might be beneficial to you.  

The List: Top 3 reasons you might be ready for a 3D printer

	Having issues with difficult employees? Check out DLP's top seven tips for dealing with tricky interpersonal conflicts in the workplace.

01. Listen                                                                        

Before you jump to making a decision, set up a meeting with the employee just to listen to them. Are they being difficult because something is genuinely wrong? If so, seek to fix the problem first.

02. Ask yourself: Is it them? Or is it me?

Sometimes, conflict can stem from personality differences. Seek to understand whether the issues with an employee stem from real problems or from personality clashes. If the latter, consider giving all staff (including yourself) the Myers-Briggs test and then set up a time to discuss your personalities and how best to communicate with one another.

03. Institute a system                                                       

When dealing with a difficult person, chances are emotions are running high. Putting a disciplinary plan in place before emotions come into play will make the conflict smoother. Consider hiring a management consultant to put together a plan that will be fair and effective.

If you have a good, fair system in place, stick to your guns. 

No matter what happens or what kind of words are said (or emails sent), maintain your professionalism and don’t get sucked into a petty grudge match.

You’re the employer, in a position of power over the employee. Be kind and gracious, even if the employee isn’t. It’ll go a long way toward making your own leadership that much better.

Sometimes, it’s impossible to salvage a working relationship. If that happens, part as well as you can. Be charitable, and remember that you’ve done the right thing for yourself and for your business. 

This article originally appeared in the March 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click here to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: 

 Having issues with difficult employees? Check out DLP's top seven tips for dealing with tricky interpersonal conflicts in the workplace.  

The List: Top 7 ways to handle difficult employees

Division of Dental Arts Laboratories, Inc.

01. In your opinion, what makes DT Technologies unique? What was it that led Dental Arts Laboratories to form DT?

DT is unique because it was developed as an internal division to support Dental Arts Laboratories’ CAD/CAM growth. We saw the need to adapt to the changes in the industry by embracing and mastering CAD/CAM technologies and skills.

Although we started DT with a focus on our needs, we quickly found that other labs faced the same challenges as we did. Our solution has worked for these labs also, allowing our customers to continue to grow.

02. Why should a lab consider partnering with DT Technologies for their needs?

A lab should use us because we daily utilize the technology we sell, train and support. We have the experience and expertise to help out in most any situation. We have staff pushing the limits as a lab first, not just a feature to sell. Therefore, we focus on real world performance and results that help labs be efficient and successful.

different in the sea of other zirconia products?

BioZX2 stands out because of the quality of the product and the 

. They have developed a highly esthetic product from shading to translucency. They use only the top material suppliers and consistently move toward improving their products. They also have a pre-shaded, dip technique and paint on shades for any laboratories’ preference.

04. What new product categories are helping you and your customers grow in this economy?

Premium products and the ability to do more complex cases in-house. The big drivers for us are implant abutments and bars, 

 bridges for implants, chrome cobalt and fixed rate noble PFMs.

05. What new technologies are you excited about?

We are very excited about SLM and print technologies. We’re also excited about hybrid milling, printing and advances in design and scan technology to speed up workflows and add to our in-house product lines.

06. Besides the purchase cost, what should a lab consider before getting involved with CAD/CAM?

A lab should definitely look for a partner in CAD/CAM with a good aptitude to help them achieve their goals. If you have a large lab, your needs differ from a small lab and vice versa. Ask to see the equipment in production and also invest in education and talent.

07. How should a lab get started with CAD/CAM?

A lab should have a solid plan of action. It is best to ease into CAD/CAM and set development goals. Find an outsource partner to lean on for tough jobs and allow for margin for training and development.

08. What should a lab look for in a CAD/CAM partner?

Find someone you like working with. Find someone that can do the kind of work you want to put your name on. Make sure their goals on development match your own needs and make sure they are stable and investing for the future.

Teeth remain the same but the materials, techniques and technologies are evolving rapidly. It is great for skilled technicians that embrace the change and offers leverage for implementing their knowledge. I also see dental technicians embracing a role of empowerment and going farther for their customers.

10. Where do you see dental CAD/CAM going in the next five years?

I see CAD/CAM blurring the lines of manufacturers, dentists and technicians to where all are collaborators in patient treatment. I see printing and digital imaging taking a more prominent role. Also, we anticipate the price of materials and equipment going down, and the introduction of next generation materials, bio-metrics, nano resins, imaging and bioengineering.

 Ryan Johnson  Chief Technology Officer of DT Technologies, a Division of Dental Arts Laboratories, Inc.

10 Questions on DT Technologies, Dental Arts Laboratories, Inc. and CAD/CAM

We talk with Scott Mappin, VP of Operations for Strategy Milling, in this exclusive Q&A.	 	 	

01. What’s the background of Strategy Milling? How long has it been around, how does it work with Atlantic and who is in leadership?

Strategy Milling was the idea of Don Mappin, president of Atlantic Precious Metal Refining. Don surmised that if labs were still making gold crowns, that the obvious benefits resulting from milling and digitizing would benefit that restoration type as well as the industry, just as it has for so many other materials and processes.

The figurative groundwork was set into motion in the beginning of 2012. It employs Atlantic as a refiner and testing facility, and Strategy Milling as a separate division of Atlantic. As VP of Operations at Strategy, I am at the forefront of Atlantic’s Strategy Milling division.

02. What led Atlantic to form Strategy Milling?

In late 2011, I resigned from a lab position in Pennsylvania and found myself unemployed. I was grateful that Don offered me a position within Atlantic. I was in my 33rd year as a laboratory technician and unwittingly became an asset to Atlantic-eventually transforming Don’s idea into reality.

I had spent the previous five years focusing on different aspects of digital dental technology. From training more than 100 dental offices to use and integrate 3M ESPE’s LAVA C.O.S. intraoral scanner, to being a manager in large milling and outsourcing laboratories such as Issaquah Dental Lab & Albensi Dental Lab, this experience provided a solid foundation of knowledge regarding the creation of Strategy Milling.

03. What were you hearing from the industry that led you to know it was the right time?

I wasn’t hearing anything from the industry-no one was banging down the door for this service. We were simply looking at it through the eyes of a precious metal refiner that built its business on refining all sorts of dental scrap and understanding the state of the industry:

a. Gold crowns are still being made; albeit at a lower rate than in previous years.

b. We observed that gold was leaving dentistry through the scrap lots we were collecting and asked the question “Why?” We surmised there was still a desire and need among clinicians and lab owners alike for this product. We wanted to provide a service that is more cost effective in order to produce affordable gold alloy prosthetics.

c. Outsourcing has become a more accepted way of doing business in the lab industry.

04. How has the technology that enables Strategy Milling’s gold milling changed?

Milling machines and software have both lowered in price and risen in capability. Moreover, as the industry can confirm, milling has benefits that far surpass the lost wax and cast technique. 

05. What’s been the response from around the lab industry? 

While we anticipated quicker growth, the response has been extremely positive. The only negative is that there is confusion out there that other companies that are actually only sintering seem to have lab owners and technicians thinking they are milling, and these are two very different processes yielding different results. We have not found any other milling center or company in the country that is milling gold alloys.

06. What have you heard from labs and dentists who have used Strategy Milling?

We hear from dental labs that use Strategy that they are very satisfied ... the quality backs up the expectation. While we don’t sell to dentists directly, we do hear from them that they like to place gold restorations and love the positive attributes gold has such as malleability, track record, ease of placement and removal, and being non-antagonistic.

Strategy has, in a sense, stabilized the cost of manufacturing, and labs that scan and design are in a strong position to sell a flat fee gold restoration to their clients.

07. In your opinion, what does gold offer to labs that other alternatives don’t?

Specifically, milled gold offers laboratories a restoration at lower manufacturing cost; higher quality of internal fit; less finish time from the fit and external surface texture; and if designed properly, a great way to save money as the lab is only paying for the restoration weight and not the typically accompanying sprue system.

Other than that, it falls back to what are now becoming classic discussions between the available alternatives. Do YOU believe that gold is good? We do. We believe it to be more reliable and more user-friendly for all involved (lab, doctor and patient), and a better product than zirconia, lithium dislocate, composites or most high-fusing PFMs for posterior restorations.

08. What makes Strategy Milling different from other milling center options?

We only sell precious alloy milled products.

09. How will Strategy Milling change the industry? 

We believe Strategy will become the industry standard for producing gold prosthetics as labs learn about our products and services, which we plan on broadening in the near future. Moreover, we are bringing gold restorations into the digital age. 

10. Anything else you’d like to add? 

Labs now have a resource to aid them, not only in manufacturing gold products more efficiently, but providing what dentists would like to see-a flat rate gold restoration. For labs that do this and market to their dentist clients, they will really see their gold business grow! 

This article originally appeared in the May 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click here to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: http://bit.ly/18S8j4i

 We talk with Scott Mappin, VP of Operations for Strategy Milling, in this exclusive Q&A.   

10 Questions: Atlantic's Scott Mappin on bringing gold restorations into the digital age

Dentists are busy people-and adding the time to get a fully esthetic anterior crown to their list of job responsibilities just isn’t realistic for many of them. “There will always be a need for a quality crown,” explains Tra Chambers of 

. “Chairside crowns done in 90-minute appointments will never have the same esthetics or quality as a crown created by a professional ceramist over a 40-hour timeframe.”

Chairside esthetics aren’t lab esthetics

For some cases, chairside restorations might be just fine. But as Doug Frye of 

 explains, sometimes they won’t cut it. “There are very few dentists who have the experience, capabilities or training to fabricate, create and finalize top-tier esthetics, which can only be obtained by layered ceramics,” Frye notes. 

Many labs worry about the milling part of CAD/CAM, but remember that the CAD component to the equation can actually help a lab’s workflow. “Chairside milling is not for everyone, but digital impressions are,” Chambers says. “As doctors get more exposure to digital dentistry, they will want a laboratory to support them.”

“It creates new opportunities such as the opportunity to work WITH the doctor, not necessarily FOR the doctor in a like-minded way through technology such as 

. “Furthermore, it provides the opportunity to grow your lab in directions never before available.”

If a clinician uses a chairside CAD/CAM system to take care of simple restorations, that takes those off the lab’s plate and opens you up to be the specialized creative you are. When you’re not spending time creating posterior crowns that will never be seen, you’ll become the go-to for anterior solutions that the dentist just can’t do on his or her own.

This article originally appeared in the May 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click here to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: 

The dentist doesn’t have time. Dentists are busy people-and adding the time to get a fully esthetic anterior crown to their list of job responsibilities just isn’t realistic for many of them. “There will always be a need for a quality crown,” explains Tra Chambers of Express Dental Laboratory. “Chairside crowns done in 90-minute appointments will never have the same esthetics or quality as a crown created by a professional ceramist over a 40-hour timeframe.”  

The List: Top 5 reasons you shouldn't be afraid of chairside CAD/CAM

While zirconia has been a go-to material for labs for quite some time, more and more lab techs are discovering the exciting opportunities offered by pre-shaded zirconia. This minimizes the need for exhaustive staining, and can make finishing the final restoration a snap.

With the advent of multilayered poly (methyl methacrylate), better known as PMMA, labs can now directly mill temporaries with much better esthetics, providing a longer-term option that makes patients happier while providing both dentists and labs with more flexibility when determining the best approach to a specific case.

The march toward directly printing finished teeth continues as more manufacturers begin to experiment with tooth-shaded 3D printing material. Now, a lab can “print” a fully functional temporary that looks much more lifelike than previous 3D printing options were ever able to produce.

All-ceramic lithium/glass dislicates have been a favorite of labs and dentists for a long while, and each new year brings incredible new developments. Manufacturers are figuring out how to make these options more and more esthetic, while providing excellent strength and durability.

Millable and printable metals-from precious to non-precious

More and more companies are introducing new ways to use metal. There are metal 3D printers that use selective laser sintering/melting to create metal frameworks and removables, and other manufacturers are exploring milling and SLM/SLS options using traditional noble metals like gold.

This article originally appeared in the May 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click her to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: 

Pre-shaded zirconia While zirconia has been a go-to material for labs for quite some time, more and more lab techs are discovering the exciting opportunities offered by pre-shaded zirconia. This minimizes the need for exhaustive staining, and can make finishing the final restoration a snap.

The top 5 new material trends you NEED to know

 bills itself as a “facilitator of digital relationships” for the dental industry. What do you think Core3dcentres’ role is in the dental lab marketplace?

I think Core3dcentres’ Global Mission Statement says it best-“We believe in excellence in dentistry and patient care. By personalizing digital technology, we provide a complete production solution, making the benefits available to everyone, resulting in a partnership for success.”

Too often, we lose sight of who we ultimately benefit by striving to be the best we can: the patients. We are not, however, naive to the dramatic changes in the industry-laboratories need partners during this digital evolution, knowledgeable ones. 

 certainly has the best-in-class machines and we work with the top materials, but the biggest asset I see day in and day out is the people. That’s why we launched the 

: We want to share our knowledge and experience.

02. What’s the biggest challenge in terms of digital relationships that you see in the lab industry?

Too often, we get wrapped up in the day-to-day minutia of work. We look to technology to solve our problems or to instantaneously grow our businesses. But ultimately, this is a relationship business and we need to pick up a phone or get out of our seat and interact with our customers and partners. So many dental technology companies are so focused on the product that they miss out on how it benefits the lab and the patient. Education is a way in which we can learn how to maximize the benefits of technology and continue to improve upon the products and services we ultimately produce.

03. How do you think lab owners can increasingly learn to adapt to an always-changing market?

I don’t think going digital changes this; it is with whom you partner and if you remain active in your continuing education. Be willing to share your knowledge. Laboratory technicians are experts in techniques and materials, so continue to experiment and learn; don’t sit still, share your knowledge. We are all in this together.

04. How does the Core3daCADemy fit into Core3d’s mission?

 is the mouthpiece for bridging and advancing dental technology. The aCADemy is one of the “How” portions of Core3dcentres’ mission, when we say “by personalizing digital technology ... ” and “making the benefits available to everyone, ...” This is where Core3daCADemy lives within our company.

05. What will lab technicians gain from attending a Core3daCADemy course?

They will learn how to be more efficient with their digital designs, by receiving hands-on instruction focused on ways to increase production while learning how to design more esthetic and better functioning restorations. Which ultimately, creates a better result for patients.

06. The aCADemy curriculum focuses a lot on CAD work. What do you think is the biggest thing labs need to know when it comes to CAD?

It is my experience that people can put too much faith in their computers. The fact is a computer’s intelligence is artificial. This technology does not replace the years of experience that a dental technician has gained. CAD is simply a tool in the hand of an artist and it only knows how to do what it’s told. The aCADemy curriculum provides the training and experience needed to maximize the benefits of this tool, resulting in an improved final outcome for the patient.

07. What kind of lab do you think would be helped by the aCADemy?

I believe there is a spot for every lab, from the ones that have already gone digital to those just on the cusp of starting their digital journey. We have students that have been digital for years and are able to pick up even the smallest trick or suggestion which improves their lab’s work flow. For those just starting it can seem like a scary, daunting move, and the aCADemy can be the place where they can get a sense of the benefits and opportunities associated with going digital. We know what works and what doesn’t and have made the mistakes, which our lab partners can learn from.

08. Once a lab goes through the steps of Core3daCADemy, what’s next? How do you help them put what they’ve learned into practice?

Core3daCADemy has a number of tools to help its graduates. We are in the process of offering bi-monthly Core3daCADemy courses at the Center for Advanced Professional Education (home of LVI) where we are building a curriculum for technicians at every stage of the digital evolution. We’ve also made the aCADemy available to those who are not able to make the trip to Vegas or larger labs that want a customized, in-lab program. Also, we are starting our monthly webinar series in which we will be delivering the most current, up-to-date information by providing information and education from some of our partners who are leading the charge within the dental industry.

09. Where do you see the digital revolution taking the lab world into 2014?

Certainly I see a push for a more comprehensive, esthetic implants solution such as custom abutments. There will continue to be advances in materials with more strength, esthetics and biocompatibility. Intraoral scanning will continue to grow and will dramatically change the chairside-to-lab work flow. I also believe that communication tools are growing, and with this increase, patient privacy becomes more and more paramount.

10. How is Core3dcentres-via its aCADemy and other resources-looking to meet those changes head on? 

By staying on the leading edge through partnerships. As a company, we have the ability to try out and test technology before it actually hits the mainstream market. We feel it our responsibility to deliver that information to our customers and partners in order to help them make the best decisions, resulting in a partnership for success.

This article originally appeared in the February 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click her to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: 

01. Core3dcentres bills itself as a “facilitator of digital relationships” for the dental industry. What do you think Core3dcentres’ role is in the dental lab marketplace? I think Core3dcentres’ Global Mission Statement says it best-“We believe in excellence in dentistry and patient care. By personalizing digital technology, we provide a complete production solution, making the benefits available to everyone, resulting in a partnership for success.”

10 Questions: Core3dcentres' Emily Bradley on education and finding the right outsourcing partner

We truly pride ourselves on being an innovative company. We strive to move the dental industry forward with cutting-edge technology that creates efficiencies for dental laboratories. We saw an opportunity to bring infrared technology, a never-before-seen improvement, to the dental market.

So how did infrared capability impact the Programat line? 

We were able to bring the infrared system and all of its advantages to the Programat line, at a minimal cost to our customers. Firing ceramic has never been easier or more precise prior to this breakthrough innovation.

 initially released the first products in the Programat line? 

Overall, the industry has looked for ways of making things more efficient for the dental laboratory. Today’s furnaces are more power conservative, smaller and work better than their previous iterations all while bringing a higher level of production capabilities.

We are most proud of not only the innovative technology that has been brought to the Programat furnace line, but the quality and longevity of our furnaces. We have furnaces that are 15+ years old still operating in the marketplace, which is a true testament of the quality of Ivoclar Vivadent products.

What are the biggest differences between the P310 and the P510? 

The biggest difference between the P310 and P510 furnace models are the calibration technique and the infrared technology. The P310 is the most economical unit in the portfolio and has many of the same features of the P510, but a more simplistic version. The P510 offers a new, state-of-the-art Automatic Infrared Monitoring (AIM™) system that measures the temperature at the surface of the restoration and adjusts the pre-drying and closing time accordingly. This technology ensures process reliability and firing quality, thus eliminating cracks in the ceramic.

Why might a lab choose one furnace over the other? 

A lab looking for a furnace at a lower price point would be very satisfied with the P310 model. It has the same great quality and performance without some of the more advanced technologies.

How does the Programat line fit into a workflow of a large lab? Small lab?  

The Programat line of furnaces was designed for every type of laboratory. Whether you are a one-person operation or a large production laboratory, there is a furnace that will suit your needs. The new P510 furnace, for example, has different operating modes that allow users to adjust the furnace according to their needs. In standard mode, all functionality is available. In protected mode, all programs can be selected and started, but not changed. In production mode, only one program can be accessed, and  open/close and start/stop are the only options that can be selected. These features allow for a quick and easy operation, minimizing the risk for error.

How can labs who have made the leap into digital incorporate a Programat furnace into their digital mindset? 

Labs who are investing in digital still need a reliable furnace for staining and glazing. With the enhanced process reliability and firing quality, Programat is the right choice for labs looking to deliver a quality restoration with confidence.

How do you expect furnaces to advance in the next decade? 

Over the next 10 years, I would expect a furnace that can do it all-fire, press and sinter. With the all-ceramic market growing at such a rapid pace, from an efficiency standpoint, having one furnace that could do it all would truly revolutionize the industry.

What can you tell us about Ivoclar Vivadent’s furnace plans heading into 2014? 

Ivoclar Vivadent will continue furnace innovations in 2014 and beyond. Our goal is to advance dental technology to make laboratories more efficient and productive. Part of how we do this is by offering free software updates to keep existing furnaces current to today’s materials and techniques. A new software update will be coming in April for the 

 models, adding a speed crystallization program for IPS e.max CAD.

This article originally appeared in the January 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click here to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: 

01. You’ve recently updated your line of Programat furnaces. What drove that decision?  We truly pride ourselves on being an innovative company. We strive to move the dental industry forward with cutting-edge technology that creates efficiencies for dental laboratories. We saw an opportunity to bring infrared technology, a never-before-seen improvement, to the dental market.

10 Questions: Ivoclar Vivadent's Whitney Falkowski on furnaces, digital workflows and more

Talking to someone when you can see his or her face is so much more personal than email or even a phone conversation.

The other person can pick up non-verbal conversation cues that just aren’t an option through more traditional communication methods. 

Have you ever been completely misjudged (or misjudged someone else!) based on a faulty reading of an email or text? Talking with someone via video helps avoid those kind of tonal misreadings. 

3. It allows you to be visually on the same page

The dental tech world is a very visual one. Why not use video to make sure that you’re seeing everything your customer needs you to see? And you can show them your progress along the way, making sure you only have to do a difficult case once.

Video technology can help you communicate with a broad viewership. You can record yourself handling a case or providing some instruction and easily share it with millions of people by uploading it to sites like YouTube. It’s a great way to make your knowledge a helpful tool for labs all over the country, and you might be surprised at the ways you can learn from other tech’s videos.

Google Hangouts, Skype and mobile device cameras make it easier than ever to communicate via video. Chances are, your computer, your phone and your tablet are all loaded (or ready to be loaded!) with ways to make your communication visual.

1. It’s more personal Talking to someone when you can see his or her face is so much more personal than email or even a phone conversation.