Ryan Hamm is the former Editorial Director for Dental Products Report and Digital Esthetics.

Ryan Hamm

Today’s implant prosthetics call for high performance materials. 

Independently blind tested, Diamond D is reportedly proven to have a very high impact strength compared to competitors. The acrylic is said to have outstanding tooth and acrylic bond, is designed to be ideal for “space limited" cases, and is formulated to demonstrate superior adhesion to metal when used with metal bonding primers. The smooth, doughy packing consistency allows easy workability.  For more information, visit 

Articles

Today’s implant prosthetics call for high performance materials. Diamond D® is an excellent, high impact acrylic.

Keystone Industries' Diamond D said to be ideal implant acrylic solution

Next week, the dental industry will gather in Chicago. With four huge events taking place over the span of just a few days, attendees at the 

Here at DLP, we’ve been excited about these Chicago meetings for months. And as we started thinking of ways we could bring you great coverage and help you figure out what to see at all the different shows, we realized that it would be great to put together an ultimate guide to the shows-but specifically for lab decision makers.

I’m proud to deliver to you the results of those efforts in the form of this e-book. We’re calling the book “72 Hours in Chicago”-we did our best to put information about events, product demonstrations and product unveilings happening next week. As always, the individual meetings will have more detailed information about their schedules, but we think this gives you a nice snapshot of everything there is to see and do in the Windy City.

, or click on the cover below. Put it on your tablet computer (iPad/Android) and you can use it as a master schedule next week. Or, just peruse and decide where you want to spend your time next week. We know the Chicago shows will be exciting events for the entire industry, and we hope this e-book helps make it all the better.

Next week, the dental industry will gather in Chicago. With four huge events taking place over the span of just a few days, attendees at the Chicago Mindwinter Meeting, LMT Lab Day, the Cal-Lab meeting and the Spectrum Dialogue Techno-Clinical Day will have plenty to do and see.

72 Hours in Chicago: Get ready for Chicago with this FREE e-book!

 is a hybrid abutment with a titanium-alloy bonding base and customized zirconium dioxide coping, delivering the reliability of a titanium connection with the pleasing esthetics of a ceramic coping. The CARES Variobase Abutment can be used as a screw-retained, full-contour solution for your referring clinicians. The patented* engaging mechanism between the CARES Variobase coping and the CARES Variobase abutment offers reliability and efficiency when bonding the two components into a finished, one-piece CARES Variobase Abutment.  

Two restorative materials are available for a CARES Variobase Coping: zirconium dioxide zerion

 AE, a temporary material. The CARES Variobase Abutment can be used for single-tooth screw-retained or cement-retained restorations, or cement-retained bridges via a mesostructure. 

		Titanium-alloy bonding base with customized zirconium dioxide coping for individual patient situations 

		Precisely engineered engaging mechanism between the CARES Variobase Abutment and Coping is designed for a precise connection and optimal force distribution 

		Laser-etched Straumann logo indicating that it’s an original Straumann Abutment 

		Labs can create a CARES Variobase Abutment in three ways: Straumann’s in-lab CAD/CAM system; the CARES Prosthetic App for Dental Wings; or via the Scan & Shape online service from Straumann.

The Straumann® CARES® Variobase™ Abutment is a hybrid abutment with a titanium-alloy bonding base and customized zirconium dioxide coping, delivering the reliability of a titanium connection with the pleasing esthetics of a ceramic coping.

Quality, versatility and reliability with the Straumann CARES Variobase Abutment [VIDEO]

01. Give us a brief overview of Valplast. 

 brand flexible partials and flexible denture base resin is the world’s first flexible partial denture solution. The product was introduced in 1953 to provide an affordable and durable esthetic removable denture.

02. What do you see as Valplast’s greatest strength? 

Valplast provides a resin ideally suited to take advantage of all of the benefits of the flexible partial denture concept. The resin itself has exceptional strength, and the ideal degree of flexibility to provide patients with a comfortable, durable and beautiful restoration.

03. Can any dental lab use Valplast? Is Valplast for every type of case?

While Valplast is well-suited to nearly every patient needing partial replacement of missing teeth, and any dentist can work with Valplast without extensive special training, laboratories do require special training and special equipment to work with Valplast. The learning curve is very manageable, and with the new innovations we offer in digital dental technology, Valplast can provide services that accelerate the laboratory output and reduce the amount of steps required while also reducing some of the training time for technicians.

04. What have you heard from patients who have experienced Valplast partial dentures?

Patients comment on the comfort and the appearance of Valplast. They also are typically very happy to experience normal function of the Valplast denture without compromising their eating habits.

05. What differentiates Valplast from other offerings? 

Valplast brand flexible denture base resin was developed specifically to realize all the benefits of the flexible partial denture. The product and the company behind it are completely dedicated to this concept. Valplast has never been modified since it was first introduced because it remains the standard against which all other offerings are measured. And it is backed by a company that considers flexible partials the gold standard of removable restorations.

06. How can dental labs increase the quality of their communication with dental clients?

Valplast offers published guides for the dental office that are also available for labs to use as guidelines in communicating with their dentist-clients to prepare for a successful restoration with Valplast. We also offer the expertise of our customer service staff to engage in case planning in collaboration with the lab and the dentist.

07. When it comes to innovation, what is Valplast doing? 

Valplast is pioneering new ways to engage digital dentistry in the laboratory process. We have already introduced Precise-Fit Functional Trial Bases to make better use of rapid prototyping in creating the actual try-in, and we have developed new systems that will streamline the entire lab process in the fabrication of flexible full and partial dentures.

08. What challenges do today’s technicians face in terms of education?

We all recognize that dental technology education in our country is grossly under-provided. I proudly sit on the Advisory Committee for Citytech’s Dept. of Restorative Dentistry, one of the few accredited dental technology programs available in the U.S. We all recognize that our profession would benefit greatly for the benefit of patients’ health and dentists’ satisfaction if formal education in dental technology became the norm for laboratory technicians here, as it is in almost every other country. This commitment would help our industry remain innovative, productive and successful.

09. What can we expect from Valplast in 2013?

You may know that Valplast suffered huge interruptions in 2012, most remarkably from the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy in late October.  We saw the challenges as opportunities to find new ways to be more efficient, to produce record amounts of our product, and to expand our operation internationally. In 2013 Valplast is already becoming bigger and better than ever, and you can expect to see Valplast in more places here and around the world.

10. Where can readers go to learn more about Valplast and its injection system?

You can visit Valplast.com to learn more about our injection system and overall flexible partial solutions. You also can find a distributor and find out more about the educational opportunities we offer along with details about becoming a Certified Valplast Lab or Technician. Alternately, feel free to call us at 800-843-2861. Finally, you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

01. Give us a brief overview of Valplast.  Valplast brand flexible partials and flexible denture base resin is the world’s first flexible partial denture solution. The product was introduced in 1953 to provide an affordable and durable esthetic removable denture. 02. What do you see as Valplast’s greatest strength? 

10 Questions: Valplast talks innovation, why their partials work and overcoming challenges

01. What was it you were hearing from the lab industry that led to the development of Evident software? 

Having worked with desktop software for many years, the 

 directors were ready to get into the cloud. Dental lab employees should not have to be computer technicians. With Evident, lab staff do not need to install, update or back up. Our technical support staff can see the lab software and data files, making problem solving infinitely easier. The other thing we wanted was paperless production management. With Evident, lab staff have access to everything they need, all of the time.

02. What have you seen in terms of adoption of the cloud model among dental labs?  

When we started out, we had to sell the cloud. Now people understand the benefit of letting us spend the money on big hardware so they don’t have to. They know they don’t have to worry about mixed computer hardware and operating systems, they enjoy access through tablets and smart phones, and they appreciate being able to access their system from absolutely anywhere there’s Internet. People used to worry about us being down but most now realize that a desktop system is down a lot more-we’re up better than 99.9 percent of the time.

03. What do you see as Evident’s greatest strength?

Evident is comprised of a group of people who are passionate about what they do. As a result, our code is rock solid, we get rave reviews for our customer support and we consistently provide the features customers need now and in the future. We’re a group of people who enjoy what we do and sincerely want to help.

04. Who is your target customer at Evident, and how do you feel you best meet their needs?

Evident is designed to centralize information. Our target is labs that want to use our features to automate as much as they can. We have the feature set large labs require, but we love to work with small- and mid-sized labs that embrace this concept.

05. Why should labs that aren’t currently using cloud-based software consider an option like Evident? 

To be competitive, labs need to focus their energy on their customers, their products, their staff and their business. By passing a lot of technical responsibility to us they can focus on their own operations. Our billing model is subscription-based with no contract. That means we have to keep labs happy to keep them as customers. Desktop systems require a big upfront investment before the lab really knows if they’ve made the right choice.

06. What differentiates Evident from other cloud-based offerings?

Three things stand out: 1. Evident is the fastest cloud-based system out there. Speed is surprisingly important-waiting for a second here or there may not seem like a big deal but over time, it adds up. 2. Billing is consistent, which makes budgeting easier. Evident bills a fixed amount each month-it is not based on the lab’s revenue. 3. Evident has the feature set big labs need-many of the small and mid-sized labs understand that those features can help them either now or in the future. Why not start with a system you can grow into?

07. What advice do you offer to labs in terms of making sure their data is secure?

Do your homework. The Evident servers have a three-tiered system that prevents loss of data and security. When moving to cloud-based systems, don’t be afraid to ask how the data is stored and what systems are used.

08. How is Evident helping labs of all sizes-from small, one- to two-person labs to much bigger labs?

For small labs, the challenge is maximizing time at the bench and reducing administrative tasks. Evident makes case tracking, billing and payments easy and documents are clear and professional. Large labs want to provide the quality and customer service of a boutique lab while managing many more people and much more information. Evident also has built-in compliance and legislation features that reassure all labs that they can handle whatever requirements arise.

09. What about labs that are nervous about not having their data or financial information “on-site”?

“On-site” data is the most easily stolen. In most labs, an employee takes a copy of the data file home every night to provide an off-site backup. That is about the least secure data imaginable. Theft, fire and computer hardware failure are all threats to on-site data. Many labs do not test their backups and when they do need to restore, find out that backups haven’t been working for months. Evident is redundant and always accessible to the lab. They can log-in to a backup any time they want to be assured it is working and accessible.

10. What can we expect from Evident in 2013 and beyond? 

Evident is known for its powerful features-our next step is to transform the interface to make it even easier to use. We love talking to our customers but strive to make setup easier and easier so we can spend more time talking to them about how to translate their management goals into reality. 

10 Questions: Evident lab management software [VIDEO]

1. You were one of the people who helped 

 porcelain to the U.S. What was it about Veracia SA that made you say “yes, this is great for the U.S. lab market”?

The Veracia SA has a simplified mould chart. I have yet to find a case where I couldn’t find a mould to fit. They’re glass reinforced, but it’s a homogenous mixture with shade layers. It’s a very esthetic tooth; very hard-wearing. The key factor that I really like about the posteriors is they have pre-milled/pre-worn wear facets. It allows patients to move into excursions a little easier. There’s less wear of the tooth during mastication because they’re pre-worn. Another thing I like is the space that is built into the occlusal surface. When the teeth are in complete occlusion there’s still room for food to come off the occlusal table. In most brands, the occlusion fits together so tightly that the food can actually become a dislodging force.

2. What makes Veracia SA different from other denture systems? 

The Q3 Pack is the thing that stands out-Q3 stands for “quick quality quadrant.” It’s not just a tooth holder-it’s a built-in occlusal template with individual teeth set into it. If you analyze your model correctly, and you align the occlusal templates evenly, you have a perfect curve of Spee and curve of Wilson. The opposing arch just drops right into place. You have a perfect set-up in less than half the time. There have been other companies that have teeth that are connected. The problem is they’re connected-you have to slice the teeth if you ever want to adjust them. The Q3 Pack is a time-saver. Even if the doctor is off on the bite, (which happens quite a bit), remount the case, reset the Q3 Pack and you’re done. It’s such a time saver. But more than time, it’s a quality enhancer. That sets them apart from almost every other tooth on the market. It’s so simple; it’s genius.

3. With both the Veracia SA and the OneShot, who is Shofu’s target customer? Why should someone switch to the Veracia SA from the system they’re currently using?

We’re in tough economic times. Veracia SA teeth are premium products but because Shofu is dealing direct, they’re able to offer these at an extremely fair price. You’ve got production in mind for a bigger laboratory with quality and consistency. It’s a learning tool, too, for technicians who don’t know much about setting teeth. You can make a beginning technician into an expert.

4. How has Shofu made strides in the U.S. denture market specifically with Veracia SA?

We’re trying to be on the podium a little more, to show people how easy it is. I’ve been at shows and I’ll be at the booth and I’ll do hands-on demonstrations. The sales team is willing to go into the laboratory and do a demonstration. I think by going out and educating people and showing it and explaining it, we’re getting more and more people to appreciate it. Dental technicians are smart-they get it right away. Denturists understand this as well-they see it one or two times and they’ve got it.

5. What about Veracia SA makes sense for a big lab? For a small lab?

For a big or small lab, it saves a great amount of time. You’re always in a hurry, you’re always working late. Maybe with a tooth like this you won’t have to work as late! It’s great for quality and production and it’s a time-saver. If this saves the average technician half the time, you’re going to set up three extra cases-in a small or a big lab, that’s a lot of extra cases. You’re not rushing the technique-you’re applying the technique.

6. What is it about the OneShot that you feel fills a need in the U.S. lab landscape?

For me, I’ve done ceramic work before, but I’m not a 9-layer build up guy; OneShot made it easier for me. In crown and bridge, I‘m not that experienced. Just one bottle, that’s it. The bigger the build up, the more transparent you get. It’s very simple to use. The first time I picked it up I did a 3-unit bridge and it looked beautiful.

7. What have you seen as the primary benefit with OneShot?

I think the primary benefit is ease of use and its consistency. Whenever you do an A2, it looks like A2. When you do an A3, it looks like an A3. It’s just the one bottle-you’re not having to mix-up shades. You can stain with Shofu’s Basic or Vintage Art Effects Set paste stains. It’s just such a simple production technique.

8. How have you seen OneShot change workflows for labs?

It’s such a simple method. You apply a masking paste; then apply a shade opaque; and you use one bottle of porcelain, that’s it. The workflow is just so much easier.

9. What is it about Shofu the company that you think helps them serve the dental lab community?

Shofu is a very close-knit company-everyone keeps in touch with each other. They’re up on everything. They all communicate. They’re steady and methodical-when they come out with something, you know they haven’t done anything halfway. I know everyone at the company, and I know they stand for quality. They have a lot of great products and it’s got a very good name.

10. What can we expect from Shofu in 2013 and beyond?

Shofu is a progressive company. They’re always looking to do things better. They’re looking at carrying more products, but Shofu will not just bring out more products for the sake of it. They’re going to bring out new products in the next year, and they are going to be quality. The company is careful and methodical and they plan things very well. 

1. You were one of the people who helped Shofu with their decision to bring Veracia denture material and OneShot Uni-layer porcelain to the U.S. What was it about Veracia SA that made you say “yes, this is great for the U.S. lab market”?

Q&A: Jim Collis on Shofu's OneShot Uni-layer and Veracia denture material [VIDEO]

Anybody who’s ever researched investing in a digital workflow solution for their dental lab knows all of the different terms. They also know how confusing these terms can be-how does one even begin to navigate the myriad of options on the market for scanners, mills, software and everything in between? What if you get something that doesn’t play nicely with tools you already own?  Is there a way to make sense of all the different features and system differences?

 is hoping it can provide some answers-or at least some guidance-through these thorny questions. “exocad is the only Dental CAD software company which offers true freedom of choice,” exocad America president Larry Bodony says. “exocad doesn’t make scanners or production equipment, so 100 percent of our company’s focus is to develop dental software to enable open scan, fabrication and material manufacturers to create systems that advance digital dentistry.

“[We] sell to resellers, who have complete freedom of choice to package, sell and support dental systems for labs and dentists,” Bodony continues. “End users have the freedom of choice to select 

 that best meets their technical, business and ongoing support requirements. 

Of course, the reason so many choices exist is because there are so many different needs from dental labs. Some labs might have a full digital workflow already up and running and are simply looking for a new software solution, while other labs might be exploring an initial entry into digital work-not to mention all of the labs somewhere in-between.

Bodony says exocad’s focus is to provide a way forward for labs, no matter what their needs are, which is why they work with a large number of resellers.

“There are three ways that labs can adapt [our software],” Bodony explains. “The first and most important is selecting the right reseller. Some labs want a complete turnkey solution, and many excellent exocad systems are available at incredibly low prices. Other labs want open, flexible solutions, and are willing to do some process engineering themselves, or utilize an existing scanner, CAM or mill. We have resellers that support one or both models. Second, all exocad systems can support scan-only, scan/design and scan/design/CAM software configurations, which allow labs to grow incrementally as business picks up. The third way is by purchasing add-on modules from your reseller, providing features as-needed by the lab. These reasonably priced modules include implants, bars, virtual articulation, bite splints, provisionals and next year, dentures. End users should shop for the right reseller, with the right level of support, for the options that they will need now and in the future.”

Next page: Should you opt for an open or a closed system?

Bodony also sees the need to help explain to lab decision makers what exactly everyone means when they talk about “open” and “closed” systems. The terms are regularly used to describe CAD/CAM systems, but they can be very confusing. Bodony says exocad makes its software to fill the needs of labs who want “open” systems 

 labs who want “closed” systems. And he says knowing the difference will be the key in working with an exocad reseller to identify just what your lab needs. “‘Open’ means that your system accepts and operates on, and generates publicly defined non-encrypted data files,” Bodony says. “There is also the distinction of ‘input,’ which refers to scan data, and ‘output,’ which refers to the restorations produced by the CAD system.

“The answer for exocad is that we develop our system to be 100 percent open on input and output. However, this doesn’t mean fully open is the right solution for everyone. Labs that want a verified process or trust a particular brand or reseller may be happier with a turnkey system. Since there are so many business options available, it again comes down to making sure your reseller has the same business philosophy you do.”

It’s all well and good to talk about the ins and outs and interoperability of software and CAD/CAM systems. But how does exocad actually work from a practical, ground-level, user’s perspective?

“In exocad, you don’t have to worry where the case comes from,” Bodony says. “You simply fill out the ‘database’ form, which describes the case. No matter what the situation, the database system works for all indications, even on both arches, and in many cases even for modules you don’t own.”

This means exocad prides itself on being a system that is user-friendly for all lab workers, no matter what their digital experience level might be.

“exocad’s ‘secret’ is software that creates a custom step-by-step wizard tool for any case you can describe,” Bodony notes. “The result is, we believe, the most intuitive program out there for beginner and intermediate lab technicians. For advanced users, they can bypass the wizard, to do daily tasks like fixing broken mesh, overriding specific parameters or even re-sculpting previously designed restorations after the fact.”

exocad also is committed to ensuring its software doesn’t quickly become out-of-date, a real concern in a time when technology advances so quickly that something can be cutting edge one day and obsolete the next. “exocad is committed to advancing digital dentistry,” Bodony says. “First of all, our licenses are perpetual, meaning that you actually own your exocad-based system and it will continue to function for as long as you own the system without additional cost. However, we do need to be profitable as we continue to develop features, so, after the one-year warranty period expires, exocad users can choose to pay an update fee to their reseller to receive the latest release.”

Bodony says, in the end, exocad is all about user experience, and he’s confident current users will help you know if an exocad system will be the right fit for your lab. “If you’re curious if exocad is for you,” Bodony suggests, “users can review our website, 

 or read the actual user documentation at 

Untangling the confusing world of CAD/CAM

On October 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy roared ashore along the New Jersey and New York coasts.

It has been estimated that more than $25 billion in business activity was lost because of the storm. Thousands of homes and businesses flooded. Millions lost power. More than 100 people died. It was truly a worst-case scenario for many in the Northeast, including untold dentists and dental team members who not only had to deal with damage to their practices but also, in many cases, their homes as well.

As the one-year anniversary of Sandy dawns, we wanted to take a look back at the effects of the storm on some of those in the dental industry who got hit the hardest. The editorial team at 

 talked to three dentists and the general manager of a dental lab who were affected by Sandy in various ways and asked them to remember the day Sandy came ashore and the days that followed.

Here are their stories, the lessons they learned from Superstorm Sandy and their advice to other dental professionals about preparing for the unthinkable …

“Emotionally, it’s been a very trying year. We had just redone our office in 2007 and put $350,000 into it. If Sandy had happened farther in the future, it would’ve been much easier to deal with. I learned a lot of lessons along the way. I learned that you really have to sit down with your insurance carrier and understand your policy. If you don’t, when it comes time for the payout, the money won’t be there. There were so many loopholes built into the policies that we got nothing when it was all done. The damage to my practice was caused by a flood and we didn’t have flood insurance. I was with that insurance company for 33 years and ended up with nothing because we didn’t truly understand the policy. Not once in 33 years did we get a call telling us we might not be properly insured. They collected the premiums and we thought we had coverage. We were wrong.

“Our practice is located right between the ocean and river. Sandy caused a five-hour tidal surge. When we walked up to the building, it didn’t look so bad from the exterior. When we saw inside, we knew black water had been in there. Things had literally floated around the office. I was very fortunate that we had taken the computer and placed it high on the mantle, so it was OK. If we hadn’t done that, we would’ve been in trouble. However, we lost so much, including our radiographs and charts. Now, we have everything backed up daily in the cloud. Even if we lose our computers now, we’ll be fine. It’s an expense, but it could’ve made our lives so much easier if we had been doing that before Sandy.

Driftwood Cabana Club along State Route 36 (Ocean Avenue) in the borough of Sea Bright, New Jersey was ripped off its stilt foundation during Hurricane Sandy. Photo by 

“I highly recommend a company called M.I. Technical Solutions, based out of Chesapeake, Va. They have everything that we needed to recover what would have been otherwise unusable records and have painstakingly helped us recover quite a bit.

“We learned that there is a tremendous amount of compassion in the dental industry. Fellow practitioners truly care. We were blown away by the people who we didn’t even know offering us anything we needed, including a place to practice. We ended up becoming a mobile practice. We would load Tupperware with what we needed each day and head to an office that opened its doors to us. When the day was over, we would go home and restock and prepare for the next day.

“We were out of our office from October 29 until March 11, or about 4½ months. As nice as people were to let us work in their offices, it still felt like we were having to go through someone else’s drawers to get everything done we needed to do. We were a welcome guest, but a guest nonetheless. When we were finally able to open our practice again, it felt like we were coming home. Using the key to open our own front door was very reassuring and comforting for me and my entire staff.

“It was an emotional, financial, time-consuming drain. I would spend my waking hours wondering if I was doing the right thing by rebuilding. However, it would’ve taken us longer to be back in business if we had started a new practice. Every time a Noreaster comes, I will be nervous. However, I’ve learned a lot and I would love to help others and pass along what I learned.”

To reach Dr. Collier, send him an email at 

Joe Apap, Town & Country Dental Studios, Freeport, NY 

“Our lab is located in Freeport, N.Y., which is on the South Shore of Long Island. We are actually right on the water with boat docks in the rear of our property. At the peak of Superstorm Sandy, we had four feet of water in the back and 14 inches of water leave the front of the building. Saltwater is very corrosive and anything submerged had to be removed and replaced: vacuum pumps, PC towers, office furniture, carpeting, flooring, dust collectors, two floor model laser welding units and more.

“We were without electricity for a week, so clean-up had to be done by daylight and with two small generators (gas was very difficult to come by during this time). Through texting, we stayed in touch with all our staff keeping them posted on our progress. With a small team of staff, we removed, cleaned and repaired the entire building and were ready for production in just six days. Yes, we could produce work but full building repairs took several more months.

“We made contact with as many clients as possible by having three people use cell phones from a staff member’s house that had power. We made hundreds of calls and our clients appreciated the contact since many thought we were destroyed.

Areas of Long Island, N.Y., is shown during an overflight with Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., following Hurricane Sandy Oct. 30, 2012. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Rob Simpson.) Taken from Flickr user 

“Given that we had dealt with Hurricane Irene about 18 months before Sandy, we thought we were prepared, but not really. Sandy was way more than we expected. We did move important equipment in certain areas to higher ground and made sure we had a full computer backup done.

“The most important policy we had was our flood insurance. We had maximum coverage and we had a very good insurance broker who was quickly in contact with the insurance companies so we were on the top of list when claims were being adjusted and paid. I would suggest to all readers to highly consider purchasing a flood insurance policy. Look what recently happened in Colorado with the floods. Who would have thought it would flood like that?

“During a natural disaster one of the first essentials to go is power, so having available gas powered generators that will get you started in your clean up and start up efforts. Keeping all equipment off the ground and secured out of harm’s way would be a good policy to adapt in a labs preparation of an oncoming storm.  

“I would also say that you should create a method of communication with staff and clients with contingencies for different types of failures. Just before the storm, we gathered all employee cell phone numbers so we could contact different departments by either calling or texting. We now update this list monthly for accuracy.

“Make sure you have a complete/full backup of all your computer data and software. Also, consider a backup service off-site that can allow operation off-site if need be. Another important point, have all your insurance policies up to date and nearby (in your possession). This will expedite your claim process and help you better understand insurance coverage and options.”

“Oceanside is one town away from the ocean. My practice sits along Long Beach Road, which is a four-lane road. When Sandy came, there was 3½ feet of water that came down that road. My office sits at street level. When the water came down the road, it completely submerged my crawl space (which houses my compressor, suction, and electrical housings) and pushed 9 inches of water into my practice. With everything on the ground, the 9 inches might have well have been 5 feet. We were able to salvage the lights, but everything else was gone. Our 2½ doctor, 3½ hygienist, seven-operatory practice that produced more than $2 million each year was suddenly gone. We had another practice located four miles away that was fine and we tried to move the practices together, with the Oceanside practice working during the off hours.

“So much people were worried about Irene and then it nothing really happened. We live across the street from the water so when Sandy was predicted, we thought we would just stay in the house and ride it out. At 11:30 that night, we realized that our property was underwater. We had no choice to ride it out. It never reached the house, but the water came right to it.

“The storm hit on Thursday. On Saturday, my partner finally got to the practice. Cell phone service was very spotty. My partner called and all I could hear was that we had big trouble and everything was shot.

Damaged house in Sea Bridge, N.J. Photo by Flickr user 

“My partner did a very smart thing by putting all of the computers and servers up high before leaving the practice right before the storm. That saved so much for us. It’s a natural disaster and there’s a point where you can’t do anything about it. It’s Mother Nature. Moving the computers up high was huge.

“My best advice would be to make sure that you read and understand your insurance policies. We refinanced our building six months before Sandy and had flood insurance added as almost an afterthought. If that hadn’t happened, we would’ve been in serious trouble. The beaches are ½ mile away from my practice. No one would’ve ever thought my practice would flood. We learned that ‘business interruption’ doesn’t cover things when it involves a flood. If a tree falls on your practice, that’s one thing. If a flood causes that tree to fall, that’s not covered. After going through this, I realize that most practices I know are severely underinsured and they don’t even know it. You can only protect yourself and your business if you know your insurance policies.

“My other advice is to make sure that you have some security in your bank account. Try to leave one month of expenses in your account for a worst-case scenario.”

“Luckily, my practice didn’t have any real issues except being without power for a week. We had a very good backup at the practice, so I knew my data was going to be fine. However, that’s not the same for a lot of my patients and people in the area. A lot of commercial stuff hasn’t returned and a lot of residents scattered after the storm. A lot of housing still hasn’t been rebuilt and there are ongoing discussions on what to do with the abandoned property. However, people around here are very resilient.

“We lived through Hurricane Irene the year before and it wasn’t that bad. Right before Sandy came ashore, the models showed that this storm was going to be worse. You can’t prepare for everything, but no one can possibly be prepared to lose power for one-two weeks. When you lose power, it’s amazing what it affects. The cable is out. You can’t get gas because the pumps won’t work. There is no Internet.

The morning after Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken, N.J. Photograph by 

"The first two or three days after Sandy came onshore, there was no way to get any word out to patients or staff members. Everyone was in the same boat, so there wasn’t any reason to contact people. Three to four days afterwards, I was able to get in touch with my staff. As soon as we had power, that was the key to everything moving forward. However, it was still a week to 10 days before anyone could back into a routine.”

What Hurricane Sandy taught the dental industry

The versatile PaX i3D Green CBCT system is eco-friendly and safe for children.

 is the latest addition to the company’s PaX-i3D brand. It seeks to change the way CBCTs are manufactured and regarded in the dental industry. Here are the top 4 benefits:

The system takes 3D images at reduced radiation dose

, at a lower dose than the 2D images while maintaining the image quality.

The manufacturing process was reworked to eliminate hazardous substance from the devices and employed renewable energy sources and reduced the overall carbon footprint involved in manufacture of the device.

The device is FDA cleared for pediatric use.

 features 49.5 micron full-digital CMOS sensors, which provides extra clear 3D images with only a 5.8 second scan.

Top 4 benefits of Vatech America's PaX i3D Green

As dental labs of all sizes are beginning to invest in their own mills-and the CAM software that goes with it-it’s become a crowded field of often confusing and compelling offerings.

The options have become so extensive, with so many types of mills designed for specific needs, that it can be difficult for the average lab owner to make a decision. Should she buy a mill that does one thing well and dependably? Should he buy several lower cost machines to offer the widest range of materials to dental customers? Should the lab just wait for the market to settle down and continue outsourcing milling work to larger options? Is there any way for an average lab owner to make such a complicated decision?

 hopes it has the answer to all of those questions in the new 

. Zubler has designed the DC5 specifically for dental applications, and it will aid the lab in the milling, grinding, drilling and cutting of all current materials.

Because the milling unit and the CAM software were developed in conjunction with one another by the same team, Zubler touts that the DC5 milling machine features “perfectly defined interfaces between the components, high process reliability and a simple and intuitive system.”

The DC5 features two separate coolant and filtration systems specifically designed for wet machining of metals, or composites and lithium disilicate. The unit also benefits from Zubler’s built in V7000 suction unit for dry milling of ZrO2, ALo2, Wax, PMMA, Composite, Splint Resins and any standard model materials.

THE VARIO DC5 MILLING MACHINE IN ACTION:

The drives of the DC5’s five axes are run with servo motors and ensure simultaneous operation; the fourth axis uses a precision gear with up to +/- 32° swivel. To avoid vibration when milling, a high-resolution feedback encoder sends 160,000 pulses per revolution to exclude step losses and the high quality ball screws allow a repeat accuracy of up to 0.01 mm. 

Additionally, although only 40-50 types of tools are needed to manufacture all current available materials, the DC5 is equipped with a tool changer system for up to 100 tools and a digital tool measuring system.

Matt Barrett, owner of AXIS Dental Milling in La Grange, Ga., said the DC5 milling machine has become a key part of his lab, precisely because it offers so many options. “I knew the DC5 was going to be an impressive mill, but when I started using it in production it far surpassed my expectations,” Barrett said. “In a rapidly changing industry, the ability to offer a variety of materials on an open architecture platform is key. The DC5 can mill wax, zirconia, PMMA, titanium, CrCo and countless options in block materials. It covers the whole spectrum. [Additionally,] what Zubler has been able to achieve with the size is amazing. Basically, the DC5 has the capabilities of a large industrial machine with a significantly smaller footprint.”

Kurt Zubler, owner of Zubler Gerätebau GmbH (Zubler USA’s parent company), said there were three main requests from customers that led to the creation of the DC5 Milling Machine: fast and precise machining; the need for a wet and dry combination machine; and dust control. “Customers wanted faster results with the precision of a high end industrial machine, and a machine that will cut all materials available without compromising the mechanical integrity of the machine,” Zubler said. “With the DC5 you can easily switch from wet to dry in five minutes or less. [And] I think everyone can identify with the challenge of dust control. With the custom designed internal suction system, the DC5 is the epitome of dust control. Not to mention the health benefits to the users of the machine-this is accomplished by designing the suction to be right at the milling area, resulting in a much cleaner internal surface of the machine.”

Ryan McEachern, Zubler USA’s director of CAD/CAM services, said the feedback from labs has been overwhelmingly positive. “There is one milling center that is milling up to 120 units per day on their DC5, ranging from Chrome Cobalt, to full-contour zirconia,” he said. “The labs have also liked the fact that our DS CAM software will operate most of their existing machines. The benefit of this is that this does not require labs to have to run multiple CAM stations for each different machine. Each license of CAM software has the ability to run four different machines of the customer’s choice.”

One frequent concern lab owners express about entering into the milling and CAM market is the often high initial cost for technology that may become obsolete after only a few years. So how is Zubler USA working to allay those fears? “The engineers at Zubler are constantly providing significant updates for the CAM software and the machining efficiency of the DC5,” Barrett said. “The DC5’s five-axis milling capability and industrial-grade hardware are going to allow you to take on any new material that comes to market, whether it requires wet or dry milling.”

It’s clear the DC5 represents an exciting option for lab owners looking to explore in-house milling options. And for Zubler, it’s gratifying to know their machine can help lab technicians at all levels. “A complex machine with such ease of use makes the DC5 very important to the dental lab industry,” Zubler and McEachern said. “You do not need to be an industrial machinist to operate the DC5. With this goal in mind, Zubler has presented a very robust and practical machine and has given the user abilities that most lab techs have never experienced.”

Barrett echoes this sentiment. “Laboratories want consistent results with fast turnaround times,” he said. “Zubler developed the DC5 to have the hardware, speed and ingenuity that allows me to meet my laboratory clients’ needs.”   

For more information, call 972-600-9187 or visit 