	No matter a lab's size, at some point, the facility and office space needs to change. Every dental lab owner has faced this reality, and 

) believes it has found a workable solution to help every one of those lab decision makers.

We recently spoke with Jason Hodkowski, a design expert at Nevin, about the process lab owners undertake when designing their facility, how Nevin helps them in that process and how a facility and office update is possible for labs of all sizes. 

Why should dental labs consider consulting with a facility planner? 

The main advantage is that laboratory professionals can rely on our years of experience in designing esthetically pleasing, efficient dental laboratories. Nevin has a team of in-house design specialists that are seasoned professionals when it comes to all stages of the planning and design process. Nevin has designed a variety of large, medium and small laboratories across the country. Many customers we work with have a specific vision of what they want to accomplish when building a new lab or renovating an existing lab. We place their ideas on paper via sketches and blueprints, evaluate and offer our suggestions and then bring them to life.

Related: 6 ways to find the right workstation for your lab

Any professional dental laboratory that purchases Nevin equipment can contact Nevin for assistance with the design of its laboratory. We also work with dental schools, military bases and the VA Hospital Network.

How does the process of you helping with lab design start? 

The planning process begins with direct customer contact from a Nevin representative to gain an overview and understanding of the project. At this time, a few simple questions are asked, such as: type of anticipated project, number of technicians in each department, what equipment will be relocated and purchased as new, ability to relocate walls and utilities and what main goals the customer wishes to achieve from the renovation. In addition, if an 

 file of the space is available, we will request the customer provide that to us in order to begin the planning process. If this file is not available, we request the customer provide a rough sketch of the space in question so we can begin the design process.

How does Nevin apply its design expertise to those initial sketches? 

Based on the initial contact with the customer and provided sketch/CAD file, Nevin provides a concept floor plan for the customer to review. It is not uncommon to have multiple revisions during the review process. As stated earlier, the illustrations received from Nevin will convert the customer’s ideas into reality. This is usually the time when a Nevin representative will visit the site to evaluate the space and review the plans in person.

Must read: How your dental lab can prosper in 2015

How does Nevin make sure the sketches play out in reality? 

The on-site inspection performed by our laboratory design specialists is an especially important component of the design process. For example, many times customers think they can fit X amount of benches within a certain area of the lab. Reality comes into play when they see how the space looks with that particular number of benches drawn in. The visual can either reveal too many or too few benches in the space. So the on-site visit is imperative, as it enlightens the customer as to what will truly work within the laboratory.

Next page: Taking a project from dream to reality ...

How does the project go from floor plan to more in-depth planning? 

Once the customer has agreed upon the floor plan, Nevin will start the elevation drawings and provide a quotation. The elevation drawings illustrate the front views of the cabinets and benches and will allow the customer to choose the appropriate cabinet modules (doors and drawers.) Again, it may take a few revisions once the customer has reviewed the elevation drawings. During the entire design process, Nevin designers offer expert suggestions for the layout based on years of experience-we know what works in a true-to-life professional setting, and we exclusively tailor the details of our plans around the laboratory professional’s vision of what they want to accomplish.

Related article: What you need before you get started with your lab redesign

How does it move from that stage to the actual purchase of a plan? 

When the customer approves the floor plan and elevation drawings, the quotation will be updated and confirmed one final time and the customer will place the order. Once Nevin is in receipt of the order, we will present the plumbing/utility drawings. These drawings pinpoint all air, gas, electric and plumbing locations for the final laboratory design. These drawings are extremely detailed and ensure the customer’s contractor places all utilities in the correct locations.

Yes. NevinLabs has a team of installers that span the country to assemble our products. If the customer wishes to have us install the project, we will provide a line item on the quotation that includes this fee. Our installers will off-load the truck when the order arrives, remove packaging materials, assemble the cabinets and counter tops and walk the customer through the installation prior to our departure. One important item to note is that Nevin installers will NOT make any final utility connections. Our installers are not licensed plumbers and/or electricians, so we recommend the customer have reputable licensed contractors make these final connections.

New product roundup: Lab and case management software

The expected service life of Nevin cabinets is approximately 30 years. During the laboratory renovation, the customer often chooses to relocate existing Nevin casework along with new Nevin casework. Based on the product life of the Nevin product, this is not an uncommon request.

Is there a fee for using NevinLabs’ design services? 

There is no fee for taking advantage of our facility planning and design services.

This article originally appeared in the January 2015 issue of 

. For more great articles like this every month, 

. Top photo courtesy of NevinLabs/DentalEZ.

Articles

 No matter a lab's size, at some point, the facility and office space needs to change. Every dental lab owner has faced this reality, and NevinLabs (a division of DentalEZ) believes it has found a workable solution to help every one of those lab decision makers.

How NevinLabs' facilities solutions can make dental labs better [VIDEO]

	While benchtop work is important, it’s also important to properly 

 and your cases in order to make sure your work is as efficient and cost-effective as possible.

After all, all the creativity in the world won’t make your dental laboratory profitable if you’re not able to finish cases in time or bill in a timely fashion.

With that reality in mind, we put together this snapshot of some of the 

 on the markets so they can make sure they’re managing their business and their cases to the best of their abilities.

You’ll find software here that helps you better communicate with dentists, software that connects you to workflow solutions and software that helps you trace a case from acceptance all the way to billing. Plus, this roundup provides a number of ways to access the information, from 

 that allow you to control your business from your phone to seamlessly integrated start-to-finish options that let your laboratory connect directly to your clients for ease in communication and case planning.

Software has changed how we do everyday tasks, from communicating with our families to how we spend our time. Isn’t it time your dental laboratory experienced the same innovation?

Video: All in this together: How your dental lab can prosper in 2015


	CAPZilla is the workflow engine that automates the manual portions of 

 to streamline digital dental fabrication from end to end. The proprietary solution is designed to enable more lean manufacturing in dental labs, provides increased visibility for lab managers and owners and decreases man hours while increasing profit. CAPZilla optimizes nesting of cases for higher mill efficiency, provides traceability for materials compliance, helps avoid double data entry and provides reports through a unified dashboard.

“CAPZilla provides a connection between various open CAD/CAM systems in order to reduce labor, track production metrics and increase visibility. The scanning and designing automation components alone have drastically increased our customers’ productivity.”
	-


	DDX is a web-based service free to dental practices and highly affordable for dental labs that reportedly gives dental practices, labs and milling and production centers a fast, safe and efficient way to exchange and manage dental lab cases. DDX bundles the lab prescription, case notes, digital files (e.g. photos, scans, etc.), case invoices, case payments and everything else into a single digital envelope. The process of submitting, tracking and processing dental lab cases is now completely automated and secure.

“Once dentists and labs understand the power of DDX ... it will absolutely transform the business.”
	-

The List: Top 5 ways to help your clients go digital


	DentaLab for QuickBooks is dental lab software designed to offer true synchronization with financial management. The software offers users the choice of keyboard, barcodes or tablets to easily track and measure workflow and features email notifications and direct emails for case coordination. The software can include digital images and scanned documents from dental offices. DentaLab for QuickBooks also reportedly makes it very easy for labs to comply with government regulations and offers online prescription entry. Additionally, communications can be customized and tied into a lab’s website. Mainstreet Systems also prides itself on excellent support and customer service.  

“DentaLab for QuickBooks easily synchronizes data to QuickBooks for simple and accurate statement creation and reports for my accountant. Scanning has become a big part of submitting cases for us, as we scan all prescriptions and custom shade diagrams for easy retrieval and also lot and batch numbers for certain items. Plus, we download photos of our own or from the doctor. We have also taken advantage of the ability to add digital images to our invoices and statements. Overall, I have been happy with this software for over four years and would highly recommend it.”
	-Kirk Randolph, CDT, 

Related reading: How to handle digital files from your dental clients


	DLCPM Net is designed to empower smaller laboratories with the tools and technology that encourage accountability, organization and growth. The system provides full access to customer account information, call tracking, case scheduling, production tasks and sales and accounting data-all stored securely with redundant high-speed servers. As a cloud-based solution, users avoid the expense of purchasing computer servers and hiring IT staff to support hardware.

“I have collaborated with MTSI through several companies over a span of eight years. Now, as I scale up Modern Dental North America, Magic Touch continues to be our management software. The product is excellent and, most importantly, Gary and his team deliver on their promise of great support after the sale!“
	-

Video: 9 digital lab trends you NEED to know


	Evident dental lab software is a complete management system for dental laboratories of any size, designed to handle a number of tasks, from recording case information and dentist accounts to production scheduling and technician production reporting. Easy-to-use, nothing to install and providing excellent customer support, Evident was named the 2014 JDT readers’ choice. Evident is engineered to bring problems to users’ attention before they get out of hand and affect business relationships. Get a personalized online demo today and see how so many dental labs are empowering their business with Evident.  

“The Evident software is the best solution for today’s dental laboratory business environment. A must for those dental laboratory owners who need to improve productivity and profit. Before you make a decision on your next software purchase, Evident should be your first call.”
	-Warren Rogers, 

Video: 10 questions: Evident lab management software


	LabAnnex was designed to easily manage customers, cases, calls and note management, invoices, sales, payments and statements in one web-based system. Many smaller labs can be at a disadvantage when it comes to purchasing crucial dental lab management software, which in turn makes it even more difficult to compete. But LabAnnex is provided free of charge to arm these same labs for sustained growth through improved customer service, process optimization and lab accountability. This approach is said to allow smaller laboratories to create the same integrated infrastructure that large-scale laboratories enjoy.


	LabStar dental lab software organizes dental labs and transforms client relationships to help lab businesses grow. Fully customizable for both large and small labs, LabStar manages digital workflows but just as easily lets users manage hand-built restorations. Every feature-online case entry, barcoding, invoicing, secure messaging, sales management, production, reporting, client logins and more-is built with the newest technology and designed to save technicians time in the lab. LabStar also connects users to services such as 

 and credit card processing to help the lab run more efficiently. Additionally, users can work anywhere with LabStar’s 

-compliant logins from any Internet-connected device-so users can spend more time doing the things they want to do. 
	
	“Let’s face it, with hundreds of units moving through our lab each week, we can’t make mistakes. LabStar allows us to incorporate the latest lean manufacturing into our customized workflow, and it also integrates case tracking, CRM, invoicing, statements, online lab prescriptions and access from anywhere! I want the best for our clients, and LabStar helps us perform at our best.”
	-

Related reading: LabStar's new, secure cloud-computing solution


	Labtrac is a suite of software that helps manage any dental laboratory business. Designed for labs of all sizes, from small teams and individuals through to multi-site and large production facilities, the software is comprised of a core set of features and additional add-ons to help specific roles and functions. The heart of the product is a case management and invoicing system that works for single and multi-stage jobs. Paperless billing, 3D files and patient images are all supported along with a cloud portal for dentists to view and submit work. Labtrac also provides full production planning and dynamic rescheduling to ensure the priority cases are worked on first. Technicians can use touchscreen or tablet devices to view job details and photographs as well as track completed work.
	
	“Labtrac are very helpful and knowledgeable; product and industry knowledge is second to none. They accommodate any reasonable request and have played a significant part in Sparkle Dental Labs’ growth with touchscreen work tracking and a fully customizable reporting suite. Without a doubt the best software product for dental labs.”
	-Nick Turner, 

Related reading: The top 5 dental lab trends of 2014


	Seazona is a complete system for managing your dental lab. Reported features include case tracking and scheduling, accounting, doctor’s web access, barcoding and much more. Seazona is completely web-based, so there is no software to install or expensive hardware to purchase. Seazona is also designed to be the most affordable dental lab software on the market today. For a flat fee, users get two websites: one for doctors to view invoices and statements online, and one for the dental lab to manage its business.

Video: A new, FREE way to be HIPPA-compliant


	Sirona Connect is designed to act as a strategic partner for laboratories looking to build their digital impression business. Sirona Connect facilitates direct digital communication between dentists and 

 laboratories. Through Sirona Connect, laboratories reportedly can save additional expenses and eliminate time-consuming labor by converting to digital impressions, market Sirona Connect to existing 

 dentists as well as their main accounts and gain increased access to all restorative indications, such as bridgework, full gold crowns, PFMs, full contour zirconia and more. 

“Sirona Connect has helped propel my business to instant success. A truly all-digital workflow opens up doors to improved doctor-to-lab communication with full color digital impressions and fewer remakes with precise optical impressions. Clinicians can check the quality prior to sending to the lab, and we provide faster fabrication times with no need for case pick-up. We also have lower overhead by cutting out the model room and shipping expenses. Model-free is a reality. “
	-Tra’ Chambers, owner, Express Dental Laboratory

Video: Increase esthetics and ROI with Sirona inLab and Sirona Connect


	Communicate™ is a tool that lets labs and dentists share case information and view 3D designs online. With Communicate, dental professionals can share impressions, design images, 3D previews of proposed designs, suggested margin lines and questions or comments. Clinicians can also access cases and communicate anywhere and anytime-directly from the 

 through a PC, tablet or smartphone. Additionally, the iOS app allows dental professionals to communicate anywhere and any time. With the app, dentists can communicate with the lab, rotate and view the scan and restoration in 3D anywhere and anytime. Additionally, with Communicate, dentists gain access to the worldwide install-base of 3Shape labs. Every TRIOS® system comes with a free 3Shape Communicate™ account that includes adequate cloud storage space and unlimited lab connection possibilities. Connection is easy-only an email address is needed and cloud space can be expanded if needed. 

Video: 3Shape's dental system gets expansion of capabilities

 While benchtop work is important, it’s also important to properly manage your lab and your cases in order to make sure your work is as efficient and cost-effective as possible.

Product roundup: Lab software 360?

	Every year, the president of the United States delivers his 

It is an opportunity for the president to report on the current state of the nation and outline his plans for the future. In this story, we layout a similar report regarding dental labs describing the goods, the bads and how your lab can position itself for a prosperous 2015.

Related reading: Anastasia Turchetta's five hot dental hygiene topics for 2015

, but it wasn’t horrible, either.
	“If we look at it from a sales revenue standpoint, unfortunately, flat was good,” says 

National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL)

Of course, some labs fared better than others.

“There are clearly laboratories out there that are making fairly good gross revenue and, in many cases, good net profit,” Napier continues. “But a lot of that has been driven by the choices they’ve made, and where they were on the adoption of new materials and technology in terms of getting a head start, and that is something to recognize: That there are labs out there doing well, but if we look across the board, the preponderance of labs are trying to catch up. Unfortunately, it seems like it could be too late for some; however, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from looking at the options that are available and then figuring out which are best for them to move forward.”

Related reading: 6 must-read articles for personal and professional success in 2015


	There are fewer dental laboratories now than there were just a few years ago. Napier says there are just shy of 8,700 dental laboratories in the United States, down from around 13,500.

“It’s quite a significant decline from our heyday, but we do believe that the significant consolidation of the industry has somewhat plateaued during the last few years, and we believe that it’ll be another three to five years from now and we’ll see another major consolidation,” Napier says. “But for the next two to three years, we think there’ll be some stability in the marketplace.”

The smaller number of dental labs isn’t completely bad news. There seem to be plenty of well-paying jobs out there for 

“On the positive side, even though the number of laboratories has declined, the number of technician employees is actually going up slightly, and also a dental technician’s wages are going up at about 4 percent, compared to their pay scale last year,” Napier says. “So that’s an interesting dynamic to see the supply and demand and its outcomes on wages and employment.”

The overall trend seems to be that labs are getting bigger, but there is still a place for the smaller labs that offer their own unique services.

“The large are getting larger,” Napier observes. “There are still small laboratories in the market, and there will always be a place for smaller laboratories in the market-what I would call a boutique-type business model.”

Related reading: Dr. John Flucke's 10 dental practice predictions for 2015

has been-and likely will continue to be-a burgeoning powerhouse in dental laboratory technology. But while the use of CAD/CAM seems to be prevalent, there are some labs that have elected not to embrace it.
	“We call it ‘The haves and have nots,’” Napier says. “What we mean by that is that the marketplace has made a choice: Those people who have made the transition or the decision to go 

 are all-in, and they’ve gone heavily invested in capital, time and labor to make those transitions. And then you have another segment of the market to not go that route, and in some cases to not use digital in any capacity, even including outsourcing to people who have the digital technology. Clearly it appears that digital is here to stay, and the ROI that comes with digital makes sense for the long term, but it’s very interesting to see a segment of the market basically not go down that path in any way, shape or form.”

 in Stoneham, Mass., observes that new products tend to go through phases of maturation, and CAD/CAM has finally reached the point where it is established enough for popular adoption.

“There’s been a decade of people trying to bring CAD/CAM into this market,” Nazzal says. “There were a lot of innovators and early adopters who put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into figuring out how to make this work for their lab-and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. At the 100,000-foot level, we’re at the fastest pace of adoption of CAD/CAM in our industry right now. It has a lot to do with the economics making sense for most laboratories and ease-of-use being there, so people can consistently produce great products. Now, we’re seeing systems and tools that were built from the ground up to address this dental market, so it’s a really neat time in our industry.”

On-demand webinar: Navigating digital impressions and CAD/CAM in the real world

Some labs might eschew CAD/CAM for the simple reason that they don’t know whether or not they should make the financial commitment.

“It’s definitely something that’s in flux right now,” says 

 “We’re seeing labs that aren’t really sure what to do, and I don’t blame them. We’ve got CAD/CAM systems all over the place that are starting to hit the market, thanks to open source. We’re beta testing one in my office right now. That caused a lab, owned by a friend of mine, some angst, and I was like, ‘It’s just a beta test. It’s OK.’ But I think labs need to probably work on the idea that the 

 is here. It doesn’t matter whose it is. Digital impressions are here and they work. People need to prepare for that and just get ready for some doctors who are not going to want to design in-office. But I think most doctors are going to wind up doing digital impressions.”

While CAD/CAM may be the future, some labs have trouble with it because it can make the work more difficult.

“Dental labs are becoming more and more digital on a daily basis,” says Mark Ferguson, assistant manager at 

 in Las Vegas. “The trick that they’re having with it is being properly trained on what to really be able to expect out of the CAD/CAM systems. Some labs, by bringing in digital, are actually taking steps backwards because they think that the CAD/CAM system in and of itself is the answer and replaces technicians, where other labs are giving the CAD/CAM systems to seasoned technicians as a tool to be more productive, and those are the ones who are really elevating what they are doing and expanding what they’re doing.”


	In the year ahead, labs can look forward to much of the same that they’ve experienced in 2014, most notably the need to get involved with the digital realm.
	“If somebody hasn’t gotten into the scanner side of things, that’s kind of a clear, prevailing thing to do for most laboratories,” Napier advises. “And then, looking at milling, whether that should be in-house or outsourced. And I think you see digital impression systems and 

 kind of lagging behind because they’re not exactly new to the market. They are new in terms of widespread utilization in the lab side.”

While the number of dentists using intraoral scanning is still low (only about 12 percent of all-digital cases are initiated by dentists), that number is expected to rise, and dental labs must to be ready to accept their doctors’ digital files.

“The number of digital impressions continues to increase,” Dr. Flucke says. “Don’t be caught waiting or thinking, ‘Well, my doctors won’t ever do that,’ because more and more are doing it all the time. I think it behooves them to become educated about the systems and the way to deal with them.”

Infographic: Digital radiology in the dental practice

“If you can get where you can accept digital files, it’s important that you’re able to get an 

,” adds Shaun Keating, president and CEO of

“You don’t even have to have the milling units for the models. We’re starting to get them in here, but a lot of stuff is being done model-less. Be part of the digital revolution if you can. Get in wherever you can. Get in on the entry level with 

 on some of their stuff, and get in on a 

 scanner, but be able to take digital scans and files. If you stay out of it another five years, you’re going to be completely an afterthought, and dentists are going to want somebody who’s on the cutting edge.”

If a lab isn’t quite ready to tackle digital files but wants to be able to do so, it can do it by 

 that work to a milling center. Ferguson advises labs to build stronger relationships with their outsourcing partners.

“Stop looking who you’re outsourcing from as ‘This is just my outsourcer,’” Ferguson says. “Look at it as ‘This is my partner.’ When I run into something that I’m not ready to handle, can this group handle that for me?’”

Nazzal recommends that labs look at what they offer, what they want to offer and then build an expansion plan based on that.

“The first thing to really understand is which materials and indications you want to implement for your laboratory, either because you want to add it to your product line or you want to do more of it in your laboratory,” Nazzal says. “Maybe you’re seeing a shift from metal to zirconia, for example, or metal to e.max, and you want to be prepared for that transition. My advice is to look at what materials and indications are going to be important for you, and then go through a process of evaluation before making any capital investment, where you can outsource those products to those who use the equipment that you consider using.”

Related reading: HIPAA compliance and digital photography with personal mobile devices


	Understanding your business needs and evaluating the results from an outsourcing partner will tell you how to proceed.

“You’ll know that you have the volume of work to justify bringing it in-house,” Nazzal adds. “You’ll know about using a piece of equipment that has already been used for your cases for the last several months, so you’ll be comfortable with the technology. You’ll be comfortable that the return on your investment makes sense, and then it’s just a matter of bringing that equipment in-house and investing your time and energy into the learning curve, but at least you don’t have the risk of not knowing if the cases are going to come or the risk of not knowing if the product is going to deliver the quality that you’re looking for. I always tell people: If it feels like you’re jumping off of a cliff when you’re making a purchase like this, it’s probably not the right time to make the purchase. You have a little bit more investigating to do.”

Being ready to handle digital files goes beyond simply buying the right equipment and having a trained staff. It also means being available to help client doctors.

"Labs really need to become a resource for their doctors on the intraoral scanners,” Ferguson says. “The labs that I see getting the benefit from intraoral scanners are the ones that are talking to their doctors about, ‘This one works better for this, this one works better for that’ before the doctor buys. On the other hand, a doctor buys an intraoral scanner, and now the doctor doesn’t feel comfortable sending to that lab, one of the labs that they were using before, so that lab’s losing out on work because they are not ready to handle that type of a case. Hopefully, what will come of this is that the doctors are going to rely more on the labs as a source of information, and the whole thing will be actually very team-building.’”

While CAD/CAM is powerful tool, the new technology also requires new workflows to meld the digital system with the people using it.

“As these systems are getting put in place, there’s a lot of human glue keeping all the pieces together,” Nazzal says, “moving files around, tracking the status of cases, moving things from the scan to the design to the manufacturing and having an audit log and traceability of the whole process. These things are largely missing from CAD/CAM systems today because the workflow is shifting in the laboratory, and there’s not a good way to manage these digital workflows. I think in the next year we’re going to see a big shift toward production optimization based around managing the digital workflow through software.”

 are another source of expansion and profitability for dental labs.

“We’ve seen explosive growth with our implant division this year,” Keating observes. “We set records seven of the 12 months in sales on implants, and it’s just booming.”

Current implant sales don’t just involve basic, standard devices-they tend to be more complex.

“They’re more of the hybrid-type bar implants, 

,” Keating says. “Hybrid implants are just going through the roof. My bruxers are up 73 percent. The doctors are going more and more the back of the mouth and even some of the anteriors. These bruxers are kind of fitting into the oral environment nicely. I never thought I’d be doing them in any kind of anterior segment, but they’re coming up above the premolars, and getting up there to some of the anteriors. Not as much, probably 90 percent are still posterior and 10 percent is anterior, but it’s amazing the doctors are going with that and we are getting our stuff looking better than ever.”

Related reading: How technology can simplify the placement of dental implants

It’s an area Keating expects will continue flourishing.

“There’s a lot of opportunity out there, but I think you’ve really got to look at your implant dentistry,” Keating says. “Especially the high-end esthetics. If you can get some really good anterior work done, because everyone can do that posterior work, and a lot of labs aren’t getting those onesie, twosies because doctors are going to send them off to a little bit cheaper area, and then the anterior pieces are going out to the people who really know their stuff, so we’d like to get more of the anterior work.”

Being able to help doctors with implants is another way your lab can offer value.

“More and more GPs are starting to place implants, so implant planning software and for a lab to be comfortable with that is also going to increase the strength of the relationship with their doctors, where they can bring in implant planning software and offer newer, easier, better ways for doctors to handle implant cases,” Ferguson says. “All-in-one solutions of implant placement guides; a temporary, screw-retained implant abutment or crown; and things like that-anything where it makes it easy on the doctor from the very beginning, and he’s going to love you for it.”

Webinar: How near-infrared transillumination can change caries detection and efficiency in your practice

“You have to be involved with e.max,” Keating says. “E.max is marketed so much to the dentists, that every dentist wants it, so if you can’t afford the $70,000 for a milling system, that’s fine, but to get into it to at least press it­-that’s a no brainer. Dentists are going to want them always, it’s very profitable and you can usually sell them for about $150 or so and make a really good margin.”

 company because monolithic is here to stay, and you’ve got to be able to have that crown from $100 to $140, but the monolithic is important for the back of the mouth; e.max for the front of the mouth.”

Nazzal expects big things for the coming year, especially for materials used in CAD/CAM.

Related reading: Why it's easier than ever to find an IPS e.max dental lab

“It seems as though some of the most exciting things that will be happening in 2015 will be around materials, and I think that speaks to the fact that the CAD and the CAM systems are all established, and now people are kind of focusing on optimization and getting to the point that we can do more with the equipment we have,” Nazzal says. “One of the most exciting materials is this super-translucent zirconia coming out. The 600 megapascal, high-translucency zirconia gives a much more natural translucency in a zirconia that’s not quite as strong as what we see in the full-contour zirconias today but plenty strong enough for single units and small bridges.

 are other products where Keating foresees growth, for no other reason than fewer labs are doing them.

“So few labs are doing them nowadays, and I can’t keep enough people in there,” Keating says. “We do everything in-house, but if you can somehow get a couple of old-timers into your lab to do your own stuff, or even if you have to outsource your frames and set your teeth yourself, if your doctor knows you’re full-service, he’s going to send you a lot of his stuff because he hates sending it to other labs. But if he knows you’re doing your fixed work already, you’ve got to do the removables if you can.”

Related reading: Highlighting narrow diameter overdenture implants


	An inexpensive way to be more effective is to simply communicate with your doctors. By helping them understand what you can do-and how you can help them-your lab is only strengthened.

“I think if the labs make sure that their accounts know that they are there as a resource, whether it be mailers or postcards in the cases that they are sending back saying ‘now accepting these types of files’, or ‘talk to us about intraoral scanning,’ and things like that,” Ferguson says. “I think that doctors are looking for the information. At times, they’re just not looking in the right places. They’re looking for information on which intraoral scanner they should get, but they’re talking to sales reps for the scanner companies, rather than the labs that they’ve been using, and hopefully the labs have information on it. You’ve got five or six scanners out there right now, and if the doctor chooses one that the lab can’t accept files from, then the lab’s going to lose a doctor because they’ve just invested a good amount of money on a piece of equipment, and it’s easier for them to find another lab than to not use this piece of equipment they just got. ”

Having a solid relationship with one’s doctors is critical for lab success. Building that relationship requires someone to make the first move, and it might as well be the laboratory.

Webinar: Learn to successfully implement new electronic health record software


	“It does become a chicken-and-the-egg thing,” Dr. Flucke says, “and I think it behooves labs to reach out to their best clients and ask them, ‘Where are you going? What are you thinking about?’ I think it behooves the lab to know what their dentists are thinking and say, ‘I heard about digital impressions,’ or whatever it might be, and ‘Where are you on this teeter totter?’ Find out ahead of time because the last thing that a lab wants to do is be caught flat-footed on this.”

Some labs are even going so far as to have their own in-house doctor as a resource and provide educational opportunities for their clients.

“We’ve found a lot of success with doing more and more seminars here, with over-the-shoulder programs,” Keating says. “We’re working more with 

. He’s going to become our director of clinical dentistry and provide education for our technicians and the dentists that work with us. They’ll have a voice here, too, rather than just listen to us dental technicians.”

Related reading: Raise the bar on customer service

The key to success in the dental lab industry is the same as every other industry.

“Service, service, service,” Keating says. “You have to 

 and let them know how appreciative you are because they have 10,000 options out there to send to. They’re getting coupons every day in the mail, and they’re getting solicited every week, multiple different ways, from labs that are really good at marketing but aren’t really good labs. The future’s as bright as it’s ever been, and opportunities exist for many dental labs. There are a lot of dentists out there who aren’t happy with the bigger commercial labs. I think they’re going to be looking for labs in the next year to get better dentistry and better service.”

While dental labs have sustained a year with a steady flow of ups and downs, the ability to position themselves for a successful 2015 exists, and it’s just a case of seizing the opportunities.

VIdeo: Easy ways to improve customer service skills

More reading: The time is right for regrowth

While the dental lab industry has seen its numbers decline in recent years, Shaun Keating of 

 in Irvine, Calif. thinks the time is right for a turnaround, especially for small labs.

“I think the industry is ready to take off again,” Keating says. “I know a lot of the smaller labs closed down because a lot of the large, commercial labs squeezing them with price and everything else, but I just see a lot of dentists looking for a good lab that has a good value.”

The smaller lab is something he tries to emulate so doctors don’t feel overwhelmed by the size of his lab.

“I’m kind of a big commercial lab, too, but we try to emulate ourselves as a small lab,” Keating adds. “We try to make it where there’s a certain few people that work for every doctor the same each time. That’s what a small lab is, so we try to keep the same ceramists and the same waxers and the same designers, same customer service-it’s a small team that works with our dentists, so we try to emulate those small labs.”

 efforts to improve your lab’s recognition.

“I think if the small labs can get the marketing out there to get a dentist to notice them and try them is the hardest thing,” Keating says. “There are so many little dental offices in these little arteries in these little towns in rural areas that don’t have labs, and they don’t have the big city right in their back yard. Those are the labs that we’re trying to reach out to get, and it’s hard for them.”

 Every year, the president of the United States delivers his State of the Union Address.

All in this together: How your dental lab can prosper in 2015 [VIDEO]

	Just because your lab has made the transition to digital technology doesn't mean all of your clients have.

 can help save your lab time and money while also providing some benefits to lab-dentist communication and overall patient satisfaction. 

Labs have adopted digital technology at a much faster pace than many clinicians. While it’s not unusual for even a two-person lab to have 

 components, it’s still not a sure thing that a dentist will have an intraoral scanner. Perhaps a good way to help your dental clients take that leap in 2015 is to let them know you’re ready whenever they are. Let them know you’re prepared to 

as soon as they send them to you and help educate them on the advantages of going digital.

Read More: The top 6 benefits of a model-less workflow

Educate yourself and your team so there isn’t a learning curve when your dentist begins to send digital files. Don’t make clinicians jump through a bunch of hoops just to get great work done-do the legwork ahead of time so they’ll be confident in your ability to do great work, right away.

3. Blow them away with what you can offer.

By now, you’re aware of what your lab can produce 

. Use that knowledge to offer competitive prices and quick turnaround times so your clients will know going digital is a great choice for them. Plus, it helps you do more work in less time.

Related: How you can use digital technology to counter business threats

With fewer physical models and faster turnaround, sometimes the (unfair) expectation is that digital processes cannot match traditional methods in quality. Help your dental clients understand that digital workflows can produce correct margins and excellent fit and help them see how your commitment to quality hasn’t changed-only the tools you use to get there.

Let your dental clients know the fully digital workflow will let you both communicate like never before. You’ll be able to take screenshots of cases and send them to each other, post instant feedback that the clinician can access from his or her smartphone and more. It’s a brand new world, and your clients will want to be a part of that.

This article originally appeared in the January 2015 issue of 

. For more great articles like this every month, 

 Just because your lab has made the transition to digital technology doesn't mean all of your clients have.

 has announced the expansion of its Feather Lite line of polishers with a new intra-oral composite polisher, the 

DiaComp Feather Lite is a two-step diamond infused polishing system that reportedly provides consistent and reliable results for the polishing of the widest variety of composite materials. It is reportedly versatile and works well on all types of classic restorative composite materials as well as new hybrid composites.

The finger design and flexible spirals of the DiaComp Feather Lite create an esthetically pleasing enamel-like finish, while respecting existing surface differentiation. In addition, the DiaComp Feather Lite delivers a high-shine luster on surfaces, including hard-to-reach locations such as the occlusion region, leaving behind a complete finished surface area.

Trending article: The top 5 dental lab trends of 2014

The DiaComp Feather Lite works most efficiently at lower speed ranges (5,000-6,000 rpm) while using light pressure. After using the ET

 Carbides and Diamonds to finish your composites, using Diacomp Feather Lite will maintain surface differentiation and restore a natural finish.

Using the DiaComp Feather Lite results in well-polished restorations that resist the formation of plaque, calculus and staining, are easily cleaned, minimize irritation of soft tissue, and considerably increase the durability and service life of the restoration. 

 Brasseler USA has announced the expansion of its Feather Lite line of polishers with a new intra-oral composite polisher, the DiaComp Feather Lite. 

Dental Lab Products-2015-01-01

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Brasseler USA® introduces the new DiaComp™ Feather Lite™