Organizing, locating, and ordering many small implant components, precious metals, and other dental parts can be quite a task. On top of that, some of these costly parts can be misplaced in a busy dental lab. At ROE Dental Laboratory in Independence, Ohio, the staff is always busy with large dentistry cases and implant work, so much so that BJ Kowalski, president of ROE Dental Laboratory, knew they needed a better way to track their vast inventory.

“Because we do a lot of implant work, we have to carry a large inventory of parts,” says Kowalski, whose lab turns over more than $1 million in parts each year. “It became very important, considering these high-priced parts, to make sure we billed our clients properly—to make sure we charge the right price 

and are not overcharging or undercharging. It’s also super important to us that we provide our clients with lot number traceability of the parts that go into a case, as well as all contact material the patient [encounters].”

The laboratory turned to Zimbis to help with its inventory management, and Kowalski couldn’t be happier. Zimbis provides a cloud-hosted, automated inventory management system integrated into Smart Inventory Cabinets, which are dispensing cabinets designed for the dental market. The systems improve clinical efficiency, inventory accuracy, and streamlines order management, ultimately improving profitability for dental providers. Zimbis has different-sized solutions to fit the needs of any lab.

“Working with all the implant parts has always been a challenge to manage on a day-to-day basis. The Zimbis system allows us to basically put all that lot number information in at 1 time when we receive the parts,” he says. “That gives us the confidence to know that not only will the prices be right when we eventually bill the case, [but] the lot numbers will [also] follow that particular part and be accurate and communicated back to the client.”

No more rifling through drawers to try to find something for a particular case or having parts disappear or inventory run dry. The lab staff can research the parts in their system and determine whether it’s in stock and how it has been previously billed for certain cases, then the particular drawer and compartment opens to provide them with that part accurately and without a time-consuming search.

These inventory solutions were known as CUBEX prior to the launch of Zimbis, a division focused solely on solving the inventory management challenges of the dental market. ROE started with 2 Zimbis Tower systems and has worked their way up to using 6 systems.

Kowalski says in addition to saving time with the finding and ordering of parts in the lab, Zimbis also ensures parts don’t disappear. “We really restrict use of it. Only a few people [can] hand out data, [which] prevents people from saying, ‘I lost the screw in the pan.’ Or maybe you have only a few blocks locked down so these very expensive parts aren’t available to anyone,” he says. “They’re less likely to just disappear or fall out of a pocket.”

Kowalski has been using these systems for approximately 4 years, with ROE being one of the first labs to take advantage of the technology.

“On our balance sheet, I can see a difference that we’re maintaining our margin and relying on parts,” he says. “We’re being very consistent with making sure we don’t lose money. We were the first ones in the dental lab space to get this, and I’ve sent a lot of customers over their way because pretty much everybody calls me, and I tell them I’m a fan.”

Additional benefits include increased revenue due to accurate charge capture, decreased cost due to improved visibility in inventory and increased staff efficiency, and also peace of mind knowing that you will have the right inventory, at the right place, at the right time.

“It’s effective and keeps the expensive parts under lock to make sure we are giving our doctors the right lot numbers in case of [a] recall,” he says.

Another plus is that it integrates seamlessly with ROE’s lab management system, so once the lab bills a part, it automatically goes into the system. There is no need to perform double data entry, Kowalski adds.

Articles

ROE Dental Laboratory is utilizing Zimbis Tower systems to organize implant components and other parts, improving efficiency and its bottom line along the way. 

An Inventory Solution That Controls Costs and Parts

Taking a look at some of the latest dental lab products from around the industry.


New Dental Lab Products June 2022

When it comes to putting the finishing touches on your dental restoration, there are plenty of options available to lab technicians. If you do a little homework, you’ll be sure to find a polishing kit that can help you work efficiently with the materials you choose for each case. Here’s a look at 8 rotary instrument options to consider that will help you complete your cases.

Here’s a look at 8 rotary instrument options to consider that will help dental technicians complete their cases.

Roundup: These Instruments Will Help You Polish Off the Job

The work performed in dental labs can be described in many ways. Sculpture, design, engineering, production, fabrication, modeling, artistic expression, prototyping, painting, molding, and assembling are all fitting terms to cover at least some of the work being performed by dental technicians. The common factor in all these situations, like all creative situations, is the need for a medium to work with—a material.

A lot is expected from the materials used in dentistry. These materials are generally being used to stand in for all or part of a tooth, which means they must be strong yet relatively easy to shape into custom forms with minute details. Long-term durability is another key, as the final products from a dental lab must both fit and function in the oral cavity, which can be a harsh environment.

But replacing a tooth isn’t just about fit and function; these materials also must be made to look like the tooth they are replacing in many specific ways. Teeth are full of nuances and variations in shade, translucency, and surface texture, so dental lab materials must also be capable of mimicking these details and retaining that esthetic appearance over time.

This is a lot to ask of any 1 material, and it’s still quite a challenge to do with multiple materials that work together. For this reason, dental lab technicians are always on the lookout for new material options to try, and dental materials manufacturers are constantly producing new formulations and combinations to create a dizzying array of options in both types of materials and different versions of material types.

It’s a never-ending search for the perfect material, and the effort requires an ongoing education in the chemistry and physics behind the properties of each material option. That scientific foundation allows for constant experimentation and fine-tuning of workflows and processes in the search of the best possible restorative and esthetic outcomes. The decisions lab technicians make about the materials they choose are among the most important they face day in and day out.

® Materials Survey, here is a look at some of the ways dental lab technicians view the materials they choose to work with.

The 2022 Dental Lab Products® Materials Survey

A look at dental lab material trends, with the results of the 2022 Dental Lab Products® Materials Survey.

Making Sense of Dental Lab Material Matters

Dentistry is truly a materials industry. The industry is always looking for new material options that can provide the ideal combination of strength, shade, translucency, and durability to stand in for a natural tooth. This often comes down to a balance between strength and esthetics, even as the latest materials are closer than ever to replicating the physical properties of a tooth.

However, dentistry is not a huge industry by itself, and therefore many of the materials used in dental practices and labs were not developed specifically for dental use. In most cases, these raw materials are widely used in other industries—often in wildly different ways—to produce very different types of products. Here’s a look at how everyday dental materials are used in other industries.

As the dominant choice for indirect fixed restorations, zirconia is a great material for dental purposes because of its relatively low cost, high strength, ideal biocompatibility, and esthetic potential. But the material is also a key resource for a range of other industries. Because of its strength, temperature stability, and resistance to corrosion, the material is used for making refractory products, electronics, fuel cells, paints and tints, and it is used in engines for both cars and planes. Another common use of zirconia is in jewelry, which takes advantage of the material’s diamondlike appearance when it’s in its cubic formulation.

As a popular option for indirect dental restorations, glass ceramics, such as lithium disilicate and lithium silicate, are another material that offers a combination of strength and esthetics for the use of replacing natural teeth. Although the lithium used in these materials is also a key component of batteries, glass ceramics require lithium in a fine-grain size. Other industries using these glass ceramics include all types of glass, including fiberglass and high-temperature cooking dishes, as well as a range of ceramics and coatings for ceramic cooking dishes. Another use for these materials is manufacturing induction cooktops.

Commonly used for temporary restorations, among other things, PMMA materials also have a wide range of uses in other industries. The material can be formulated as a transparent glass substitute under brand names, such as PLEXIGLASS and Lucite, and used to make fish tanks, protective barriers, and other nonglass windows. Additionally, the material is used to make glasses lenses, contact lenses, and intraocular lenses. It can also be used to make furniture, acrylic paints, toys, and much more.

Bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate (Bis-GMA):

As 1 of the 2 main components of most dental composite resins, this material is most often used in the dental industry because of its ability to be polymerized to fit and adhere to almost any shape. Still, Bis-GMA is used elsewhere, including as an ingredient in paints and in several industrial processes.

The other main component of many direct dental restorative materials, silica is a naturally occurring silicon oxide that is often found in quartz. In dentistry, it is often a filler in resin materials. As a key ingredient in glass and cement, silica is most commonly used in construction. The material is also used in the production of some cosmetics because of its light-diffusing properties. In food production, silica can be added as an anticaking agent, and the material is also a key component in the creation of semiconductors.

A look at how some commonly used dental materials are put to work in other businesses.

How Dental Materials Get Used By Other Industries 

Noah Levine: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted 3D printing in dentistry?

The evolution or the digitization of the dental industry has not stopped. In a certain way, COVID-19 accelerated that, because people started saying, “Let’s not send models and practical stuff around from door to door. Let’s start sending files.” So that helped people get a little more interested in this.

NL: How much future dental lab production will feature 3D printing?

It’s going [be] a big part of it—not 100%, because there’s always going to be the manual work of finishing and maybe some postprocessing. Although we’re also looking into how we can make that more user-friendly. It’s [definitely] going to take [most of] the parts in dental labs.

NL: How is the status of 3D printing in dental labs different from the status of printing in clinics?

 There are a couple things that still need to be changed or adopted. Lab technicians already are 1 step ahead, but to a degree, they still have the fear of the unknown and the idea that digital is difficult, so we [must] make sure they get the right information and make more training available to them.

We see similar things in the clinics, but they’re 1 step behind. In this case, they are almost over enthusiastic. They think of 3D printing as, “I scan it, I print it, and it’s done.” We need to help get them out of that feeling and say, “Yes, that’s true in a sense, but we’re not there yet. You still need to do some designing of the files, then send it to the printer, then postprocess and postcure it.”

There are a lot of manual interactions they tend to forget, so that is something we need to explain to them bit by bit, because then they will come into the phase where the lab technicians are today—the fear of the unknown and thinking it is always going to be difficult. And now we can go back to the training and say it’s not that difficult. But first, it’s not as easy as you expect today.

NL: Will 3D printing end up being primarily used in labs or clinics?

There’s a place for 3D printing on all levels. For the smaller parts, [such as] a permanent crown or a veneer, that is an ideal printing workflow you could do chairside. It’s 1 visit—you scan it, you print it, you postprocess, cure it, and you place it. The labs will have bigger works, and at larger manufacturing sites, you can have the metal printing, for instance, but there’s a place for the printer on the clinic side.

NL: How is the growth of group dental practices impacting the use of 3D printers?

They have the advantage of numbers. You don’t buy a printer for 1 print a day; you buy for the routine [and] to continuously start printing and using it. If you have a group practice where you have more patients, of course, it can be more useful to have a printer. For a group practice, consistent workflows become more important. It’s not only about the printer—it’s about the scanner, the software, [and] the materials. It is the integration of the workflow that is important. And they can benefit from that.

NL: What are some of the hurdles that both the technology and the materials of 3D printing need to overcome to be more widely adopted throughout the dental industry?

There is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to ease of use, especially when you look at what still needs to be done after the scan is completed. You still need to design the restoration, and making the software even easier to use is becoming very important. With our software, we tap into [artificial intelligence] to make it more user-friendly.

Of course, on the material side, we are very open and honest that the denture material out there today…is not yet up to the standard of what the current analog systems can provide. But the color is almost there, [and] the translucency and strength are also getting closer.

On the fixed side, we’re improving with the new CROWNTEC permanent crown material. It’s stronger and it has improved color, but it’s not yet on the same level as traditional ceramics. So, there is still a lot of room for improvement in that side, as well.

NL: Can you tell us a bit more about CROWNTEC?

Well, the biggest step forward in 3D printing is that it’s not temporary. This is something that can last a long time. The material is harder, more translucent, [it fits] better, and patients feel good about the results, so that’s what it’s all about. Because in the end, it’s about esthetics, comfort, better patient outcomes, and that is basically what this material is doing.

 I think it is different applications. Everybody is looking into the orthodontic space, how we can improve there—especially on the workflows—how to make it user-friendly, and maybe even go into direct printing. Of course, denture material will likely become more comfortable for the patient.

With direct materials, we made a big step ahead with CROWNTEC, but it’s not there yet. The challenge is how [to] come closer to zirconia, or even start printing zirconia. So, it’s more and more applications and broader use, in general. That’s the exciting part.

NL: What role does 3D Systems want to play in the future of 3D printing technology?

We always want to be on the forefront. When 3D printing was born, 3D Systems was there. That’s the motivation to keep going. It’s a challenge, but I think we live up to it.

We just launched the DMP Flex 200 metal printer in February, and I underestimated the attention it would get from the market. Of course, we are also investigating a lot with biotech printing, and with the recent investment in Kumovis, we are also working with PEEK printing.

So, [3D printing is changing a lot], not only material-wise but also platform-wise. [Of course], there are many things ongoing, [and] lots of them are still behind closed doors, but you definitely need to keep an eye open. Innovation is not on hold at 3D Systems.

I think milling will become [more and more] obsolete because it’s a proven process, but there is a lot of waste, time, and cost to it. More and more 3D printers are in the position to take over what a mill is doing today.

If you look at the broader picture of 3D printing in an industry, it will never take over 100%. There’s always going to be some limitation. In the future, limitations will [most likely] be more on the cost side. But dental is an ideal market for 3D printing. There are 9 billion people out there, and there are 9 billion different dentures out there. So, it’s unique every time, and when you need to produce a lot of unique pieces, that is what a 3D printer does best.

We see big differences between regions in terms of how fast this evolution and the introduction of digital is happening. That’s very exciting to see, and we try to take what we can learn from one region to see [whether] we can use that in another region.

For the future, from my point of view, materials are where the innovation lies. Bringing the digitization further into dentistry by supporting them with marketing and training will continue to be important, because the pie is still a lot bigger on the analog side.

We still have a lot of potential to assist dental professionals in providing a better patient outcome. That’s why we’re in it. 

Stef Vanneste, vice president and general manager, dental at 3D Systems, speaks with Noah Levine, editorial director of Dental Lab Products®, about what’s next for additive manufacturing technologies and materials. 

Building the Next Phase of Dental  3D Printing

Any dental lab looking to utilize an end-to-end digital workflow.

This hybrid machine combines wet and dry processing in a single unit. The Ceramill Motion 3 allows for fully automated dental arch restorations.

The Ceramill Motion 3 is a 5-axis hybrid milling unit that enables an end-to-end digital workflow. This provides dental labs with a diversity of materials and indications while allowing for laboratory infrastructure management. Its intuitive user interface and guided CAD/CAM production and maintenance allow you to focus on your core business.

With the connection to the AG.Live platform, you’ll be able to access the Ceramill Motion 3 at any time from any location, allowing you to monitor production and customer service. Its integrated analysis tools are said to make lab business processes even more efficient. The unit’s tools and blank holders are equipped with radio frequency identification technology, simplifying the handling of tools and consumables. The C-Clamp sculpturing technology allows for the fully automated processing of full arch restorations.

This new hybrid milling machine combines wet and dry milling for fully automated restorations.

5Ws* Ceramill Motion 3

The new M3 and M3 Max printers from Carbon.

These 3D printers are suitable for dental labs of any size and are designed to be easily installed and easily relocated in the lab.

Anytime a dental lab needs reliable, high-quality digital manufacturing technology.

The M3 and M3 Max 3D printers incorporate next-generation oxygen permeable optics as well as closed loop control of force and temperature during a print, enabling throughput increases up to 2.5 times.

Because the M3 and M3 Max printers incorporate a new cassette and greater control of temperature, heat generated during a print can be better dissipated, enabling faster printing. In addition, these core new technologies improve the consistency across a print, reducing the cross-build variability by 30%. The M3 Max incorporates a build area over 2 times the size of an M3, and will enable exceptional economics as high-volume dental and orthodontic labs continue to expand their 3D printing production.

Incorporating the next generation of digital light synthesis (DLS) technology, the M3 and M3 Max help dental labs produce higher-quality parts at greater throughputs. 

5Ws* M3 and M3 Max 3D Printers

In his 30th year as a lab technician, Mike Archibald, CDT, is just as dedicated and passionate as he was at the beginning of his career. Owner of Mike Archibald Dental Studio and 50 Shades Dental Studio, LLC, Archibald trained under his father, who started the Archibald Associates laboratory and school of dental technicians. There, Archibald had the benefit of learning firsthand in his father’s lab while also having the opportunity to sit in on courses from Gordon Christensen, DDS, MSD, PhD, who lectured there.

As he moved on to start his own dental labs, Archibald continued his father’s good working relationship with Ivoclar, whose products he’s used and loved since day 1.

“When I say that I believe in and love a company like Ivoclar, it comes from the very first day of my job, the very first day I started,” he says.

Up until several years ago, he wasn’t sold on zirconia.“I didn’t truly believe in it at that point,” Archibald says. “I knew it was here for a reason. It just wasn’t my go-to. There were lots of issues with zirconia back in the day because it wasn’t esthetic. You had to layer a bunch of ceramic on it, [which] would end up chipping,” he explains. “ It [was] hard to manage. What you saw at the bench was different [from] what you saw in the mouth.”

As zirconia materials developed and improved, Archibald says he first tried IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime about a few years ago on its release. His experience with this zirconia changed his mind on the material.

“It’s truly the most boutique zirconia core on the market and, in my opinion, that’s because of the multichromatic layering in it,” he says. “The high opacity gingival and up to the gradient and translucent incisal. For somebody [who] respects and loves what we do like I do, [suddenly], zirconia became a real valuable tool. We can actually do incredible work with this material now, with minimal layering.

“Now we can take an everyday prep and, depending on the prep, we can generate the right IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime core for that particular situation. I can minimally layer the facial and get almost any result that I want. The only thing, of course, [is] I’m not doing it with is veneers. But other than veneers, it’s really become my go-to,” he says.

IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime is a millable zirconia created using a manufacturing process known as gradient technology. This allows for 2 zirconium oxide raw materials—3Y-TZP and 5Y-TZP—to be combined into 1 puck, allowing for the strength of 3Y-TZP and the esthetics of 5Y-TZP. Indicated for single crowns and wide-span bridges, IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime is suitable for any fabrication technique.

Ultimately, dental lab technicians are artists who create beautiful restorations. But they’re also uniquely responsible for helping create the smiles patients expect­—and IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime helps Archibald deliver on that expectation.

“If I’m not doing a feldspathic or a no-prep veneer case, I prefer to do it out of IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime,” Archibald says. “That’s simply because esthetically, it gives me what I want. Cosmetically, it gives the patient and the doctor what they want. [I can guarantee the] longevity of the crown. I can give them the results that I as the artist want, but most importantly, what the patient deserves.

“At the end of the day, everything that we do should be for the patient, and [it] should be the very best for the patient,” he continues. “And I could never do that—I could never feel comfortable doing that before IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime.”

Archibald says that in his past experience with other materials, it could be that he would think he had just finished a masterpiece, and then find the values just didn’t match. However, since switching to IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime, that simply isn’t the case anymore.

“It’s just as accurate as any other material on the market,” Archibald says. “I’m just grateful that we have a product that I can stand behind and be proud of.”

This passionate ceramist made Ivoclar’s IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime his go-to for zirconia.

Zirconia Offers Lab Owner Esthetics, Durability 

Information provided by Roland DGA Corporation.

A performance and remote monitoring system for DGSHAPE milling devices DWX-52DCi, DWX-52DC, DWX-52D, and DWX-42W.

Any dental lab that uses DGSHAPE’s milling devices.

DGSHAPE Cloud monitors business productivity during CAD/CAM milling operations, providing dental labs with valuable insight through an easy-to-navigate dashboard.

With DGSHAPE Cloud, dental labs can capture productivity data that are useful to know for general improvement and efficiency. It can also track for error activity and offer troubleshooting to optimize milling capabilities in the lab.

DGSHAPE Cloud digitally monitors DGSHAPE DWX milling operations, using tools, such as a mounted camera, to record and create maintenance graphs to maintain best practices for production. It also features a job list to manage jobs between milling and sintering processes, a material utilization feature to track output, a production graph, and live support. These features combine to create a robust remote monitoring system that is available for a free download.

DGSHAPE Cloud remotely monitors and tracks CAD/CAM production to help dental labs that use Roland DGA’s DGSHAPE milling devices optimize milling workflows. 


5Ws* DGSHAPE Cloud 

Summertime is full of vacations, activities, and getting out of the office. All these are undeniably wonderful, but summertime is also the time for one thing dental labs dread: a slow season. Although business always ebbs and flows, there are certain times when labs can expect business to peter off, but it doesn’t have to mean a huge economic hit.

“There are always fluctuations,” says David Turpin, CDT, owner of Spartan Dental Lab in Lansing, Michigan. “Everyone’s trying to take vacations and do things, [especially in the summertime]. You know it’s going to come, so there’s no avoiding it. It’s just about preparing for it.”

Understanding these fluctuations and knowing how to prepare financially is critical, but it’s also beneficial to think about how to reduce the effects of when business is slow. Many lab owners are getting creative with ways to fill the time so they don’t find themselves at a loss for multiple months. Although there are plenty of opportunities outside of the lab to make some extra income (eg, real estate, clever investing, or creative endeavors), there are also options for lab owners who want to keep their side hustles dialed into the industry. So, what’s the best way to resist slowing down during the slow season?

One way to stay tapped into the industry when business is slow is to be a voice of the industry. Working the lecture circuit, writing for publications, and establishing yourself as a key opinion leader in the field opens doors for paid consulting opportunities or speaking gigs. By becoming an educator, lab owners can set themselves up for industry notoriety, which can in turn attract new clients to their labs.

“Providing education is definitely valuable,” Turpin says. “Everybody’s learning. Everybody’s looking to learn. We are going to start doing events here at our lab and offering more education, because it’s a valuable way to expand.”

Tom Zaleske, CDT, owner of Matrix Dental Laboratory and Consulting in Crown Point, Indiana, has been a dental technician and consultant for over 35 years. In addition to being a talented technician, Zaleske writes for multiple publications, participates in speaking engagements, tests products, and provides consulting services.

“My side hustles are things like writing articles, interviewing, speaking, or anything that has to do with my specialty area,” Zaleske says. “I do solicit for consulting work, and the consulting work fills in the gaps for that, as well. It keeps me in the mix and helps boost overall revenue.”

For technicians who perhaps haven’t been in the industry long enough to gain a real footing as a thought leader, Zaleske recommends laying the groundwork for future education opportunities. By bolstering professional relationships with both clients and colleagues, labs can position themselves to be go-to educators in the future. And there are options for those who don’t have the time or interest in joining the lecture circuit or providing out-of-lab consulting services.

“If you aren’t comfortable getting in front of people outside of the lab or you don’t have the bandwidth, magazines are always looking for articles, and some magazines pay for those,” Zaleske says. “Through COVID-19 times, Zoom meetings and presentations have become a very big thing. So, if you want to put some more money in your pocket, put together a Zoom course or lecture, present [it], and charge for it. Or [you can] do it for your doctors to teach them something new. [You can also] promote something different that you haven’t offered before.”

Zoom sessions and articles are a good way to get a foothold with colleagues, but technicians shouldn’t limit themselves to solely industry networks. Social media also provides a good platform for education.

“LinkedIn is a great tool,” Zaleske says. “I’m very prolific on LinkedIn. It’s very valuable to use it for professional encouragement or professional maturation. It’s a place where if you are working on a [really cool] case and you want to share it with other like-minded individuals, you can do that. And it gets your name out there and helps establish you.”

LinkedIn has the added benefit of getting you in front of people outside of the industry, such as potential patients. “I do it quite a bit [on LinkedIn] because not only does it build me professionally, but I [also] get calls from patients who go online and want to research what they are going to be getting,” Zaleske says. “Patients are looking for more education and want to know what is going in their mouth or figure out why something isn’t working for them. I can make recommendations, then the patient asks the dentist to use me as their laboratory. Part of my solicitation strategy is: Let the patients do it for you.”

With summer—and its associated lull in caseload—right around the corner, now is a great time for labs to explore these and other opportunities to expand their business. In addition to consulting and publishing opportunities, labs can take advantage of the downtime to increase their offerings or venture into entirely new fields. Turpin sees the slow season as a great chance for exploration to see what development opportunities new technology can provide.

“Slow times are good times to do research and make decisions about adding new technologies or expanding offerings,” Turpin says. “It’s good to take the time to weigh the pros and cons of those decisions. It’s also a good time to work on workflow issues or optimize your workflow. We are always trying to think ahead and trying to do something new or innovative.”

Staying ahead of the curve and continually expanding a lab’s service menu through the addition of workflow-simplifying technology helps increase business and positions the lab to be able to accept a wider variety of case types in the future. This can be an attractive proposition to dentists who want to provide their patients with high-quality results while building a solid relationship with a trusted lab. However, Zaleske cautions that it’s important not to overreach. The quickest way to lose a client is to overpromise and underdeliver because a lab doesn’t know how to correctly utilize its new technology.

“I try to bring in 2 different types of offerings a year,” Zaleske says. “I stick to that, because you have to implement them, then they have to become standard. The problem is if you bring in too much, then you’re overwhelmed. I always say, ‘Don’t try to change your life in 1 fell swoop.’ Take 1, 2, or 3 things and implement them until they become what I call a standard extra.”

One thing more and more labs are implementing is 3D printing. By moving away from analog, labs can up productivity and increase revenue, even when fewer units are being produced. Combine a shortage of lab technicians with the expected seasonal slowdowns, and it comes as no surprise that many labs are looking to adopt the digital method.

Jamie Stover, CDT, senior manager of dental lab applications for Carbon in Redwood City, California, has seen this significant uptick in adoption in action. “We continue to see 3D-printing adoption increase in our industry overall,” Stover says. “Labs are [rapidly] moving denture and splint production from analog fabrication at the bench to 3D printers. From 2021 to 2022, we saw Lucitone Digital Print Denture resin (Dentsply Sirona) usage increase 175% across the Carbon customer base. Heading into the second quarter of 2022, we continue to see an increase in the usage of resins that are used [to produce] removable prostheses.”

In addition to producing an increased number of high-quality dentures and splints (which certainly keeps labs busy, as there were 40.99 million Americans wearing dentures in 2020

), some labs are looking further afield for opportunities to put their printers to good use. One route some labs are taking is dipping their toes into other industries and tapping into previously unaffiliated markets.

“I’m always looking to see how we can get into different markets, not just dental, so it’s something we can always use to keep revenue going,” Turpin says. “With 3D printing, you can go into different things [such as] printing prototypes for startups in other industries. There’s a big startup push in our area, so looking outside the industry for 3D printing opportunities is something we do.”

At Spartan Dental Lab, Turpin has used his Carbon M2 3D printer to collaborate with local electronics companies to print prototypes. In addition to expanding his client base, it means extra work during the slow season. As a result, he’s found it to be a great side gig with a lot of room for growth.

“With some of the resins out there, we can even start production on low-count batches for companies,” Turpin says. “You could start manufacturing for them. You just have to make the leap.”

Another lab that made the leap outside the dental industry is Castable Ceramics in Anchorage, Alaska. Part of the Apex Dental Laboratory Group, Castable Ceramics recently found itself partnered with an unlikely client: the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The lab produced a 3D-printed part that is used in a state-of-the-art fish hatchery in Anchorage. Prior to the lab’s involvement, the hatchery had run into issues with metal components that were reacting in the tank and contaminating the water.

“Castable Ceramics is a [great] example of a dental lab using our printers to produce innovative parts for another industry,” Stover says. “This component they are fabricating [must] withstand [approximately] 700 gal of ice-cold water flowing around it per minute, facilitating the purifying of the water with UV light while also not being reactive with the water in the tank and contaminating it. The 3D-printed part doesn’t react with the water, like some of the metals they tried [had done], so they’re able to keep the water pure.”

Stover has been incredibly impressed with the lab’s ingenuity and the use of its Carbon printer. “We love to hear about labs using our 3D printers in innovative ways,” Stover says. “Part of our mission statement is that ‘we enable creators everywhere to make what the world needs now.’

One of the most impressive things to me is that Castable Ceramics is using the same printers they use to fabricate dental parts, [such as] models, splints, and dentures, to produce the parts I just described for a completely different industry. It underscores the value of additive manufacturing for disruptive innovation.”

Although labs like Spartan Dental and Castable Ceramics have taken the plunge into other industries, Stover isn’t certain it’s a trend that will take off. Labs will need to have the bandwidth and staffing to support out-of-industry customers while also balancing the needs of their dental clients. With a shortage of lab technicians and an increasing need for removables, labs may not have to look far to increase their workloads.

“Current trends in our industry are continued consolidation of dental labs and a serious shortage of experienced removable technicians combined with overall staffing shortages. Conversely, there is no shortage of restorative work flowing into [most] of the labs I work with, meaning most labs don’t have the bandwidth or the need to create products for other industries,” Stover says. “[However], it’s very exciting that some are using additive technology to expand their product offerings and that the door is open for others if they decide to.”

However, the labs that are diversifying are setting themselves apart as innovators and outside-the-box thinkers in a way that is certain to keep business booming. Being an innovator also leads to more opportunities for education and establishing a lab as a leader in the field. “It’s always good to be different,” Turpin says. “It’s important to be on the leading edge of things. You should be always expanding [and] always thinking forward.”

Sometimes the most valuable side hustle is investing time into future prosperity for your primary hustle—also known as a successful lab. “It doesn’t make me money directly,” Zaleske says. “But the other part of that is people that own businesses [must] look at future ways to make an income or increase their income. My thing has always been using downtime for boning up on what we’re doing or offering something different [such as] learning a new technique.”

In addition to positioning himself for self-growth and education, Zaleske also uses the time to engage with his clients to promote education and networking. “Particularly before I had any type of notoriety, I would use downtime to promote an event, [such as] a lunch and learn or an evening venue, for education for my accounts,” Zaleske says. “In other words, I keep myself in front of my clients so that they’re always thinking about me. Maybe I’ll test a product for someone or little things like that to keep me in the mix. I’ll send them articles about things we’ve encountered or might want to change or explore that they can peruse at their convenience if they’re slow.”

Stover agrees that engaging with dentists is key. Carbon supports labs in this through education opportunities for dentists and labs alike. “An example of how we strategically partner with our customers to help them grow their businesses is providing educational webinars for our labs’ dental clients,” Stover says. “When moving products from analog to digital processes, it requires a lot of education from the lab and communication with their clinical team. Labs often lack the bandwidth to efficiently provide this information and end up needing to have the same conversation over and over to educate all their clients. I provide information on the materials, workflow, and processes for an average of 50 to 100 dentists per live webinar. The labs record the webinar and share it with all the clients that couldn’t attend live, and [they] use it in perpetuity as an informational and training tool.”

By providing training tools and information to dentists, labs position themselves as invaluable to their clients. Zaleske thinks staying relevant and proving to his clients that his lab is a key opinion leader is a critical component of marketing and business growth. By taking the time to engage with his clients, he builds stronger relationships that benefit his lab in the future—relationships that can help labs never slow down, even through the traditionally slower months.

“Staying in the mix is the difference between a job and a career,” Zaleske says. “A job is [where] you go to work, you’re done at 5, and that’s it. A career is something you’re always cultivating, and it’s always maturing. It’s a constant growth process. Your lab should be constantly growing, too, so that it never slows down.”

1. U.S. population: do you use dentures?Statista. Accessed April 27. 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/275484/us-households-usage-of-dentures/

Your career is something you’re always cultivating, and your lab should be constantly growing, too, so that it never slows down.

Dental Lab Products June 2022