Top 10 Dental Lab Products Articles of 2023

All They Don't Know: Dealing With Knowledge Gaps Among Younger Dentists

By Laura Dorr

Dentists right out of school might have a hard time adjusting to the way a dental lab works. Here, in this article, are a few ways to bridge this knowledge gap and create streamlined workflows.

At some point, every lab has been at the receiving end of a dentist’s ire about a misfitting crown or problems with a prosthetic. And sure, labs make mistakes; we’re all only human after all. But often, perhaps the finger is being pointed at the wrong human.

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Can't Someone Else Do It? Outsourcing Can Help Dental Labs Adapt to Changing Market Conditions

By Terri Lively

In this article, we explore what is possible for labs to outsource, from digital design to fabrication, why dental labs should use them, and what they can do to avoid problems with their customers.

Dental labs have many challenges today. There is a shortage of labor in dental labs and fewer programs that train new ones. Also, a commoditization mindset prevails in many lab owners' pricing strategies, which decreases profit margins. Further pressing profit margins are the rising costs of business in an inflationary market.

During times like these, dental labs could try to produce as many cases as they can in-house to stay in the black. However, some outsource work to trusted partners that can help carry the load.

How One CDA Uses a Variety of Dental Creations’ Products to Improve Her Workflow

By Ellen Gambardella

How can we make the workplace more efficient, maneuver as quickly as possible without compromising quality, have successful outcomes, and reduce stress and all at the same time? Impossible? … Wrong.

The author says using the right products—such as Sassy Flexible Mixing Bowls, Sassy Spatulas, Wonderfill and Wonderadmix—can help practitioners do it right the first time rather than having to do it over.

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Dental Goes Digital: Why Now Is the Time to Invest In Offering 3D Printed Dentures

By Ron Ellenbogen, Head of Product and Business Development, Dental, Stratasys

With a newfound shift to 3D printing at scale, the author shares 6 reasons why now is a better time than ever for dental labs to make this investment.

These reasons includes the increased productivity for skilled dental technicians, cost savings, a streamlined workflow, more accurate dentures, high esthetics, and better overall service provided to lab clients.

Tag-Team Implant Planning: How to Work with Your Clients to Plan the Best Implant Restorations

By Terri Lively

Implant placement in available bone was the standard for planning in the past. But what happens to placement optimization when you add the desired prosthetic into consideration? Our experts say the answer is many great things.

When it comes to tag-team implant planning, it is helpful to picture dental professionals bouncing ideas off each other to improve the implant restoration outcome instead.

This Material Is Guiding the Way Toward “Polymer Dentistry”

By Noah Levine

In this article, John “Johnny O” Orfanidis, CDT, shares why he’s so excited about what he can do for clinicians and patients using the Grandio disc CAD/CAM material from VOCO.

As a third-generation dental lab technician, he has experience with more than just a handful of dental materials. He’s seen a parade of novel options come and go from the lab bench, and he’s always been focused on pushing the boundaries to produce the best restorations as efficiently as possible.

Eliminating Weak Links: Finding and Fixing Inefficiencies In Your Lab

By Terri Lively

Adopting a continual improvement process is a never-ending challenge. Therefore, in this article we look at how you can identify and address weak links in your dental lab that negatively affect your efficiencies.

There are areas of opportunity in any process and inefficiencies that need optimization or elimination. Dental labs are built upon the production process, so inefficiencies can be a margin killer, particularly in a price-competitive industry.

Smooth Running: Keeping Your Lab Technology Investments Working So They Can Run Nonstop

By Terri Lively

You bought it, and now, to get the ROI you want, you should maintain it. We talk to dental lab industry experts on why you should keep your technology investment up-to-date and running non-stop.

Making investments in technology is an essential part of dental lab operations today. These investments require attention to the return on investment (ROI) they generate to ensure they are worth the money you spent on them. So, how do you keep your technology investments working so they can run nonstop?

Filling the Bench: How to Find, Train, and Retain Lab Technicians in Today’s Competitive Market

By Terri Lively

How can dental labs recruit and retain their talent? In this article, DLP looks at how labs can fill the bench, train it, and keep it full.

Hiring new lab technicians in this hyper-competitive job market can be challenging. Employers weathered a problematic recruitment environment in 2022 and expected more challenges in 2023. Harvard Business Review predicts a lot of competition to recruit talent, tired employees, and more cost-controlling pressure—all under the shadow of a looming economic downturn.¹