Walking the Lab Day Chicago floor? Make it worth it.

Stop by the FOLLOW-ME! hyperDENT booth (E-27, East Hall) and take part in their Milling Roadmap—a quick, scavenger-hunt-style activity that leads you to key milling partners like Axsys, Imagine, DOF, and Roland.

Collect stamps at booths you’re likely visiting anyway and get entered to win some great giveaways—including this year’s grand prize: a foldable Honda electric scooter.

You’re already walking the floor. Now it might carry you.

Come see and talk to Elvis and Barb at all these amazing shows coming up in 2026*

• Cal-Lab Association Meeting in Chicago Feb 19-20 https://cal-lab.org/
• LMT Lab Day Chicago Feb 19-21 https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday
• Dental Lab Association of Texas Meeting in Dallas Apr 9-11 https://members.dlat.org/
• exocad Insights in Mallorca, Spain Apr 30 - May 1 https://exocad.com/insights-2026

This week we finally sit down with the one and only Matthew Douglas — technician, educator, denture-setting machine, former Affordable legend, past DLAT president, and all-around force of nature out of Texas.

Matt’s story starts with baseball. A promising career cut short by a hip injury (the “Bo Jackson thing,” as he calls it) led him to find a different path — one that started at TSTI in Waco and ended up shaping thousands of dentures, dozens of labs, and one of the fastest-growing state dental lab associations in the country.

From living in an RV at the end of an airport runway while in school… to learning how to tear down porcelain ovens and rebuild lathes… to mastering ambidextrous denture setups with a soldering iron (yes, really), Matt built his foundation the old-school way. And he built it fast.

We dive deep into his 12-year run with Affordable Dentures — managing high-production labs doing 60+ arches a day, training technicians across the country, helping open over 200 sites, and eventually becoming a regional leader. He shares what it takes to build systems that move that kind of volume — staggered lunches, zero idle time, and a whole lot of hustle.

From there, Matt takes us through Barksdale Dental Lab, the early days of All-on-4, learning analog conversion workflows before digital streamlined everything, and why zirconia has changed the long-term game for full-arch restorations.

When Matt returned to Texas and got involved with the Dental Laboratory Association of Texas (DLAT), the show had about a dozen booths. Today? Over 100. He breaks down how restructuring leadership, empowering the right people, removing outside management costs, and reinvesting in members transformed DLAT into one of the strongest state meetings in the country.

If you want to grow your business, you need clear insight into what’s happening inside your operation and across your customer journey. That’s where Icortica comes in.

At Canadian Dental Labs, Icortica has become a cornerstone of how we operate—giving us at-a-glance visibility into performance, helping us focus our efforts, spot opportunities early, and solve problems before they grow. It takes the guesswork out of decision-making and shows us what to do next.

Plus, the Icortica team is incredibly responsive and feels like a true partner in our success.

If you’re serious about growing your business and understanding your customers better, Icortica can get you there. Learn more at icortica.com/voices — Icortica, helping dental labs grow.

Join us at exocad Insights 2026, happening April 30–May 1, 2026, on the stunning island of Mallorca, Spain. This two-day event features powerhouse keynotes, hands-on workshops, live software demos, and top-tier industry showcases—all in one unforgettable setting.

Barb and Elvis will be on site bringing you exclusive interviews, plus don’t miss the FIRST 5k run on the coast! And of course, cap it all off with the legendary exoGlam Night under the stars.

Tickets are limited. Visit exocad.com/insights-2026 and use code VFTBPalma15 for 15% off.

Special Guest: Matthew Douglas CDT.

With all the canceled dental laboratory shows, it was nice to release all the conversations we got at the Argen booth at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2020. But sadly, it has now run out. But we end them with two great recordings. First up is Michael Thomas CDT and Shannon Foscue who run Edge Dental Solutions. With the experience and knowledge they got with Affordable Dentures, they started a company that helps dental technicians and labs reach their full potential. THEN we have our annual conversation with the one and only Judy Fishman from LMT. She is joined by the Event Coordinator Jenny Abbott-Cole as they talk about this years show, the next exhibit hall, and LMT magazine going digital.

Whip Mix is very excited to announce the new PRO 4K large format 3D printer from Asiga. It’s ideal for printing any kind of model, dentures, splints, surgical guides, impression trays and more.

The Asiga Pro 4K DLP printer is priced at under $25,000, has a large build plate and is available in both 65µm and resolution versions. For information about the Asiga Pro 4K, visit www.whipmix.com.

Special Guests: Jenny Abbott-Cole , Judy Fishman, Michael Thomas CDT, and Shannon Foscue .

Elvis and Barb are back with more conversation they got while at the Argen booth at LMT's Lab Day Chicago 2020. First up we talk to a very well-rounded dental technician that has moved more in 6 months then most move in a lifetime. But all this experience has helped David Lindsay make the decision to become a denturist. He tells his story and shares some insight that he has learned along the way. Then we are joined by the dental product manager from Formlabs, Sam Wainwright. Sam talks about the history of Formlabs, what they are working on now, and what we can expect from this popular 3d printer company.

Whip Mix is extremely proud to introduce the Whip Mix VeriBuild 3D Printer with features rarely seen in economically priced printers. Your lab or dental practice can now print extremely precise models and accurate surgical guides with slice thicknesses between 25 – 100 microns. VeriBuild is an open system printer, able to print virtually any 405 nanometer print resin using its advanced software and auto-calibration. With a more-than-adequate build area, automatic (and manual) supports, an advanced slicing algorithm, and Quick Build Preparation, the Whip Mix VeriBuild Printer is the ideal printer for your lab if you are just starting out or want to increase your print production.

Special Guests: David Lindsay CDT and Sam Wainwright.