At exocad Insights in beautiful Mallorca, we finally caught up with Felix from Imagine USA—and the timing couldn’t have been better. As an exocad dealer on the front lines of digital dentistry, Felix shared his excitement about the strong turnout, the familiar faces, and most importantly, the innovation coming from exocad. What stood out most? The new exocad Hub and its cloud-based capabilities, along with powerful AI-driven tools inside DentalDB designed for efficient batch processing. For Felix and the Imagine team, it’s not just about seeing what’s new—it’s about putting it to the test. By running new features through their own production facility first, they ensure real-world performance before bringing solutions to their customers. Beyond the technology, Felix emphasized the value of being there in person—connecting face-to-face with partners, having meaningful conversations, and stepping back to see where the industry is headed. And of course, doing it all in Mallorca doesn’t hurt either.

Mallorca, Spain. exocad Insights 2026 Three completely different conversations somehow all landed on the same theme: digital dentistry keeps getting smaller, smarter, and way more connected. First up, the crew catches back up with digital designer and educator Marjorie de Andrade, who went from Brazil to New Zealand chasing opportunity, only to end up building a global career through remote design, social media, and education. Marjorie talks about creating the Mastering exocad course, freelancing for dentists around the world, and why finding purpose through teaching became more important than simply designing crowns. She also shares thoughts on the newly announced exocad Hub, remote collaboration, and how digital dentistry is making communication between dentists and technicians easier than ever.

Then the microphones turn to Dr. Dwight Pate for one of the most workflow-heavy conversations the podcast has ever had. From hand waxing cases the old-school Dawson and Pankey way to designing provisionals and controlling full-mouth rehabs completely through exocad, Dr. Pate breaks down how he combines analog principles with digital workflows. The discussion dives deep into occlusion, provisionals, articulators, guided workflows, AI design, and why he believes digital dentistry still has to prove itself back in the analog world before it ever reaches the patient’s mouth.

Finally, the crew reconnects with Dr. Eimear O'Connell to talk about why clinicians need to attend events like Insights just as much as technicians. Eimear shares how digital workflows are improving communication between doctors, labs, and patients while making implant planning, dentures, and aesthetic dentistry more predictable than ever. From digital dentures that fit with almost zero adjustment to helping patients emotionally reconnect with their smiles, the conversation reminds everyone that behind every scanner, workflow, and software update is still a real person whose life changes because of dentistry.

Special Guests: Dr. Dwight Pate, Dr. Eimear O’Connell, and Marjorie de Andrade .

Voices From the Bench is headed back to Florida for the FDLA Southern States Symposium & Expo all thanks to the great people at Jensen Dental. You know, the makers of MIYO!. Come visit Elvis & Barb in the Jensen booth June 7 & 8 in Orlando. Register today at FDLA.NET!

We are back to the episodes we got while in the Ivoclar Ballroom at LMT Lab Day Chicago 2024.

First up is a group of designers from Ziemek Dental Lab out of Washington State. What's cool is that only one for them actually works in the lab. Nichoel Burdge is the cad/cam manager and currently has 13 remote designers around the country. Joining her in Chicago is Kay Fritze from Michigan and Allison Cook from Nebraska. They all talk about the dynamic of having remote workers, communicating between themselves and the dentists, and staying disciplined when you can work in your pajamas.

Then we are joined once again by Jen Ludwig who talks about her new role at her new home, Renstrom Dental Studio. She's also joined by Mike Claugherty who has a unique story of being the only dental technician stuntman when he was used for the dental scenes in "A Serious Man". Check out the scene here: https://youtu.be/Rru5jRWqj0c?si=aRgoI2rMCZO8YSoJ

We wrap up the episode with two technicians that have made the better articulator. Scott Gallacher & Dee Grimm from Black Diamond Innovations talk about their extensive history in the industry, why and how they made a better articulator, and how they keep in relevant with digital models.

Wanting to take your knowledge and skills to the next level? If you are looking for the best education dedicated to dentistry in both the labs and clinics, check out Ivoclar Academy.

From on-demand webinars to in-person training, Ivoclar Academy has a program to meet your busy schedule. Check out all they have to offer HERE!

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Special Guests: Allison Cook, Dee Grimm CDT, Jennifer Ludwig, CDT, Kay Fritze, Mike Claugherty CDT, Nichoel Burdge, and Scott Gallacher.