• Vision 21 in Las Vegas Jan 15-17 https://www.nadl.org/nadl-vision-21
• 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 sit down with a guest whose journey hits all the right notes—literally! Meet Jonathan Bourke, a jazz guitarist turned dental technician who went from pouring models to designing full-arch restorations and running his own in-office lab.

Jonathan shares how a chance gig driving for a denturist opened the door to a career he never expected, taking him from analog dentures to digital workflows, photogrammetry, and Exocad wizardry. Now a lab owner working directly with clinicians, Jonathan talks about collaboration in full-arch cases, teaching with Jensen Dental and MiYO, and what it’s like to see his work come to life chairside.

From learning CAM milling to demoing in front of dental rockstars, Jonathan’s story is a reminder that artistry comes in many forms—sometimes from six strings, sometimes from six implants.

* Dental Labs—The Ivoclar Flash Sale Is On!

* From November 3rd to 14th, Ivoclar is bringing you unbeatable deals on the equipment that will set your lab up for success in 2026.

* Upgrade your mill, your furnace, or expand your workflow—and save big while doing it!

* Plus, when you purchase a milling machine, you’ll get delivery, installation, and training—all included. That means your lab will be production-ready from day one.

* But hurry—these savings vanish after November 14th!

* Contact your Ivoclar sales rep today and power up your lab for the year ahead.

Elvis and Barb are gearing up for their chat with the HyperDent Dude himself, Jordan Greenberg from FOLLOW-ME! Technology. At LabFest, Elvis found out that every hyperDENT license comes with Template Editor Lite — a built-in feature that lets you make safe, customized tweaks to your milling strategies. Whether you want to prioritize surface quality or speed, this tool gives you the control to fine-tune your results while FOLLOW-ME! keeps everything validated and reliable.

Because in the end, us lab techs love to tinker — and hyperDENT makes it easy to choose your own CAM-venture.

Special Guest: Jonathan Bourke.

Be sure to get a SUPER LIMITED edition ZIPPERED HOODIE (or shirt) before JANURARY 6th.
Get your "Dental Technicians: Making Dentist Look Good Since the 1700s" HERE!

You have heard Elvis talk about the Mastering exocad Course he took from the Institute of Digital Dentistry. Well we had the amazing opportunity to talk to the instructor of the series, Marjorie Andrade. Marjorie has a fascinating and fast-tracked journey into the world of teeth. While still in Brazil, she went to technician school and found herself in a lab learning digital in just a few days. Eventually she was so good and fast, so after work she would freelance for people all over the world. It wasn't long before she connected with Dr. Ahmad and was recording (in two languages) the exocad course and then moving all the way to New Zealand to work at the lab of her dreams. All this in less than 5 years!

Are you in the market for top-notch digital equipment, such as mills, scanners, or furnaces? Well, the time to act is NOW! Ivoclar, has introduced unbeatable rates exclusively for customers in North America.

Ivoclar has made it easier for you to invest in cutting-edge digital equipment with lower-than-prime interest rates. Whether you're looking to upgrade your milling capabilities, enhance your scanning technology, or optimize your furnace performance, Ivoclar Digital has you covered.

To take advantage of this offer, the dedicated Digital Specialists at Ivoclar are ready to assist you. For details on how to get in touch, visit Voicesfromthebench.com and the Ivoclar tab to find all the information you need to get started.

Whether you are looking to elevate your craftsmanship or looking to cut back costs, look no further – VITA MFT Teeth are the ultimate solution for creating lifelike and stunning smiles.

Crafted with precision and backed by cutting-edge technology, VITA MFT Teeth offers unparalleled esthetics and durability. And since VITA believes in the power of experiencing excellence firsthand, for a limited time only, they’re offering you the chance to get a complimentary case sample. That’s right, a full case, absolutely free. Just visit vitanorthamerica.com/freemft

Don’t wait any longer to start providing your customers with a premium tooth at an economy price. Redeem your free case sample and if you’re ready to buy, VITA will even give you an extra 10% discount by shopping online on their newly launched online store.

Join the VITA family today.

Candulor a dental supply company from Switzerland has solutions no matter if you are analog or digital

Check out their PhysioSet TCR tooth line that has been complemented with 18 new shapes. A total of 48 age-appropriate anterior tooth shapes are available for the laboratory or dental practice to select from.

The Swiss School of Prosthetics in Springfield, Missouri is the place to learn all things removable. America with get supported and supplied by the only authorized partner Edmonds Dental Supply

Candulor, High End Only

Have you ever wanted to learn exocad? Do you find learning new design software overwhelming or just too costly because you have to go to a weekend course. Even if you have never used design any software before, we have the perfect solution for you to begin your exocad journey. Head over to the Institute of Digital Dentistry and select the “Mastering Exocad Course”.

Broken down to three segments, the amazing Marjorie will take you through Fundamentals, Intermediate, and Advanced courses leaving you with the confidence to tackle most cases coming into your lab. I personally am going through all 70 lessons and find it one of the most thorough courses you can take at your own pace.

And for being a listener of the podcast, if you enter code VOICES when checking out they will take an additional 10% off any course they offer…. And they offer a ton of content for labs and clinics.

Special Guest: Marjorie de Andrade .

Information and how to register for the Race For the Future 8.0 August 28th

Information and registration for the Chicago Triathlon

Register for the FREE Education Day on August 27th
(COME TO THE DINNER!)

Donate to Barb or Team Voices From the Bench!!!!

Did you know Asiga has over 500 validated materials on their open material system. And it's growing every day?

By harnessing Asiga's proprietary layer monitoring technology with its smart positioning system and integrated internal radiometer, as a laboratory, you will be able to produce any indication you desire. Whether models, splints, temporaries, or even permanent crowns.

Your investment will be future proofed by Asiga's rugged engineering. Providing you with a fast, accurate, and repeatable machine, with a reputation that is time tested in the laboratory industry.

If you would like to learn about Asiga's machine or material offerings, please visit the website at asiga.com or contact your favorite dental reseller.

Whip Mix offers you the ultimate in ease, material flexibility and unattended production with the Roland DGA DWX-52DCi milling machine. The popular mill’s automatic disc changer expands your lab production and profit, using a 6-slot Automatic Disc Changer, 15-station Automatic Tool Changer and several other automated features.

The DWX-52DCi dental milling machine now comes with performance visualization software and other intelligent updates. The 5-axis mill even knows which tool to automatically swap out when tools have reached their designated lifespan. Just power it on, let it go, and automatically and accurately mill numerous dental restoration jobs with complete unattended confidence.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Roland DGA DWX-52DCi, visit whipmix.com or call 800-626-5651.

Special Guests: Michael Teiniker and Wolfgang Teiniker.