Voices from The Bench

Episode 434: From FDLA 2026: Chris Bradley, Richard Wodzinski, Dawn Roniger, & Kaveh Shams

July 20th, 2026  |  1 hr 3 mins

abutments, accuracy, all-on-x, analog dentistry, anterior restorations, apprentices, apprenticeship, artistry, automation, bl1, bleaching shades, brushing techniques, cad design, cad/cam, cam software, canada, ceramics, ceramics course, ceramics workflow, chairside, chemistry, chris bradley, chroma, cobalt chrome, collaboration, color science, consumables, continuing education, craftsmanship, creation, creation porcelain, custom recipe, custom shades, custom strategies, custom workflow, dawn roniger, demonstrations, dental community, dental innovation, dental lab, dental laboratory, dental materials, dental podcast, dental technician, dental technology, denture workflow, dentures, design software, digital dentistry, digital evolution, digital solutions, digital workflow, disc changer, e.max, education, education programs, efficiency, engineering, enrico steger, esthetics, excellence, exocad, fdla, florida dental laboratory association, full arch, future of dentistry, gc america, gc initial, gingiva, glaze, hands-on training, harley street, hue, hybrids, hyperdent, implant bars, innovation, italy, javier, kaveh shams, kolinsky brushes, lab owner, lab values, laboratory education, laboratory management, laboratory solutions, layering, lectures, lithium disilicate, london, m2, m5, m6, machine maintenance, magic color, matisse, mentorship, military school, milling, milling center, milling machine, milling strategies, modular design, monolithic, murano glass, nesting, open architecture, open system, optishade, oral design, patient outcomes, photography, physics, pink porcelain, pmma, polarized camera, polycarbonate, porcelain, porcelain systems, precision, predictable results, productivity, ranger school, remake reduction, remakes, removables, richard wodzinski, scanner, self-service, shade analysis, shade matching, shade recipe, single centrals, smileline, smileline usa, software development, software integration, stain, symposium, technical support, technician training, technology, titanium, trade shows, value, vendors, voices from the bench, webinars, willie geller, workflow, workflow consistency, workflow optimization, young technicians, zirconia, zirconia staining, zirkonzahn

From the FDLA Symposium, Elvis and Barb welcome Chris Bradley, Richard Wodzinski, and Dawn Roniger to discuss the latest in shade matching, ceramics, and the technology helping labs achieve more predictable results. Then Kaveh Shams from Zirkonzahn Canada shares his journey into digital dentistry while talking milling, education, and the philosophy that's made Zirkonzahn a leader in the industry.

432: Felix Chung: Imagine That an Aerospace Engineer Turned into a Dental Nerd

July 6th, 2026  |  1 hr 3 mins

3d printing, 3shape, 98mm puck, additive manufacturing, aerospace engineering, cad design, cad/cam, compatible implants, crown and bridge, custom abutments, datron d5, dental business, dental cad, dental cam, dental innovation, dental lab, dental laboratory, dental manufacturing, dental materials, dental podcast, dental software, dental technology, digital dentistry, digital transformation, digital workflow, dof scanner, engineering, entrepreneurship, exocad, exocad insights, felix chung, georgia tech, hyperdent, imagine, imilling, implant bars, implant components, implant dentistry, implant restorations, ims icore, in-house milling, innovation, jordan greenberg, keystone dental, lab day, laboratory efficiency, laboratory growth, laboratory workflow, milling, milling center, milling machines, milling strategies, mist, nasa, oem, open systems, outsourcing, prosthetics, restorative dentistry, scan bodies, sic implants, technical support, ti-base, titanium bars, titanium nitride, united states navy, voices from the bench, walter reed, zirconia, zirconzahn

This week we sit down with Felix Chung from Imagine to hear the incredible story of how an aerospace engineering graduate and NASA intern unexpectedly found his passion in dental technology. From building one of the industry's leading digital dentistry companies to discussing milling, CAD/CAM, implant components, and the future of laboratory workflows, Felix shares the lessons, risks, and innovations that have shaped his journey over the past 15 years.

Episode 431: exocad Insights 2026 Part 5: Beth Collington, Josh Jakson, & Robert Norton

June 29th, 2026  |  56 mins 10 secs

3d design, 3d modeling, advanced dental technology, advanced workflows, ai crown, ai dentistry, ai in dental labs, ai-assisted dentistry, ai-powered design, artificial intelligence, automotive parts design, bench talk, beth collington, cad design, cad designer, cad workflow, cad/cam, clinicians, continuing education, creative cad applications, crown and bridge, crown design, crown finalization, crown production, custom grills, custom jewelry, custom restorations, dental automation, dental business, dental cad, dental cad community, dental cad experts, dental cad software, dental cad training, dental collaboration, dental community, dental conference, dental craftsmanship, dental design, dental design innovation, dental design software, dental design techniques, dental discussion, dental education, dental educators, dental engineering, dental expertise, dental future, dental industry, dental industry leaders, dental industry podcast, dental innovation, dental innovation summit, dental jewelry, dental lab, dental lab future, dental lab professionals, dental lab technology, dental laboratory, dental laboratory management, dental laboratory podcast, dental laboratory workflows, dental leadership, dental manufacturing, dental manufacturing technology, dental podcast, dental professionals, dental prosthetics, dental restorations, dental scanning, dental software, dental software experts, dental software innovation, dental software platform, dental software training, dental software updates, dental solutions, dental technician, dental technician life, dental technician training, dental technology, dental technology conference, dental technology education, dental technology experts, dental technology trends, dental trends, dental workflow efficiency, dental workflow management, dental workflow solutions, dental workflows, digital dental education, digital dental laboratory, digital dental revolution, digital dental solutions, digital dentistry, digital dentistry podcast, digital design solutions, digital impressions, digital lab, digital manufacturing, digital prosthetics, digital restoration design, digital solutions, digital tools, digital transformation, digital workflows, emerging technology, exocad, exocad america, exocad community, exocad ecosystem, exocad innovations, exocad insights, exocad training, exocad users, exocad users meeting, exohub, freeform design, future of dentistry, future-ready dentistry, industry insights, industry leaders, industry networking, innovation in dentistry, intraoral scanning, josh jackson, lab technology, lab-to-clinic communication, laboratory best practices, laboratory conversations, laboratory digital transformation., laboratory education, laboratory education and training, laboratory efficiency, laboratory excellence, laboratory growth, laboratory innovation, laboratory management, laboratory operations, laboratory perspective, laboratory productivity, laboratory support, laboratory technicians, laboratory technology, laboratory technology trends, mallorca, mallorca conference, modern dental laboratory, modern dentistry, next generation dentistry, podcast, production laboratory, production workflows, professional development, restorative dentistry, restorative technology, restorative workflows, robert norton, software development, software flexibility, technician education, technician insights, technician perspective, technician training, technician-led innovation, technology adoption, technology and dentistry, technology in dentistry, vftb, voices from the bench, workflow automation, workflow improvements, workflow integration, workflow optimization, workflow technology

While at Exocad Insights in Mallorca, Elvis and Barb catch up with Beth Collington, President of Exocad America, to discuss the continued growth of digital dentistry, the importance of education, and how Exocad is helping make digital workflows more accessible across the industry.

Then Josh Jackson and Robert Norton join the conversation to share insights from the lab and training side of Exocad. From AI Crown and Crown Finalization to creative applications beyond dentistry, they discuss the latest innovations, real-world workflows, and where digital technology is taking the profession next.

419: Katherine Wilcox Wants You To Work EviSmarter and Not Harder

April 6th, 2026  |  1 hr 7 mins

3shape, ai, cad design, case entry, covid impact, customer service, data integration, dental, dental lab, dental technician, dental technology, design center, digital dentistry, digital workflow, efficiency, evident, evismart, file management, industry trends, innovation, itero, lab growth, lab management, lab software, laboratory, manila, outsourcing, outsourcing design, philippines, process optimization, productivity, quality control, scanning, staffing shortages, technician, trios, voices from the bench, workflow automation

Elvis and Barb sit down with Katherine Wilcox to talk about her journey from avoiding small talk as a dental assistant to thriving as a lab tech and eventually moving into the world of digital workflows and software. She shares how outsourcing design services exploded during COVID and became a lifeline for labs trying to manage workload and staffing challenges. The conversation highlights how EviSmart is helping labs automate workflows, reduce manual tasks, and bring order to the chaos of digital dentistry.

411: Michael Joseph: No Wax, No Fear and One Lab’s All-In Leap to Digital Dentistry

February 9th, 2026  |  1 hr 14 mins

3d printing, brexit impact, business resilience, cad design, consistency, covid recovery, dental, dental education, dental laboratory, dental marketing, dental sales, dental scanners, dental technology, digital dentistry, exocad, full arch restorations, greatlab lms, immediate load, instagram marketing, itero, lab growth, lab management software, lab ownership, lab systems, laboratory, lithium disilicate, medit, milling machines, peer referrals, photogrammetry, pmma, primescan, quality control, reliability, remote designers, study clubs, technician, technician training, vertical integration, voices from the bench, workflow automation, zirconia

Elvis and Barb sit down with London lab owner Michael Joseph, who shares his journey from scooter courier to fully digital lab owner, including the hard lessons learned through COVID, Brexit, and rebuilding from the brink. Michael breaks down how committing to digital workflows, automation, photogrammetry, and rock-solid protocols transformed his lab into a scalable, referral-driven business. This episode is a powerful reminder that reinvention, consistency, and smart systems—not shortcuts—are what drive long-term success in today’s dental lab world.