This year, we are thrilled to welcome back Renata Budny, our very first guest, alongside two inspiring students from the New York City College of Technology: Sevastiani Perselis and Rebca Nikedemos

The episode begins with Renata sharing her experiences over the past seven years, reminiscing about the first time she joined us at CDT Fest and how that moment sparked her journey with our podcast. This year, she brings along two remarkable students who have unique stories and backgrounds, each with a passion for dental technology.

Sevastiani, originally from Greece, shares her journey of moving to America at a young age with her family. She discusses the challenges of adjusting to a new culture and the differences in food and lifestyle. Sevastiani's determination led her to pursue her education in dental technology, where she found her calling. Her love for the craft shines through as she describes the joy of working in her father's dental lab and the satisfaction of seeing happy patients.

Rebca, on the other hand, comes from a lineage of dental professionals in Ethiopia. She recounts her family's history, with her grandfather being the first dental clinic owner in the country. This legacy inspired her to follow in their footsteps and pursue a career in dental technology. As a first-year student, Rebca shares her initial fears and the excitement of learning in a new environment. She emphasizes the importance of making mistakes as part of the learning process, a sentiment echoed by her peers.

Take it from Laura Prosser, the digital marketing manager for Ivoclar North America. She would like to invite you to start following them on Instagram. It's your chance to obtain exclusive updates on product announcements, industry news, upcoming educational events, and heartwarming stories about our local team and industry professionals. Let's get social together. Simply start following us on Instagram @Ivoclar.na. We'll see you there.

Are you a dental lab in need of more talent to improve your bottom line and keep production on schedule? Are you a dental tech with great skills but feel you're being limited at your current lab? Well, the answer is here and this is precisely why WIN WIN GO was created. The dental lab and dental tech community needed a place where labs and technicians can meet, talk about their needs and connect in ways that foster a win win outcome. As a tech. If you're ready to make a change, thinking about moving in the next year or just curious what's out there, sign up today. It's totally free. As a lab, you might be feeling the frustration of paying the big employment site so much and getting so few tech candidates. We understand they don't much care about our industry. WINWINGO.com is simply the best place for lab techs and lab owners to actively engage in creating their ideal future. WINWINGO.com, how dental techs find paradise.

Special Guests: Rebca Nikedemos, Renata Budny, CDT, TE, and Sevastiani Perselis.

Elvis and Barb cannot believe Voices from the Bench is still going after 6 years! We owe it all to the listeners, the sponsors, and of course the guests that make this podcast what it is. 6 years ago, one educator agreed to be our very first guest, not knowing that she would be coming back every year. Renata Budny is a professor in the Restorative Dentistry program at New York City College of Technologyand updates us on the school, how students find it, where they go after, and how as an industry we can help the school help the industry. This year, Renata brings on the podcast a recent graduate that has a unique story on why he signed up, Paul Beck. Paul talks about his experience in the program, what he learned, and why he decided to take his knowledge and social skills to Sierra Dental Tools.

Did you know that not all Zirconia is the same?

ZirCAD Prime Zirconia from Ivoclar is uniquely produced with Gradient Technology which allows two powders that normally sinter at different intervals, to be combined into one material which sinters uniformly. The manufacturing process not only optimizes the translucent properties but also creates a seamless progression of shade while maintaining optimal strength.

ZirCAD prime is now more affordable than ever and will give you results that your Dentists will notice! Contact your local Ivoclar Sales representative today to find out more about Prime and how Ivoclar can support your success! Tell them you heard it on the podcast and get a FREE Prime disc to try – just use promo code 723!

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.

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Join Elvis & Barb as Voices From the Bench goes international! On May 9th and 10th, the podcast will be recording at https://exocad.com/insights2024 on the beautiful Spanish island of Mallorca.

This is a fantastic educational event for all of you in the lab industry – and your clinical colleagues!

The international speaker line-up is top-notch.

There will be: keynote presentations from master dental technicians, digital experts, implant surgeons, lab owners, and more!

Exocad’s software experts will run hands-on sessions so you can get to know the latest releases…including DentalCAD 3.2 Elefsina…which was released recently.

Techs…. Do you have a problem with a design? Just bring your stl file and let the Application Specialists take a look at it.

Check out exocad.com/insights2024 to see the AMAZING line up of speakers and to register. Use promo code VFTB15 to save 15% off registration to what will be one of the greatest events of the year.

See you there!

Special Guests: Paul Beck and Renata Budny, CDT, TE.

DLAT Southwest Conference and Expo April 1 & 2: Dallas / Fort Worth Airport Mariott

Let's do the math. 52 weeks a year. 208th episode. Never missed a week. It's the 4th year anniversary of the podcast! Amazing we are still going and still loving every minute of it. And it wouldn't be a celebration unless we bring back our good friend that was on episode 1 and 52 and 156, Renata Budny. Renata leads the Restorative Dentistry program at the New York City College of Technology. Joining her is past student and now Professor Jamie Rubin. Jamie talks about getting into the program, her experiences going through the classes, and what it's like being in front of the students and working full time at an in-office lab. Renata updates us on what's happening with the school, dental technology education in general, and what we can do to help schools provide us the trained technicians that we need. We are never too cool for dental technology school.

Accreditation Standards for Dental Laboratory Technology Education Programs

List of CODA accredited schools

Whip Mix, known today for its digital equipment and materials, has been known for decades as a leader in occlusion products with its Whip Mix, Hanau, and Denar articulators and facebows.

The most popular of these is the Denar Mark 300 Series articulator. These popular semi-adjustable instruments are engineered for superior performance and tested thoroughly based on proven methodology. They bring a new standard of interchangeability with factory set accuracy within 20 microns. With their sleek, ergonomic design and powder-coated finish, these articulators have a contemporary look that’s as durable as it is aesthetically pleasing.

The Denmat Mark 320 articulator features Adjustable condylar inclination with 0 to 60,° and Progressive side shift fixed at 15°. The Denar Mark 300 comes complete with: Dust cover, 10 magnetic mounting plates, instructions and standard black carrying case.

Head over to Whipmix.com to order one today.

Is your lab in a position to take on new customers? Do you have the capacity to service more doctors? AmericaSmiles has helped hundreds of labs across the country to acquire new dental accounts.They're the biggest name in Dental Laboratory marketing. Don't waste time mailing and calling hundreds of doctors just to see poor results and hear overwhelming rejection. Let AmericaSmiles do all the heavy lifting for you. For just $195 a month, the AmericaSmiles One Voice program will help you skip to the front of the line. They'll prospect your local or target area, produce your creative marketing, and do all of the cold calling to leave you with extremely qualified appointments; guaranteed to help you find your ideal clients and grow your business.

Visit AmericaSmiles.net/One-Voice to learn more about how you can increase your lab's bottom line. Use promo code VOICESFROMTHEBENCH during checkout to qualify for a month-to-month agreement enabling you the freedom to cancel the marketing service any time! If you’d like to speak with an agent who can answer your questions about a time-tested, completely done-for-you approach to marketing, please call 708 279 9031. Join AmericaSmiles One Voice today - Getting new dentists to try your lab has never been easier.

Did you know that most inLab MCX5 users that have ordered burs from Gro3X once, keep on ordering Gro3X burs over and over again? Because Gro3X burs are engineered by some of the folks who have been providing burs to some of the largest US production labs for years.

Did you also know, that most Roland and DGShape users have no idea what they are missing out?

To give Roland and DGSHAPE users the opportunity to find out for themselves how good Gro3X burs work also for their machines, Gro3X is now offering a BUY 3, GET 2 BURS FREE special. This is exclusively for Voices From The Bench listeners.

Simply go to the Gro3X website at gro3x.com click on burs, then select Roland & DGSHAPE. Add five burs of your choice to your cart, click on CHECK-OUT, enter discount code B3G2Burs and check out.

Special Guests: Jamie Rubin and Renata Budny, CDT, TE.