Voices from The Bench

Episode 435: Matt Everatt is Making the Invisible Profession Visible

July 27th, 2026  |  58 mins 50 secs

3d printing, 3d printing dentistry, adaptability, adapting to change, additive manufacturing, agile business, agile dental laboratory, ai and dentistry, ai dental technology, ai future, ai in dentistry, ai trends, airway appliances, airway health, amazon prime, anaplastology, anti-snoring devices, artificial ears, artificial eyes, artificial intelligence, artisan, artistry, artistry in dentistry, attention to detail, attracting technicians, audible, audiobook, audiobooks, author, barb, behind the restoration, behind the scenes, behind the smile, better future, better health, better patient outcomes, better sleep, bite splints, bleaching trays, blockbuster, book recommendation, book review, book writing, brand positioning, british dental technician, building a business, building teams, business agility, business book, business coach, business coaching, business disruption, business efficiency, business excellence, business exit, business growth, business identity, business innovation, 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bridge, custom appliances, custom dental appliances, customer expectations, customer service, delegation, dental artisans, dental business, dental cad cam, dental career, dental ceramics, dental community, dental conferences, dental expertise, dental healthcare, dental industry, dental industry author, dental industry history, dental industry networking, dental industry podcast, dental industry regulation, dental innovation, dental insurance, dental journalism, dental lab, dental lab acquisitions, dental lab book, dental lab business, dental lab entrepreneur, dental lab future, dental lab industry podcast, dental lab innovation, dental lab leadership, dental lab management, dental lab marketing, dental lab modernization, dental lab networking, dental lab owner, dental lab perspective, dental lab pricing, dental lab profitability, dental lab success, dental lab workflow, dental laboratory, dental laboratory business, dental laboratory communication, dental laboratory evolution, dental 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technicians, dental technology, dental technology advancements, dental technology education, dental technology future, dental technology innovation, dental technology inspiration, dental technology podcast, dental technology podcast episode, dental technology professionals, dental technology revolution, dental technology trends, dental technology worldwide, dental trade shows, dentist collaboration, dentist laboratory communication, dentist laboratory relationship, dentist technician relationship, dentures, developing technicians, differentiation, digital consumers, digital dental laboratory, digital dentistry, digital dentistry revolution, digital disruption, digital future, digital lab, digital transformation, digital workflow, disruptive technology, doctor technician communication, don't be blockbuster, education, efficiency, elevating dental technicians, elevating dental technology, elvis, embracing change, embracing opportunity, embracing technology, emerging technology, employee engagement, employee retention, employees as partners, empowering employees, entrepreneurial journey, entrepreneurial lessons, entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurship, evolving dental industry, excellence in dental technology, excellence in dentistry, exit strategy, facial prosthetics, fast turnaround, finding your niche, future of dental laboratories, future of dental technicians, future of dental technology, future of dentistry, future technicians, future-proof your lab, future-proofing, future-proofing dental labs, global dental industry, growing a business, growth mindset, growth opportunities, healthcare innovation, healthcare professionals, healthcare technology, helping patients, hidden profession, hiring technicians, history of dental technology, hope, hope for the future, hospital dental technology, hospital dentistry, hospital laboratory, illegal manufacturing, impact, improving lives, improving patient care, improving patient experience, independent dental lab, independent 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lovefilm, low-cost dentistry, making a difference, mandibular advancement devices, mandibular advancement splints, market disruption, marketing, marketing strategy, matt everatt, matt everatt interview, matthew everatt, maxillofacial prosthetics, maxillofacial surgery, maxillofacial technology, mentorship, milling, mindset, modern consumers, modern dental laboratory, modern dental technician, modern dental technician career, modern dental technology, motivation, motivational book, netflix, neurosurgery, new opportunities, next generation technicians, nhs dental laboratory, nhs dentistry, niche marketing, night guards, nonfiction, obturators, occlusal appliances, occlusal splints, ocular prosthetics, on-demand service, open laboratories, operational efficiency, opportunity, opportunity in dental labs, opportunity in dentistry, opportunity in technology, optimism, oral appliance therapy, oral appliances, oral health professionals, organizational growth, orthodontic appliances, orthodontic retainers, orthodontic technology, orthodontics, overcoming adversity, patient care, patient experience, patient impact, patient outcomes, patient-centered care, peer support, people management, people-first business, personal development, personal growth, personal journey, podcast conversation, podcast guest, positive business culture, positive culture, positive future, positive mindset, positivity, precision, premium dental laboratory, premium dentistry, premium pricing, premium service, premium turnaround, price competition, pricing strategy, pride in dental technology, pride in dentistry, pride in laboratory work, private dental laboratory, private dentistry, private equity, private ownership, process improvement, productivity, professional articles, professional book, professional challenges, professional community, professional development, professional evolution, professional excellence, professional growth, professional history, professional identity, professional 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sleep quality, snoring, snoring lab, snoring treatment, solutions for snoring, speaking out, specialization, specialized services, speed of service, staff development, staff retention, standing out, starting a business, starting a dental lab, startup strategy, storytelling, study models, successful dental businesses, successful dental labs, successful entrepreneurs, successful technicians, succession planning, sustainable business, sustainable growth, systemization, systemized business, talent acquisition, teaching hospitals, team building, team members, teamwork, technical excellence, technical expertise, technical skill, technician advocacy, technician collaboration, technician perspective, technician shortage, technician stories, technician visibility, technology adoption, technology and dentistry, technology future, technology trends, telling the story, the future is digital, the invisible profession, the invisible profession book, thought leadership, training technicians, 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Matt Everatt joins Elvis and Barb to talk about his incredible journey through the dental laboratory industry, from maxillofacial prosthetics and sleep apnea appliances to co-founding a successful dental lab and eventually writing The Invisible Profession. They dive into the challenges facing dental technicians, the dangers of becoming a "busy fool," and why embracing technology, standing out, and becoming a true clinical partner are essential for the future of the laboratory 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.

427: exocad Insights 2026 Part 1: Marjorie de Andrade, Dr. Dwight Pate, & Dr. Eimear O'Connell

June 1st, 2026  |  1 hr 8 mins

3d printing, aesthetics, ai crown design, ai dentistry, align, analog dentistry, articulation, articulator, brazil, cad cam, case planning, cbct, centric relation, ceramics, ceramist, chairside dentistry, clinician education, clinician perspective, clinician technician relationship, cloud workflow, collaboration, collaborative dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, crown and bridge, crown design, dawson, dental ai, dental artistry, dental collaboration, dental communication, dental education, dental events, dental evolution, dental excellence, dental future, dental implants, dental industry, dental influencer, dental innovation, dental innovation conference, dental lab, dental labs, dental materials, dental mentorship, dental networking, dental podcast, dental scanning, dental software, dental technician, dental technology, dental technology trends, diagnostic wax up, digital articulation, digital dentistry, digital dentistry evolution, digital dentures, digital models, digital occlusion, digital planning, digital planning workflow, digital prosthetics, digital smile workflow, digital transformation, digital treatment planning, digital workflow, education, education platform, esthetics, exocad, exocad hub, exocad insights, exocad on demand, exocad trainer, exoplan, freelance designer, full arch restoration, full mouth rehab, functional dentistry, germany, glazing, guided implant surgery, guided surgery, ids, implant dentistry, implant planning, implant restorations, implant workflow, implants, institute of digital dentistry, intraoral scanner, ireland, itero, lab communication, lab life, laboratory communication, laboratory workflow, lecture, mallorca, maryland bridge, mastering exocad, mentoring, mentoring technicians, milling, new zealand, occlusal design, occlusal vertical dimension, occlusion, online learning, pankey, patient care, patient communication, patient outcomes, printed models, prosthetics, prosthodontics, provisionals, remote design, removable prosthetics, restorative dentistry, restorative excellence, restorative workflow, scanner technology, scotland, semi adjustable articulator, smile creator, smile design, smile makeover, social media, spain, speaker, staining, tampa, teamwork, teamwork in dentistry, technician education, technician life, technology in dentistry, veneers, voices from the bench, wax up, workflow, workflow efficiency, workflow integration, workflow optimization

At exocad Insights 2026, three very different conversations all focused on how digital dentistry is transforming workflows and communication. Marjorie de Andrade talked about building a global freelance career through education and social media, while Dr. Dwight Pate shared an incredibly detailed workflow that blends traditional occlusion concepts with modern exocad design. The episode wraps with Dr. Eimear O'Connell discussing how digital tools are helping clinicians, labs, and patients work together better than ever—ultimately creating more predictable outcomes and happier smiles.

424: DLAT 2026 Part 1: Ortho Outlaws and Vulcanite Veterans with Jason Dyas & Jim Collis

May 11th, 2026  |  1 hr 16 mins

3d printing, 3shape, 3shape automate, aao, acrylic dentures, acrylic work, additive manufacturing, ai dentistry, ai design, ai orthodontics, ai workflow, analog dentistry, aos wire bender, appliance fabrication, articulators, automated design, automated wire bending, bay area, bench grinder, bridge design, build plate, california, cdt, certified dental technician, chicago midwinter, cloud storage, clyde, collins dental consulting, construction work, crown and bridge, crown and bridge technician, crown design, crozats, dental archives, dental artistry, dental automation, dental branding, dental cad, dental cam, dental collaboration, dental community, dental conferences, dental consulting, dental content creator, dental craftsmanship, dental design, dental education, dental education courses, dental entrepreneurship, dental equipment, dental equipment reviews, dental evolution, dental future, dental history, dental humor, dental industry, dental influencer, dental innovation, dental innovation community, dental instructors, dental lab, dental legacy, dental manufacturing, dental materials, dental mentorship, dental photography, dental podcast, dental printers, dental printing setup, dental r&d, dental reviews, dental safety, dental sales, dental scanning services, dental school, dental software, dental stories, dental teamwork, dental technician, dental technicians, dental technology, dental trade show, dental troubleshooting, dental videos, dental workflow, dental youtube, denture design, denture printing, denture repairs, denture workflow, dentures, desktop scanner, digital adoption, digital dentistry, digital dentures, digital lab, digital learning, digital models, digital ortho pros, digital orthodontics, digital scanning, digital transition, digital workflow, dlat, dlat 2026, dremel, dreve, entrepreneur, exocad, facebook, fax marketing, fep screen, fishing, frozen printer, future of dental labs, future of dentures, future of orthodontics, gaming generation, garage lab, germany, golf, hands-on course, harley davidson, harvest materials, hawley retainers, ids, implant dentistry, implant restorations, impressions, industry veteran, influencer marketing, instagram, jackson magnets, jason dyas, jim collis, knoxville, lab burnout, lab consulting, lab craftsmanship, lab culture, lab day west, lab management, lab networking, lab owner, lab startup, lab stories, lab technology, lab workflow, laser welder, linkedin, lodi, magnet overdentures, modern dental lab, monomer, naturalized denture bases, next generation labs, non-alcohol cleaner, northern california, online learning, order forms, org, ortho appliances, ortho lab, ortho outlaw, ortho technology, orthodontic appliances, orthodontic community, orthodontic lab, orthodontic lab pros, orthodontic lab solutions, orthodontic meetings, orthodontic resource group, orthodontics, orthodontists, photogrammetry, podcast guest, porcelain teeth, pre-magnets, print calibration, printer camera, printing resins, product reviews, removable dentistry, removable lab, removable prosthetics, resin heating, resin odors, resin printing, rhino cleaner, roi, sacramento, scanning, seo, social media marketing, social media merch, sonic xl, startup lab, stl files, stockton, stone models, storage sheds, study model scanning, sunstone laser welders, technology adoption, technology in dentistry, tennessee, traditional dental lab, transmandibular implants, triton college, trucking, voices from the bench, vulcanite dentures, wash and cure, wash station, wayne zaruba, wire bender, wire bending, workflow optimization, younger technicians, youtube education, youtube videos

Live from DLAT, this episode features two incredible conversations with Jason Dyas and Jim Collis. Jason shares how Ortho Outlaw grew from a garage ortho lab into a social-media-driven tech platform focused on digital workflows and wire-bending technology, while Jim reflects on 45 years in dental technology, teaching digital dentures, 3D printing, and the evolution from Vulcanite dentures all the way to photogrammetry.

423: Kent Kohli is Always in Pursuit of a More Excellent Way

May 4th, 2026  |  1 hr 9 mins

100-hour weeks, aacd, accreditation, accuracy, all-ceramics, analog to digital, anatomy, anterior aesthetics, artistry, boutique lab, bunsen burner, burnout, cad/cam, career growth, case planning, casting, ceramics, chairside experience, clinical education, coaching, communication, continuing education, contour, craftsmanship, creation porcelain, crown and bridge, crown council, dedication, dental ceramics, dental community, dental conventions, dental lab, dental school, dental technician, dental technology, dentist-technician relationship, digital dentistry, e.max, efficiency, efficiency vs artistry, electric waxer, empress 2, entrepreneurship, european technique, excellence, feldspathic veneers, finishing, full contour, giving back, global dentistry, hands-on training, high-end dentistry, hornbrook group, impressions, in-house lab, incisal edge, indirect bonding, industry giants, industry leaders, innovation, inspiration, ips empress, ivoclar, jensen, key opinion leader, kol, lab business, lab culture, lab day chicago, lab education, lab evolution, lab ownership, lab workflow, lab-to-clinic collaboration, layering, lifelong learning, liquid ceramics, materials science, mentorship, mentorship impact, metal frameworks, micro-layering, microscopes, microstar, milling, models, morphology, networking, next generation, noritake, occlusion, ortho lab, orthodontics, partnerships, passion, perseverance, pfms, plaster, platinum foil, polishing, posterior restorations, precision, pricing strategy, productivity, pursuit of excellence, quality over quantity, race to the bottom, refractory technique, servant leadership, shade matching, smile design, social media, startup lab, surface texture, symposiums, teaching, time management, trade school, vita, waxing, work ethic, workflow optimization, youtube learning, zubler

Kent Kohli shares how an unexpected path—from pre-dental student to passionate lab technician—led him to fall in love with ceramics and the artistry of dental technology. Guided by mentors and fueled by relentless self-education, he chose quality and growth over high-volume burnout, shaping a long, rewarding career. Now with Ivoclar, Kent is focused on giving back by helping bring hands-on education and foundational techniques to the next generation of technicians.

422: Renata Budny, Roberto Rossi, & Eugene Vega: The Never Ending Education in a Dental Lab

April 27th, 2026  |  1 hr 3 mins

3d printing, aesthetics, analog dentistry, anatomy, artistry, asiga, bench work, boutique lab, cad/cam, career development, career growth, career pathways, case acceptance, case planning, ceramics, city tech, collaboration, communication, continuing education, cosmetic dentistry, craftsmanship, crown and bridge, custom shade, dental, dental education, dental industry, dental lab life, dental materials, dental milling, dental printers, dental school, dental students, dental technician, dental technology, dentist relationships, dentures, diagnostic wax-up, digital dentistry, digital impressions, digital transition, digital workflow, efficiency, emax, employee culture, entrepreneurship, exocad, experience vs education, finishing, fixed prosthetics, full arch, future of dentistry, graduation, hands-on training, high-end lab, hiring, implant restorations, implants, impressions, industry challenges, innovation, lab efficiency, lab environment, lab growth, lab management, lab owner, lab perks, lab startup, lab to doctor, lab workflow, laboratory, layering, leadership, mentorship, mentorship in dentistry, milling, model work, morphology, motivation, new york city college of technology, occlusion, patient experience, polishing, porcelain, problem solving, production lab, productivity, prosthodontics, qc, quality control, removable, scaling a lab, scanning, shade matching, small business, smile design, synergy, team culture, teamwork, technician, technician retention, technician shortage, technology adoption, time management, training, troubleshooting, voices from the bench, wax-up, work ethic, work-life balance, workflow management, zirconia

Elvis reunites with Renata Bundy alongside lab owner Roberto Rossi and technician Eugene Vega for a conversation that connects education to real-world lab life. They share how technicians often start with little experience, face early challenges, and need the right mentorship and environment to grow. Roberto highlights building a quality-driven lab while navigating digital workflows, and Renata reflects on preparing students for those realities.

420: Seth Potter: Insight Into exocad Without Borders

April 13th, 2026  |  1 hr 12 mins

3d printing, analog workflow, automation, burnout, cad cam, cad designer, canada, clients, crown and bridge, dental, dental education, dental lab, dental mission trips, dental software, dental technician, dental technology, dentist father, digital dentistry, digital workflow, dominican republic, dropbox, efficiency optimization, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship journey, exocad, exocad insights, faith, family influence, freelancing, full arch, hustle, implants, indeed strategy, innovation, lab equipment, lab growth, laboratory, location freedom, milling, missionary dentistry, outsourcing, outsourcing design, paraguay, productivity, remote design, remote work, sailboat life, sailing, scaling, scanning, self taught, startup, systems, technician, travel, voices from the bench, wetransfer, work life balance, workflow efficiency

This week, we talk with Seth Potter, a dental technician living a truly unconventional life—splitting his time between Canada and Paraguay while running a remote design business. From growing up on a sailboat and assisting on missionary dental trips to teaching himself digital workflows, Seth shares how he built a career with exocad rooted in freedom and efficiency. He also dives into the realities of scaling, burnout, and why creating systems—not just working harder—is the key to long-term success.

413: Jay Collins: The Art of Aggressive Calming Sales for a Dental Lab

February 23rd, 2026  |  1 hr 11 mins

1099, 2008 crash, abundance mindset, accountability, acquisitions, aggressive calm, branding, china, cold calling, commission, consistency, construction, crown and bridge, customer service, deal fatigue, decision maker, dental, dental lab, door-to-door, entrepreneurship, family business, firing clients, front desk, gatekeeper, growth, implants, irish catholic, laboratory, leadership, legacy, margins, mergers, mindset, multi-location, office dynamics, outsourcing, persistence, philadelphia, pricing, private equity, prospecting, prosthodontics, psychology, quality, recession, relationship building, removable, retention, sales, sandler system, solution selling, steamfitters, technician, thedentalab.net, turnaround time, voices from the bench

Jay Collins shares his journey from a split Philadelphia family of steamfitters and dental technicians to becoming the bold, growth-driven leader behind thedentalab.net. After the 2008 crash forced him out of construction, he dove into dental lab sales with relentless cold-calling, developing his “aggressively calm” approach that challenges traditional lab-owner mindsets. This episode is a fast-paced, hilarious deep dive into sales psychology, growth through mergers, and why labs must treat sales as seriously as production if they want to survive and scale.

412: Matthew Douglas: The Fastest Hands in Texas and the story of the DLAT show

February 16th, 2026  |  1 hr 9 mins

affordable dentures, all-on-4, ambidextrous technician, analog workflows, barksdale dental lab, business systems, crown and bridge, dental, dental lab management, dental laboratory association of texas, dental meetings, denture setup, dentures, digital dentistry, dlat, full-arch, full-service lab, high-volume production, implant dentistry, industry networking, lab efficiency, lab growth, lab leadership, lab ownership, laboratory, live ce, outsourcing, regional manager, removables, state association, technician, technician training, voices from the bench, zirconia

Matthew Douglas shares his journey from a career-ending baseball injury to becoming a powerhouse denture technician, lab owner, and industry leader. From high-volume production at Affordable Dentures to pioneering All-on-4 workflows and revitalizing the Dental Laboratory Association of Texas, Matt’s story is all about speed, systems, and servant leadership. It’s a conversation about hustle, innovation, and building something bigger than yourself in the dental lab industry.