According to Dr. Ed McLaren, “Of all the zirconia’s he's tested, the optical properties of Ivoclar’s e.max zirconia are the closest to natural teeth.” (And I second that with everything I’ve see – if Barb does the read)

Discover what’s redefining the possibilities with IPS e.max Zirconia.

Join Dr. Ed McLaren for Zirconia Reimagined—an informative webinar exploring the latest advancements, clinical insights, and practical applications of zirconia in modern dentistry.

October 5th @ 7:00 pm. Register today at Vivalearning.com

As full-arch dentistry continues to grow, so do the demands on today's dental laboratories. That's why Knight Dental recently launched SimplyARCH Studio, a dedicated production environment built exclusively for full-arch restorations. To support this specialized workflow, Knight invested in an XTCERA milling system and carefully evaluated multiple CAM software solutions before choosing hyperDENT. The decision came down to exceptional milling quality, minimal hand finishing, and impressive production efficiency. But what truly set hyperDENT apart was the implementation process. From the very beginning, the team provided more than software training—they shared the knowledge and experience needed to build an optimized workflow for complex full-arch cases. With proven expertise in advanced milling strategies and laboratory production, hyperDENT helped ensure SimplyARCH Studio was designed for long-term success from day one.

This week we head across the pond to Leeds, England, for a conversation with Phil Reddington of Beever Dental Technology lab. Phil’s journey into dental technology is one of those stories that sounds completely made up until you hear him tell it. At 15 years old, Phil skipped school, wandered into a dental laboratory, and convinced them to give him a bench test. Armed with a scalpel and a bar of soap, he carved an ornate little bottle and somehow impressed them enough to land himself a job. From that accidental introduction to dentistry, Phil has spent more than 35 years learning, building, and evolving in the dental laboratory world.

Phil takes us through his early days working in the lab, learning ceramics and refractory techniques, and eventually taking over his own laboratory. As offshore competition began putting pressure on lab pricing, Phil and his wife made a conscious decision not to compete by simply becoming cheaper. Instead, they invested in equipment, education, and relationships with dentists who wanted to provide high-quality restorative and implant dentistry. That philosophy eventually helped transform the laboratory and allowed Phil to focus on doing the best work possible rather than chasing the lowest price.

A huge part of Phil’s story is the team he has built around him. We talk about what happens when a laboratory develops a blame culture, why people leave toxic work environments, and how changing that culture can completely change a business. Phil shares his approach to hiring for attitude, creating an environment where people can learn from mistakes, bringing educators into the lab for customized training, and giving his team opportunities to grow. He also talks about remaining fiercely independent when it comes to materials and techniques, allowing different technicians to use the systems that work best for them rather than becoming tied to a single manufacturer.

The conversation also dives deep into the technical side of the laboratory, including digital workflows, full-arch restorations, printed try-ins, implant solutions, and the different full-arch options Phil’s team provides. One of the highlights is the laboratory’s work with thimble bars, a restoration they have become known for and one that Phil considers their premium full-arch product. With a focus on repairability and long-term service, the lab even offers a lifetime guarantee on their thimble bar cases.

We also get into the business side of running a laboratory, including marketing through social media and word of mouth, setting realistic turnaround times, knowing when to say no to a case, and the importance of getting the information needed before starting a restoration. Phil explains why sometimes saying “no” is actually one of the most valuable tools a laboratory can have.

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LabNCloud — the operating system for dental labs. Built by techs, for techs.

Hey, listeners—ever wonder what Elvis is doing when he’s not recording Voices from the Bench?

He’s a client rep for Derby Dental Laboratory, out in the field every day doing chairside visits and building relationships. His job is simple—keep doctors happy and keep them coming back.

And he couldn’t do it without icortica.

Right from his phone, Elvis can see sales, remake rates, account notes, risks, and cross-sell opportunities—even before he walks through the door. No spreadsheets. No surprises. Just the info he needs to grow accounts.

Stop digging for data and start taking action.

Head to icortica.com and schedule your demo today.

Special Guest: Phil Reddington.

As full-arch dentistry continues to grow, so do the demands on today's dental laboratories. That's why Knight Dental recently launched SimplyARCH Studio, a dedicated production environment built exclusively for full-arch restorations. To support this specialized workflow, Knight invested in an XTCERA milling system and carefully evaluated multiple CAM software solutions before choosing hyperDENT. The decision came down to exceptional milling quality, minimal hand finishing, and impressive production efficiency. But what truly set hyperDENT apart was the implementation process. From the very beginning, the team provided more than software training—they shared the knowledge and experience needed to build an optimized workflow for complex full-arch cases. With proven expertise in advanced milling strategies and laboratory production, hyperDENT helped ensure SimplyARCH Studio was designed for long-term success from day one.Matt Everatt joins Elvis and Barb for a fascinating conversation that takes a deep dive into his journey through the dental laboratory industry and the story behind his book, The Invisible Profession. From discovering dental technology at 16 and specializing in maxillofacial prosthetics and orthodontics to working in hospitals, developing early sleep-apnea appliances, and nearly leaving the profession altogether, Matt's career has taken some seriously interesting turns. Eventually, he helped co-found S4S, building a successful business around sleep-apnea appliances, occlusal splints, orthodontics, and more before eventually stepping away from ownership.

From polishing hearing-aid earpieces to becoming the first female clinical dental technician to qualify in the UK, Caroline Kirkpatrick has taken a pretty incredible—and definitely unconventional—path through dental technology.

Caroline joins Barb and Elvis to talk about how a broken denture repair sign outside a dental laboratory sparked her interest in the industry, her early years learning crown and bridge, orthodontics, and working in a dental hospital, and how her curiosity pushed her to learn every side of the profession. Eventually, that curiosity led Caroline to become one of the first four technicians accepted into the UK’s pioneering clinical dental technology program in 2010.

But Caroline’s story doesn’t stop at the bench. She built her own laboratory, taught dental technology, treated patients clinically, raised a family, and continued pushing herself into digital dentistry. She shares how she experimented with early digital workflows, 3D printing, digital dentures, and eventually exocad—and why she believes the best digital workflow isn’t necessarily the fanciest one, but the one that actually works in the real world.

Caroline also talks about working with her sister and daughter in the family lab, the importance of exposing young technicians to different laboratories and workflows, and why sharing the mistakes you’ve made can sometimes be one of the best ways to help someone else learn. From Scotland to the world of digital dentures, this is a great conversation about curiosity, adaptability, education, and never being afraid to learn something new.

You know what's expensive in a dental lab? Most people would say the mill, but the real cost is downtime. When production stops, everything backs up—cases get delayed, technicians get frustrated, and customers start asking questions. That's why reliable equipment matters. Roland DGA's DGSHAPE DWX milling solutions are built for dependable production, helping labs stay on schedule and keep work moving day after day. Less downtime means fewer surprises and more time doing what your lab does best. And when your equipment is reliable, your customers notice the difference. Reliability isn't just a feature—it's the foundation of a successful lab. Visit rolanddental.com to learn more about Roland's DGSHAPE DWX milling solutions.

Special Guest: Caroline Kirkpatrick.

As full-arch dentistry continues to grow, so do the demands on today's dental laboratories. That's why Knight Dental recently launched SimplyARCH Studio, a dedicated production environment built exclusively for full-arch restorations. To support this specialized workflow, Knight invested in an XTCERA milling system and carefully evaluated multiple CAM software solutions before choosing hyperDENT. The decision came down to exceptional milling quality, minimal hand finishing, and impressive production efficiency. But what truly set hyperDENT apart was the implementation process. From the very beginning, the team provided more than software training—they shared the knowledge and experience needed to build an optimized workflow for complex full-arch cases. With proven expertise in advanced milling strategies and laboratory production, hyperDENT helped ensure SimplyARCH Studio was designed for long-term success from day one.

Join us at the Race For the Future 12 to raise money for the Foundation For Dental Laborary Technology. September 27th in Valley View, Texas!

https://dentallabfoundation.org/news-events/race-for-the-future/

Shawn Nowak from Nowak Dental Supplies joins Elvis and Barb to talk all things NOLA LabFest October 15-17th, including the welcome addition to the speaker lineup: martial arts instructor and business coach Jude Grayson. After Jude’s keynote at last year’s LabFest, the response was strong enough to bring him back for another keynote and a breakout session. The conversation starts with the obvious question: what the heck does a karate instructor know about the dental laboratory industry?

As Jude explains, quite a bit. Having practiced martial arts since he was five years old and built a career around teaching, competition, entrepreneurship, and business coaching, Jude draws a surprising number of parallels between martial arts and business. He talks about discipline, competition, confidence, risk, and his “five-year-old board break moment”—the idea that sometimes the ability to succeed is already inside us, and the right coach simply helps unlock it. He also explains how those lessons translate into working with business owners and helping them recognize opportunities they may not see themselves.

The conversation then turns toward one of the biggest challenges facing dental laboratories today: knowing when it’s time to pivot. With technology, AI, 3D printing, changing doctor workflows, and the evolving DSO landscape continuing to reshape the industry, Jude’s NOLA LabFest keynote will focus on how business owners can recognize when change is necessary, decide when to act, and understand the risks that come with being an early adopter. He also shares some great perspective on failure, competition, and why making a bad business decision doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve lost—the real loss comes when you stop competing altogether.

Shawn also gives us a look at what else is happening at NOLA LabFest, including education on AI, social media marketing, employee culture, DSOs, and other topics affecting dental laboratories right now. And, of course, there’s plenty of the NOLA LabFest fun mixed in, from the masquerade party and distillery tour to the return of Family Feud. It’s a conversation about business, leadership, taking risks, and finding ways to keep dental laboratories moving forward—and it all starts with a karate instructor walking into a dental show.

Special Guests: Jude Grayson and Shawn Nowak.

As full-arch dentistry continues to grow, so do the demands on today's dental laboratories. That's why Knight Dental recently launched SimplyARCH Studio, a dedicated production environment built exclusively for full-arch restorations. To support this specialized workflow, Knight invested in an XTCERA milling system and carefully evaluated multiple CAM software solutions before choosing hyperDENT. The decision came down to exceptional milling quality, minimal hand finishing, and impressive production efficiency. But what truly set hyperDENT apart was the implementation process. From the very beginning, the team provided more than software training—they shared the knowledge and experience needed to build an optimized workflow for complex full-arch cases. With proven expertise in advanced milling strategies and laboratory production, hyperDENT helped ensure SimplyARCH Studio was designed for long-term success from day one.Matt Everatt joins Elvis and Barb for a fascinating conversation that takes a deep dive into his journey through the dental laboratory industry and the story behind his book, The Invisible Profession. From discovering dental technology at 16 and specializing in maxillofacial prosthetics and orthodontics to working in hospitals, developing early sleep-apnea appliances, and nearly leaving the profession altogether, Matt's career has taken some seriously interesting turns. Eventually, he helped co-found S4S, building a successful business around sleep-apnea appliances, occlusal splints, orthodontics, and more before eventually stepping away from ownership.

This week on Voices From the Bench, we finally sit down with someone we’ve been wanting to have on the show for a LONG time—Philip Gold! Philip grew up in the dental laboratory, quite literally pulling teeth out of formaldehyde bottles in his father Raymond Gold’s lab in Atlanta. His father started the laboratory in 1946, and Philip eventually found himself following in those footsteps, although not without first taking a seven-year detour working for Williams Gold. That experience gave him the opportunity to visit laboratories all over the country, learn from some of the best in the industry, and see firsthand how different labs operated.
Philip eventually returned to the family laboratory in 1980 and began the process of taking over from his father. What followed was a career built around learning, adapting, building teams, and—most importantly—relationships. Philip shares what it was like stepping into a leadership role at a young age, earning the respect of experienced technicians, and learning that being a leader isn’t about knowing everything yourself, but understanding the work well enough to help the people around you succeed. He also talks about selling the laboratory to National Dentex with the goal of giving the business and its people an opportunity to continue growing, only to eventually find his way back into the laboratory world with By Design Dental Studio alongside his daughter Katie and Denise.

And if you know Philip, you know he’s never stopped learning. He currently holds six CDT certifications, including ceramics, crown and bridge, partials, implants, dentures, and digital. His story about preparing for the digital practical exam is a perfect example of his determination—his first practice run took seven and a half hours for an exam designed to be completed in just over five. So he reorganized, practiced again, changed his workflow, and eventually got it down to under five hours. And of course, Philip isn’t pursuing certifications just for himself. He wants to set an example, motivate the next generation of technicians, and encourage more people in the laboratory to continue learning.

We also get into the importance of customer service, why relationships are at the heart of this industry, and why sometimes the best thing a laboratory can do is simply pick up the phone and help. Philip shares his philosophy that when something goes wrong, you drop everything and make it right. We talk about giving back to the industry, the people who helped shape Philip’s career, and how the dental laboratory community has always been willing to share knowledge when you’re willing to ask. And yes… somewhere along the way we also hear the greatest “okey-doke” story in dental laboratory history.

Special Guest: Phillip Gold.

Then things shifted from mills to maintenance with Rebekah Serrago and Chris Wilson from Garland Dental Services. What started decades ago as a garage-based repair business fixing handpieces has grown into one of the industry’s best-kept secrets for equipment sales, service, and support. Rebekah shares the story of growing up folding flyers for her father’s repair company before eventually becoming CEO and expanding Garland into a massive online sales and service operation supporting everything from ovens to mills. Chris joins in to talk preventative maintenance, service certifications, keeping ancient ovens alive, and why labs desperately need dealers that actually understand the equipment they sell. It’s equal parts family-business story, repair shop wisdom, and hilarious behind-the-scenes dental lab banter.

Finally, the future officially arrived when the podcast crew sat down with Antoine Coppens from Relu and orthodontic lab owner Christian Saurman of New England Orthodontic Laboratory. What started as four engineering students experimenting with AI in Belgium somehow turned into fully automated dental workflows capable of designing surgical guides, night guards, models, and restorations in minutes. The conversation explores how AI is reshaping lab workflows, reducing manual design time, integrating directly into LMS systems, and even learning individual lab preferences. Christian explains how his custom-built orthodontic lab management system helped eliminate workflow chaos and automate huge portions of production, while Antoine gives a fascinating look into where dental AI is headed next. Between AI-generated appliances, automated scan checks, and self-learning workflows, this episode feels less like science fiction and more like a preview of what labs will look like over the next five years.

Special Guests: Antoine Coppens, Chris Wilson, Christian Saurman, Rebekah Serrago, and Tony Aliatim.

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.

From wire-bending machines and digital ortho workflows to Vulcanite dentures and photogrammetry, this episode from the DLAT floor is packed with stories, laughs, and a whole lot of dental lab wisdom.

First up, the crew sits down with Jason Dyas — better known these days as the man behind Ortho Outlaw and everyone’s favorite outlaw mascot, Clyde. Jason shares his journey from construction work and garage-built orthodontic appliances to running successful ortho labs and diving headfirst into digital technology. What started with fax-machine marketing and Walmart bench grinders eventually evolved into automated wire-bending machines, digital scanning, social media content creation, and a growing mission to help older labs embrace modern workflows instead of shutting their doors. The conversation covers everything from AI-driven ortho tech and the future of wire bending to building a brand, traveling to industry events around the world, and how Ortho Outlaw became one of the most recognizable new names in orthodontic lab social media.

Then the podcast catches up with longtime friend of the show Jim Collis for an incredible deep dive into 45 years of dental technology experience. Jim talks about teaching hands-on courses at DLAT, helping labs transition from analog workflows into digital dentures and 3D printing, and why education is still the key to success in modern dentistry. From discussing AI-assisted denture design and automated workflows to reminiscing about fixing Vulcanite dentures and the earliest days of implants, Jim delivers one amazing story after another. Along the way, he shares lessons from his CDT journey, the mentors who shaped his career, his passion for consulting and education, and why he still loves this industry after nearly five decades. It’s equal parts history lesson, technology discussion, and classic Voices From the Bench chaos — complete with Star Trek references, Slurpee stories, and enough off-topic tangents to make Barb proud.

Special Guests: Clyde, Jason Dyas, and Jim Collis CDT.