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.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.

DETAX has been making waves in the dental industry with 3D printing materials, and in this episode, Elvis and Barb sit down with Veronika Perrone from DETAX and Brandon Smith to talk about where digital dentistry is headed—and why flexible printed partials might be one of the most interesting developments yet.

Veronika shares her journey from Germany to the United States and her nearly 15 years with DETAX, while giving us a look at the company’s history, its roots in medical and audiology materials, and its growing presence in the dental market. Brandon brings the technician’s perspective, talking about his path through the lab world, Triad, Whip Mix, 3Shape, and eventually starting his own consulting and training business.

The conversation really gets interesting when they dive into DETAX’s flexible resin. Brandon explains how the material handles in the lab, from design and nesting to printing, post-processing, bonding and finishing. They discuss the chemical bond between the flexible base and denture tooth resin, the ability to design flexible partials from scans, and how the material can be used for everything from flexible partials and flippers to unilaterals and claspless appliances.

They also get into DETAX’s lineup of splint materials, printer validations, hands-on training courses, and what’s coming next—including retainer and aligner materials and additional crown shades. Whether you're already printing removable appliances or just wondering if it’s finally time to bring flexible partials into your digital workflow, this episode is packed with practical information, real-world experience, and plenty of dental-geek conversation.

Special Guests: Brandon Smith and Veronika Perrone.

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.

"LIVE" again at the 2026 DLAT meeting, two very different conversations came together around one common theme: the future of dental technology is still being shaped by passionate people willing to learn, teach, and adapt. First, the podcast catches up with returning guest Tiffany Prater from Destination Orthodontic Lab, who shares how her lab journey has evolved from running a large commercial space with employees to building a smaller, more personal business focused on private practices and hands-on craftsmanship. Alongside her is Sydney Ribera, a young technician discovering orthodontics through mentorship, creativity, and a fascination with bending wire and pouring colorful acrylic retainers. The conversation dives into the realities of learning ortho in today’s digital world, the importance of organizations like the Orthodontic Resource Group, and why mentorship still matters more than ever in a profession where most of the training happens shoulder-to-shoulder.

Then the crew sits down with Marlin Gohn from Argen to talk about everything from next-generation zirconia to massive dental labs in China and the surprisingly common mistakes labs make when choosing disc sizes for milling. Marlin breaks down Argen’s new gradient translucency zirconia, explains why nesting strategy matters more than most labs realize, and shares real-world troubleshooting tips that can save labs time, money, and remakes. The conversation also wanders through SLM frameworks, milled gold crowns, PFMs, translating lectures in China, and why some old-school techniques still outperform the newest trends.

Special Guests: Marlin Gohn CDT, Sydney Ribera, and Tiffany Prater CDT.