Walking the Lab Day Chicago floor? Make it worth it.

Stop by the FOLLOW-ME! hyperDENT booth (E-27, East Hall) and take part in their Milling Roadmap—a quick, scavenger-hunt-style activity that leads you to key milling partners like Axsys, Imagine, DOF, and Roland.

Collect stamps at booths you’re likely visiting anyway and get entered to win some great giveaways—including this year’s grand prize: a foldable Honda electric scooter.

You’re already walking the floor. Now it might carry you.

Come see and talk to Elvis and Barb at all these amazing shows coming up in 2026*

• Cal-Lab Association Meeting in Chicago Feb 19-20 https://cal-lab.org/
• LMT Lab Day Chicago Feb 19-21 https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday
• Dental Lab Association of Texas Meeting in Dallas Apr 9-11 https://members.dlat.org/
• exocad Insights in Mallorca, Spain Apr 30 - May 1 https://exocad.com/insights-2026

This week Elvis and Barb sit down with Helen Tanaka — a removable, implant, and digital workflow specialist whose career started in one of the most relatable ways possible: as a dental lab driver. What began as a job delivering cases quickly turned into a full-blown passion once she stepped inside the lab and saw what technicians were creating. From trimming dies and waxing copings to managing labs, supporting implant surgeries, teaching doctors chairside, and leading removable and implant teams, Helen shares a journey built on curiosity, persistence, and a deep drive to understand the why behind everything in dental technology.

Helen talks about working her way through crown and bridge fundamentals before discovering her true passion in removables, dentures, implants, and occlusion. After getting real-world lab experience, she attended dental technology school, studied all six specialties, and continued expanding her knowledge through advanced occlusion training and continuing education. She explains why understanding morphology, materials, and occlusal principles is critical — especially today — and why technicians must know more than just the steps of fabrication. For Helen, dentures and implant prosthetics offer the ultimate puzzle, combining anatomy, function, and problem-solving in ways that keep her constantly engaged.

The conversation dives deep into digital dentistry, guided surgery, and removable workflows, with Helen sharing her early experiences launching digital denture and sleep appliance programs long before the workflows were polished. She discusses digital record capture, stackable surgical guides, implant planning, photogrammetry, and where digital still needs improvement — especially for removable prosthetics. While she embraces technology, she stresses that software is only as good as the technician behind it, and that skipping fundamentals creates bigger problems later. Digital is powerful, but it doesn’t replace understanding.

Education is a major theme throughout the episode. Helen regularly teaches doctors and technicians, speaks at courses, supports live implant conversions, and works with dental students. She emphasizes that many clinicians today lack confidence in dentures and removable workflows, often because fundamentals are under-taught, and she sees technicians as essential partners in closing that gap. She and the hosts discuss how removable cases are frequently rushed, underpaid, and misunderstood — even though they replace a critical body function — and why slowing down, capturing correct records, and returning to basics solves many of the “mystery” failures labs see every day.

Helen also shares stories from her time with large organizations and clinical teams, including MicroDental, ClearChoice, Arklign, and implant education centers, where she has worked in technical service, management, training, and quality oversight roles. She talks about networking, mentoring, never burning bridges, and investing in people coming up in the industry. Her approach to both dentistry and life centers around curiosity and accountability — always asking why, always backing decisions with data, and always trying to do the right thing even when no one is looking.

Throughout the episode, the energy stays fun and honest, with stories about speeding delivery runs, early digital growing pains, chairside save-the-case moments, and the reality of fixing cases that skipped key steps. Helen brings passion, technical depth, and a strong belief that knowledge should be shared, not guarded. It’s a conversation about growth, fundamentals, digital evolution, and why great technicians still matter more than ever.

If you want to grow your business, you need clear insight into what’s happening inside your operation and across your customer journey. That’s where Icortica comes in.

At Canadian Dental Labs, Icortica has become a cornerstone of how we operate—giving us at-a-glance visibility into performance, helping us focus our efforts, spot opportunities early, and solve problems before they grow. It takes the guesswork out of decision-making and shows us what to do next.

Plus, the Icortica team is incredibly responsive and feels like a true partner in our success.

If you’re serious about growing your business and understanding your customers better, Icortica can get you there. Learn more at icortica.com/voices — Icortica, helping dental labs grow.

Join us at exocad Insights 2026, happening April 30–May 1, 2026, on the stunning island of Mallorca, Spain. This two-day event features powerhouse keynotes, hands-on workshops, live software demos, and top-tier industry showcases—all in one unforgettable setting.

Barb and Elvis will be on site bringing you exclusive interviews, plus don’t miss the FIRST 5k run on the coast! And of course, cap it all off with the legendary exoGlam Night under the stars.

Tickets are limited. Visit exocad.com/insights-2026 and use code VFTBPalma15 for 15% off.

Special Guest: Helen Tanaka.

Walking the Lab Day Chicago floor? Make it worth it.

Stop by the FOLLOW-ME! hyperDENT booth (E-27, East Hall) and take part in their Milling Roadmap—a quick, scavenger-hunt-style activity that leads you to key milling partners like Axsys, Imagine, DOF, and Roland.

Collect stamps at booths you’re likely visiting anyway and get entered to win some great giveaways—including this year’s grand prize: a foldable Honda electric scooter.

You’re already walking the floor. Now it might carry you.

We welcome back longtime friend of the podcast John Wilson of Sunrise Dental Lab, returning for the first time since 2021—and this time as a fellow podcaster himself. What starts as a warm reunion quickly turns into a deep, honest conversation about passion, purpose, integrity, and what it really takes to survive (and stay sane) in today’s dental lab world.

John reflects on the evolution of his lab, sharing why he made the intentional decision not to chase endless growth, but instead to protect his team, his values, and his love for the craft. He talks candidly about “yesterday thinking,” adapting to digital dentistry without abandoning fundamentals, and why aligning with the right clients—not just more clients—changed everything.

The discussion dives into what true lab–doctor partnerships look like, why trust is earned (not given), and how saying “no” can sometimes be the most powerful business decision you make. John also explains why single units matter just as much as full-arch cases, how education keeps technicians relevant, and why racing to the bottom on price is a losing game.

Later, the conversation turns personal as John shares the inspiration behind his new solo podcast, Margins & Meaning—a storytelling-driven project created to document his journey, connect with technicians who feel alone, and leave something meaningful behind for the next generation. He opens up about legacy, creativity, fear, change, and why being heard matters just as much as having something to say.

Join us at exocad Insights 2026, happening April 30–May 1, 2026, on the stunning island of Mallorca, Spain. This two-day event features powerhouse keynotes, hands-on workshops, live software demos, and top-tier industry showcases—all in one unforgettable setting.

Barb and Elvis will be on site bringing you exclusive interviews, plus don’t miss the Women in Dentistry Lunch, celebrating career growth, wellbeing, and the real stories shaping our profession. And of course, cap it all off with the legendary exoGlam Night under the stars.

Tickets are limited. Visit exocad.com/insights-2026 and use code VFTBPalma15 for 15% off.

Special Guest: John Wilson.

MICRONMAPPER from SIN360: https://sin360.us/micronmapper/

This week we chat with the hilarious and inspiring Will Varda, a second-generation dental technician, lab owner, and president of the Dental Technicians Association of BC.

Will takes us on an incredible journey from his father’s early days crafting crowns for Iranian royalty — complete with goat-horn hammers and plaster impressions — to the modern world of digital design, milling, and 3D printing. Along the way, he shares stories of growing up in a lab, learning every step the hard way, and how a Facebook study group and a few friends completely changed the course of his career.

He also talks about the importance of community in the lab world, the balance between art and obsession, and how the right attitude (and maybe a little wine in a furry purse) can make even the toughest lab days a little brighter.

Now leading the charge in his province, Will is bringing technicians together — literally — with the first-ever Dental Boat Cruise, where hhe taught about digital fundamentals through his “recipe for design” approach. From scones to splines, Will explains how mastering the basics can give you true digital freedom no matter what software you use.

Looking for a way to unlock the full potential of your digital dentistry workflow. Take it from Elise Heathcote, associate manager of digital services with Ivoclar. This is all about the Cam Academy. They have a new in-person training experience designed specifically for dental technicians. This hands-on course explores the full potential of programmable Cam software, helping you take your digital workflow to the next level. Learn directly from Ivoclar experts, refine your skills and bring new precision and efficiency to your lab. Cam Academy is more than a course. It's your next step in digital excellence. To reserve your spot, visit the Ivoclar Academy website or contact your local Ivoclar sales representative today.

Special Guest: Will Varda.

Is the debate still going on for digital dentures? It is here and there is no going back. So as we move forward, how are we going to make sure that they are still done correctly? This is exactly what a dental technician and dentist are setting out to do. Robert Kreyer is an icon in the world of removables. From analog to the very first digitally manufactured denture, Robert has seen it all. Dr. Stephen Wagner has been doing removables for years and has embraced digital early in it's life. Together they talk about how digital dentures have evolved over time, the importance of knowing and using the fundamentals, and how the ultimate goal of digital dentures needs to be better and not faster.

Bigjawbone.com

Don't miss this incredible webinar with Tanya Little, a dentist from beautiful Vancouver, Canada. We would like to invite you to a special webinar that she's hosting with Ivoclar and LMT on Wednesday, May 7th, titled "Reflections from a Denturist: 20 Years of Crafting Dentures!". In this program, she will review the incredible history of removables with Ivoclar and focus on the new and exciting evolution based print resin and of course, the PM7. Her goal is to provide you with several key takeaways that will allow you to work smarter and not harder. You can join on May 7th by registering at https://lmtmag.com/webinars/reflections-from-a-denturist-20-years-of-crafting-dentures

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: Dr. Stephen Wagner and Robert Kreyer CDT.

The UP 3D P5 milling maching from Aurident is a 5 axis, efficient, dry mill. Great for milling zirconia, PMMA and wax. It boasts software that produces high precision and fast milling. It can mill a crown in 14 minutes and the tool life yields about 60-80 hours of quality restorations. A game changer for labs of all sizes, big and small. For under $20K, a small lab can now do their own milling instead of outsourcing and reducing their profits. Quite impressive! Give Aurident a call at 800-422-7373 or you can visit their website at aurident.com.

Whip Mix adds VeriCast OS Burnout Resin to its growing family of Print Resins.

VeriCast OS prints detailed crowns, bridges, substructures, and RPD frameworks accurately, smoothly, is durable, and burns out cleanly. Margins fit precisely for easy finishing after casting or pressing, and its red color makes it easy to see detail.

Not sure it’ll work with your printer? Don’t worry. VeriCast OS Resin is versatile. It works with LCD and DLP printers in both 385nm and 405nm wavelengths.

For optimal results, use Whip Mix ResinVest, which is a phosphate investment made specifically for burning out printed or milled resin patterns. For more information, visit whipmix.com.

Special Guest: Steffen Rohrbach ZT.