Voices from The Bench

438: Shawn Nowak & Jude Grayson: What Does a Karate Guy Know About Dental Labs?

August 17th, 2026  |  1 hr 4 mins

3D printing, 3d printing dental laboratory, AI, Barb, Business growth, Leadership, Louisiana, New Orleans, Value, actionable advice, adaptability, adapting, adapting to technology, ai dental laboratory, ai in dental labs, ai in dentistry, artificial intelligence, automation, board breaking, breakout session, business adaptability, business challenges, business coach, business coaching, business coaching for dental labs, business decisions, business development, business education, business evolution, business failure, business growth strategy, business innovation, business leadership, business lessons, business lessons from karate, business mindset, business mindset for dental labs, business opportunities, business opportunity, business performance, business pivot, business planning, business resilience, business strategy, business success, business transformation, calculated risk, change for dental labs, change management, coach, coaching, coaching mindset, company culture, competing on value, competition, competition and business, competition mindset, competitive advantage, competitive business, competitive mindset, confidence, confidence building, continuing education, decision making, dental 3d printing, dental automation, dental business, dental business future, dental business podcast, dental ce, dental ce courses, dental conference, dental conference 2026, dental education, dental education 2026, dental education podcast, dental entrepreneurship, dental event, dental family business, dental industry, dental industry business, dental industry community, dental industry conference, dental industry disruption, dental industry education, dental industry events, dental industry future, dental industry innovation, dental industry leadership, dental industry networking, dental industry podcast, dental industry podcast episode, dental industry speakers, dental industry technology, dental industry trends, dental innovation, dental keynote, dental lab, dental lab ai, dental lab automation, dental lab business coaching, dental lab business education, dental lab challenges, dental lab community, dental lab education, dental lab education events, dental lab employees, dental lab entrepreneurs, dental lab entrepreneurship, dental lab events, dental lab future, dental lab growth, dental lab growth strategy, dental lab industry, dental lab innovation, dental lab innovation strategies, dental lab keynote, dental lab leadership, dental lab leadership coaching, dental lab leadership education, dental lab management, dental lab networking, dental lab networking events, dental lab operator, dental lab operators, dental lab operators conference, dental lab owner, dental lab owners, dental lab owners conference, dental lab pivot strategies, dental lab podcast episode, dental lab pricing, dental lab seminars, dental lab speakers, dental lab strategy, dental lab success, dental lab teams, dental lab technology, dental lab technology adoption, dental lab training, dental lab transformation, dental lab trends, dental laboratory, dental laboratory business, dental laboratory business owner, dental laboratory business strategy, dental laboratory community, dental laboratory conference, dental laboratory conference 2026, dental laboratory education, dental laboratory entrepreneur, dental laboratory event, dental laboratory future, dental laboratory future trends, dental laboratory growth, dental laboratory growth strategy, dental laboratory industry, dental laboratory innovation, dental laboratory leadership, dental laboratory management, dental laboratory networking, dental laboratory operator, dental laboratory owner, dental laboratory podcast, dental laboratory strategy, dental laboratory success, dental laboratory technology, dental laboratory trends, dental meeting, dental networking, dental podcast, dental professionals, dental professionals education, dental professionals networking, dental seminars, dental service organizations, dental speakers, dental supplies, dental supply company, dental supply industry, dental technician, dental technician conference, dental technician podcast, dental technician podcast episode, dental technicians, dental technologist, dental technology, dental technology conference, dental technology future, dental technology podcast, dental technology trends, dental trade show, dental vendor community, dental vendor education, dental vendors, differentiation, digital dental laboratory, digital dental technology, digital dentistry, digital workflow, digital workflow dentistry, discipline, disruption, dso, dso growth, dso relationships, dsos, early adopter, early adoption, elvis, emerging technology, employee culture, employee morale, empowerment, entrepreneur, entrepreneurial failure, entrepreneurial leadership, entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship in dentistry, evolving dental industry, evolving dental labs, execution, executive coaching, executive leadership, failure, family business, family business leadership, fighting analogy, finding opportunities, five year old board break moment, future of dental laboratory industry, future of dental labs, future of dental technology, future of dentistry, future proofing, future proofing your dental lab, future trends, growth for dental labs, growth mindset, identifying opportunities, industry challenges, industry change, industry disruption, industry evolution, industry networking, industry trends, innovation, innovation for dental labs, innovation in dentistry, innovation mindset, inspiration, jude grayson, jude grayson nola labfest, karate, karate and business, karate at dental conference, karate business lessons, karate instructor, karate teacher, keynote speaker, knowing when to pivot, laboratory growth, laboratory leadership, laboratory management, laboratory success, leadership coaching, leadership development, leadership for dental labs, leadership lessons from martial arts, leadership mindset, leadership transformation, learning from failure, lessons from martial arts, market competition, martial arts, martial arts and business, martial arts at dental conference, martial arts business lessons, martial arts instructor, martial arts mindset, martial arts teacher, mentorship, motivation, navigating change, new orleans dental, new orleans dental conference, new orleans dental laboratory, new orleans events, nola, nola conference, nola dental lab, nola events, nola lab fest, nola labfest, nola labfest 2026, nola labfest dental, nola labfest dental laboratory, nola labfest education, nola labfest keynote, nola labfest speakers, nowak dental, nowak dental supplies, nowak dental supplies nola labfest, organizational growth, overcoming challenges, perceived value, perseverance, persistence, personal development, pivot, pivot strategy, pivoting, pivoting in business, podcast, podcast episode, pricing, pricing strategy, problem solving, professional development, professional networking, race to the bottom, resilience, risk management, risk taking, shawn nowak, shawn nowak nola labfest, small business, small business growth, small business leadership, staying relevant, strategic leadership, strategic pivot, strategic planning, strategic thinking, strategy for dental labs, tactical strategy, taking action, taking chances, taking risks, team building, team development, team leadership, technology, technology adoption, technology for dental labs, technology trends, thriving dental laboratory, thriving in dentistry, unconventional business lessons, unconventional speaker, unexpected dental speaker, unlocking potential, unlocking success, voices from the bench, voices from the bench podcast, voices from the bench podcast episode, winning, workplace culture

Shawn Nowak from Nowak Dental Supplies joins Elvis and Barb to talk about NOLA LabFest and the unexpected connection between martial arts and the dental laboratory industry with speaker Jude Grayson. They discuss leadership, business, knowing when to pivot, and how lessons from competition and martial arts can help lab owners navigate a rapidly changing industry. Plus, Shawn gives a preview of what’s coming to NOLA LabFest, including education, networking, and plenty of New Orleans fun.

437: Phillip Gold: The Gold Standard of Dental Technology

August 10th, 2026  |  1 hr 4 mins

3D printing, Barb, Business growth, Leadership, Learning, account management, account retention, ai education, ai for dental technicians, ai in dentistry, ai learning, analog dental laboratory, analog dentistry, artificial intelligence, barb and elvis, behind the scenes dental lab, business development, business relationships, business succession, business transition, by design, by design dental studio, cal lab, career development, career longevity, casting, cdt, cdt certification, cdt exam, cdt exam preparation, ceramic technician, ceramics, ceramics cdt, certification advocacy, certification preparation, certified dental technician, chatgpt, client relationships, client retention, clinical excellence, color science, continuing education, corporate dental laboratory, corporate dentistry, crown and bridge, crown and bridge cdt, crown and bridge technician, customer relationships, customer service, customer service philosophy, decades in dentistry, decades in the dental lab, dental ai, dental anatomy, dental anatomy and occlusion, dental artistry, dental associations, dental boards, dental business, dental business development, dental cad, dental cad cam, dental cam, dental career, dental career story, dental casting, dental ceramics, dental certification, dental certification exam, dental certification study, dental community, dental community support, dental conferences, dental craftsmanship, dental diagnostics, dental education, dental education community, dental education history, dental entrepreneur, dental entrepreneurship, dental equipment, dental exam preparation, dental excellence, dental family, dental family business, dental history, dental history stories, dental industry, dental industry career, dental industry community, dental industry education, dental industry history, dental industry leadership, dental industry legacy, dental industry mentorship, dental industry networking, dental industry podcast, dental industry relationships, dental industry stories, dental industry veteran, dental innovation, dental innovation history, dental lab, dental lab acquisition, dental lab culture, dental lab customer service, dental lab education, dental lab equipment, dental lab history, dental lab management, dental lab owner, dental lab ownership, dental lab podcast, dental lab quality control, dental lab relationships, dental lab stories, dental laboratory, dental laboratory business, dental laboratory career, dental laboratory certification, dental laboratory community, dental laboratory education, dental laboratory equipment, dental laboratory expert, dental laboratory growth, dental laboratory history, dental laboratory innovation, dental laboratory leadership, dental laboratory legacy, dental laboratory owner, dental laboratory podcast, dental laboratory sales, dental laboratory standards, dental laboratory stories, dental laboratory team, dental laboratory veteran, dental laboratory workflow, dental leadership, dental legacy, dental manufacturing, dental manufacturing technology, dental materials, dental materials history, dental meetings, dental mentoring, dental mentors, dental mentorship, dental milling, dental milling workflow, dental mills, dental networking, dental offices, dental organizations, dental podcast, dental podcast interview, dental podcasts, dental practice, dental practice relationships, dental printers, dental production, dental production workflow, dental professional, dental professionalism, dental professionals, dental prosthetics, dental quality, dental quality control, dental restorations, dental sales, dental tech podcast, dental technician, dental technician career, dental technician certification, dental technician community, dental technician expert, dental technician life, dental technician mentorship, dental technician podcast, dental technician stories, dental technician study tools, dental technology, dental technology community, dental technology education, dental technology evolution, dental technology exam, dental technology podcast, dental technology veteran, dental training, dental veteran, dental wax-up, dental waxing, dental work ethic, dental workflows, dentist, dentist relationships, dentists, denture technician, dentures, dentures cdt, diagnostic wax-up, diagnostics, digital cdt, digital certification, digital dental laboratory, digital dentistry, digital practical exam, digital technician, digital workflow, doctor relationships, e.max, elvis, empress, evolution of dentistry, experienced dental technician, experienced technician, family business, family business succession, family in dentistry, family laboratory, family legacy, family-owned laboratory, father and daughter, father and son, first one in last one out, generational business, giving back, gold alloy, gold dentistry, gold work, history of dentistry, implant dentistry, implant technician, implants, implants cdt, independent dental laboratory, industry camaraderie, industry involvement, industry leadership, industry mentors, industry networking, ivoclar, jacket crowns, knowledge sharing, lab management, lab sales, laboratory acquisition, laboratory culture, laboratory entrepreneur, laboratory growth, laboratory history, laboratory leadership, laboratory legacy, laboratory management, laboratory operator, laboratory ownership, laboratory relationships, laboratory stories, laboratory succession, laboratory team, laboratory transition, learning from experience, learning from mentors, legacy business, life in the dental lab, lifelong learning, lifetime in dental laboratory, lifetime in dentistry, master cdt, master dental technician, master technician, mentorship, milling, nadl, national board for certification, national dentex, nbc, ndx, next generation, next generation dental technicians, occlusion, oral arts, partial dentures, partials cdt, pfm, philip gold, philip gold cdt, philip gold dental laboratory, philip gold dental technician, philip gold interview, philip gold podcast, porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, practical exam, professional certification, professional development, professional growth, professional legacy, professional networking, professional standards, prosthodontics, quality control, quality dentistry, raymond gold, relationship business, removable prosthetics, restorative dental technology, restorative dentistry, sales, sharing knowledge, six cdt certifications, six certifications, skills development, study for cdt, succession, succession planning, supporting technicians, team building, technical excellence, technician advocacy, technician development, technician education, technician leadership, technician stories, troubleshooting, voices from the bench, voices from the bench podcast, wax-up, williams gold, williams gold refining company, work ethic

This week we sit down with Philip Gold to hear the incredible story of growing up in a dental laboratory, taking over his family’s lab, and building a career centered around relationships, education, and giving back to the industry. Philip shares stories from his journey, the evolution of dental technology, and what drove him to earn an impressive six CDT certifications—including digital. It’s a great conversation about family, legacy, leadership, and the people who make this industry so special.

Episode 431: exocad Insights 2026 Part 5: Beth Collington, Josh Jakson, & Robert Norton

June 29th, 2026  |  56 mins 10 secs

3d design, 3d modeling, CAD/CAM, 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, 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.

415: Lab Day Chicago 2026 (& Cal-Lab) Part 1 with Jeff Stronk, April Newell, & Joey Hunter

March 9th, 2026  |  1 hr 16 mins

additive manufacturing, analog dentistry, april newell, cal-lab, cal-lab 100, chrome cobalt, dental, dental 3d printing, dental business growth, dental career paths, dental craftsmanship, dental frameworks, dental industry trends, dental innovation, dental lab leadership, dental lab management, dental lab owners, dental laboratory, dental manufacturing, dental meetings, dental technician, dental technology, denture finishing, denture waxing, dentures, digital dentistry, implant bars, industry networking, jeff strock, joey hunter, lab day chicago, lab education, lab workflow, laboratory, metal printing, night guards, orthodontic appliances, partial dentures, peer-to-peer learning, removable prosthetics, resin printing, technician, technician skills, titanium printing, tooth setup, voices from the bench, wire bending

At the 100th anniversary meeting of the Cal-Lab Association, Elvis talks with Jeff Stronk about a successful first day filled with great speakers, strong attendance, and meaningful peer-to-peer conversations between lab owners. He also chats with April Newell about the rapid growth of dental 3D printing and how metal and resin printing are expanding what labs can produce. Finally, longtime technician Joey Hunter shares her 30-year journey in removables and her experience attending LMT Lab Day Chicago 2026 for the first time.

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.