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.

What happens when you combine a family-run software company, decades of dental laboratory experience, and a mission to make labs run smarter? You get Magic Touch Software. In this episode, Elvis sits down with Dan Sinclair and Amir Bagheri to dig into the history, philosophy, and technology behind Magic Touch and find out why they believe a laboratory management system should do a whole lot more than just track cases through production.

Dan shares his unexpected journey back to Magic Touch after leaving the company, while Amir takes us all the way back to the 1990s and the origins of the software, including how his father, Gary, helped develop what would eventually become the foundation of Magic Touch through his work with Glidewell. The conversation dives into the evolution from production-focused LMS platforms to complete business management systems that bring customer management, accounting, inventory, automation, digital case entry, integrations, reporting, and production workflows together in one place.

We also get into one of the biggest challenges facing modern dental labs: digital case entry and the ever-growing pile of scanner portals and inboxes. Amir and Dan explain how Magic Touch can automate that process, reduce manual entry, minimize missed cases and errors, and give lab teams more time to actually work on cases instead of hunting them down. And if you've ever wondered how much time and money a lab can lose by having a collection of disconnected systems, this conversation makes a pretty compelling case for consolidation.

But perhaps the biggest theme of the episode is that Magic Touch doesn't want to be just another software vendor. Their approach is built around implementation, consultation, process improvement, and helping labs understand what they actually want their business to look like before configuring the system to get them there. From breaking old habits to building super users, testing changes before they go live, and using data to identify where a lab needs to improve, the goal is to create a system that grows and changes with the business.

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.

Dental lab owners and managers — are you spending too much time chasing paperwork, checking portals, tracking cases, and answering doctors asking, “Is my crown done yet?”

You didn’t start a dental lab to become a full-time paperwork wrangler. LabNCloud is the all-in-one, cloud-based platform built by techs, for techs, with 90+ features to streamline your entire lab — from case tracking and invoicing to shipping, time tracking, doctor portals, and automatic digital file routing.

Stop managing chaos and start managing your lab. Visit LabNCloud.com to book your free personalized demo. And mention “Elvis is Handsome” to get your first month free.

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

Special Guests: Amir Bagheri and Dan Sinclair.

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, Elvis and Barb are coming to you from the FDLA Symposium at the GPS Digital RPD booth with two conversations that prove one thing: dental technology never stops evolving. First up, Chris Bradley from SmileLine USA returns to the podcast alongside technician, educator, and lab owner Richard Wodzinski, with Dawn Roniger from GC America joining the discussion. What starts as a conversation about "sexy brushes" quickly turns into a deep dive into one of the most intriguing shade-matching workflows you'll hear about. Richard explains how the OptiShade camera and Matisse software work together to create incredibly accurate shade recipes for everything from monolithic zirconia to layered ceramics and even gingiva. They also discuss the latest Creation Magic Color system, hands-on education, custom shade appointments, and why reducing remakes isn't just good for labs—it's better for doctors and patients too. Add in some FDLA leadership talk and a shared passion for education, and you've got a conversation packed with practical ideas and plenty of laughs.

Then Elvis and Barb sit down with Kaveh Shams, Branch Manager for Zirkonzahn Canada, whose journey into digital dentistry spans London, Italy, and Canada. Kaveh shares how his admiration for Enrico Steger and Zirkonzahn eventually led to his dream job, while also offering a fascinating look into the company's history, philosophy, and commitment to education. From the origins of Exocad and custom CAM strategies to modular milling systems, open architecture, and Zirkonzahn's incredible Military School program that trains the next generation of technicians, this conversation is full of insight into what makes one of dentistry's most respected digital companies tick. It's an inspiring story of passion, persistence, and why great technology always starts with great technicians.

Special Guests: Chris Bradley, Dawn Roniger ​​​​, Kaveh Shams, and Rich Wodzinski.

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.

While at Exocad Insights in Mallorca, Elvis and Barb sit down with Beth Collington, President of Exocad America, to talk about the growth of digital dentistry and how Exocad continues to evolve to meet the needs of technicians, laboratories, and clinicians. Beth shares her thoughts on education, accessibility, and the importance of creating tools that help bring more people into digital workflows while maintaining the flexibility that has made Exocad a favorite throughout the industry.

Then Josh Jakson and Robert Norton join the podcast to discuss their roles as Exocad educators, trainers, and laboratory professionals. The conversation covers some of the biggest announcements from Exocad Insights, including AI Crown, Crown Finalization, and ExoHub, and what these developments could mean for the future of laboratory workflows. They also share how real-world production experience influences the way they teach, why Exocad's flexibility remains one of its greatest strengths, and how the software is being used for everything from high-volume crown production to custom grills, jewelry, and even automotive parts. It's a fun conversation filled with practical insight, industry perspective, and a glimpse into where digital dentistry is headed next.

Special Guests: Beth Collington, Joshua Jakson, and Robert Norton.