Voices from The Bench

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

June 29th, 2026  |  56 mins 10 secs

3d design, 3d modeling, 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, cad/cam, 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.

430: exocad Insights 2026 Part 4: Dr. Zhiqiang Luo, Alyson Bravo, & Tobias Specht

June 22nd, 2026  |  1 hr 7 mins

analog skills, ann arbor, bite finder, brazil, cad/cam, career development, career journey, case planning, china, clinical faculty, clinical instructor, clinical scientist, clinician, clinicians, collaboration, communication, community, community building, conference highlights, continuing education, countryside of brazil, cross-functional collaboration, customer feedback, customer support, customer-driven development, data acquisition, dental care, dental conference, dental convention, dental craftsmanship, dental designer, dental ecosystem, dental education, dental industry, dental innovation, dental lab, dental laboratory, dental leadership, dental manufacturing, dental materials, dental professionals, dental software, dental students, dental technology, dentures, design software, digital adoption, digital center, digital communication, digital dentistry, digital dentures, digital future, digital solutions, digital transformation, digital workflow, dream trip, education, education and training, education programs, event experience, exhibition hall, exocad, exocad insights 2026, exocad reseller, fixed restorations, fixed workflows, friendships, future clinicians, future of dentistry, glam night, global connections, global dentistry, global travel, hands-on learning, hong kong, ids, ids germany, implementation, industry partnerships, industry trends, innovation, innovation culture, innovation pipeline, inspiration, international attendees, international dental community, ivoclar, ivotion, keynote, laboratory communication, laboratory excellence, laboratory owner, laboratory partnerships, laboratory workflow, learning, lectures, lifelong learning, majorca, mallorca, mentorship, milling, motivation, networking, paraguay, paraná, passion for dentistry, podcast community, podcast listener, presentations, problem solving, product development, product integration, product launches, professional growth, professional inspiration, professional networking, prosthetics, remote design, removable prosthetics, removable workflows, restorative dentistry, restorative solutions, scanners, self-taught, siosp, social media, software integration, software training, spain, speaker, são paulo, teamwork, technician, technician training, technicians, technology adoption, technology leadership, training, travel, university of michigan, user feedback, voices from the bench, work ethic, workflow efficiency, workflow integration, workflow optimization, workflow refinement

This week from exocad Insights 2026 in Mallorca, Elvis and Barb sit down with Dr. Zhiqiang Luo to discuss how dental education is evolving alongside rapidly advancing digital workflows and why strong analog fundamentals still matter. They also meet Alyson Bravo, a dental technician from Brazil whose journey to the event highlights the power of digital dentistry, global connections, and lifelong learning. Rounding out the episode, Tobias Specht from Ivoclar shares insights into the company's latest innovations, its ongoing collaboration with exocad, and how customer feedback continues to shape the future of digital dental technology.

428: exocad Insights 2026 Part 2: Pinhas Adar, Javier Perez Lopez, & Dora Rodrigues

June 8th, 2026  |  1 hr 4 mins

advanced dentistry, advanced workflow, aesthetic cases, aesthetics, analog artistry, analog skills, analog workflow, arkansas, artistry, atlanta, bite adjustment, cad/cam, ceramics, ceramist, certified trainer, chairside conversion, collaboration, continuing education, conversions, craftsmanship, custom prosthetics, customization, dental accuracy, dental artistry, dental cad, dental collaboration, dental communication, dental community, dental craftsmanship, dental design, dental education, dental events, dental excellence, dental family, dental future, dental industry, dental innovation, dental innovation summit, dental inspiration, dental lab, dental laboratory, dental leadership, dental materials, dental mentors, dental milling, dental networking, dental passion, dental passion project, dental philosophy, dental podcast, dental software, dental speakers, dental support, dental symposium, dental technician, dental technology, dental workflows, digital dentistry, digital evolution, digital impressions, digital lab, digital solutions, digital technician, digital tools, digital workflow, dts, education, education platform, esthetic dentistry, exocad, exocad insights, exocad trainer, fixed prosthetics, friendship, full arch, full arch workflow, full mouth restoration, global dentistry, hands-on courses, high-end dentistry, high-end restorations, human connection, implant bridge, implant cases, implant dentistry, implant planning, implant prosthetics, implant retained prosthetics, implant workflow, in-house milling, innovation, inspiration, international speakers, intraoral scanner, io connect, lab life, lab management, lab owner, lab technician, lab workflow, laboratory education, learning, learning environment, lectures, legacy, london, mallorca, mentorship, milling, milling center, milling machine, modern dentistry, networking, new jersey, no-prep veneers, occlusion, oral design, oral rehabilitation, partial cad, passion, passive fit, photogrammetry, pink porcelain, portugal, precision dentistry, precision fit, problem solving, prosthetic design, prosthetics, removable prosthetics, restorative dentistry, restorative design, restorative excellence, restorative materials, restorative workflow, screw-retained prosthetics, seoul symposium, sharing knowledge, smile design, spain, split bar, split file, switzerland, teaching, teamwork, teamwork culture, teamwork dentistry, technician community, technician life, technician respect, technician training, technology integration, titanium bars, trainer, trento memorial, veneers, voices from the bench, willi geller, workflow efficiency, workflow integration, workflow optimization, zirconia, zirconia bridge, zirconia workflow

At exocad Insights 2026, we talk with members of Oral Design International Foundation, Pinhas Adar and Javier Perez Lopez about the lasting legacy of Willi Geller and the importance of passion, mentorship, and community in dental technology. Then Dora Rodrigues shares her journey into advanced digital workflows, becoming a certified exocad trainer, and teaching full-arch dentistry around the world.

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.

411: Michael Joseph: No Wax, No Fear and One Lab’s All-In Leap to Digital Dentistry

February 9th, 2026  |  1 hr 14 mins

3d printing, brexit impact, business resilience, cad design, consistency, covid recovery, dental, dental education, dental laboratory, dental marketing, dental sales, dental scanners, dental technology, digital dentistry, exocad, full arch restorations, greatlab lms, immediate load, instagram marketing, itero, lab growth, lab management software, lab ownership, lab systems, laboratory, lithium disilicate, medit, milling machines, peer referrals, photogrammetry, pmma, primescan, quality control, reliability, remote designers, study clubs, technician, technician training, vertical integration, voices from the bench, workflow automation, zirconia

Elvis and Barb sit down with London lab owner Michael Joseph, who shares his journey from scooter courier to fully digital lab owner, including the hard lessons learned through COVID, Brexit, and rebuilding from the brink. Michael breaks down how committing to digital workflows, automation, photogrammetry, and rock-solid protocols transformed his lab into a scalable, referral-driven business. This episode is a powerful reminder that reinvention, consistency, and smart systems—not shortcuts—are what drive long-term success in today’s dental lab world.

410: Helen Tanaka: From a Driver to the Bench and Knowing the Why

February 2nd, 2026  |  1 hr 8 mins

3shape, analog vs digital voices from the bench, arklign, attachments, bite blocks, bite records, case planning, case rescue, ce courses, chairside support, clearchoice, co-diagnostic, combination cases, continuing education, conversions, crown and bridge, dental, dental laboratory, dental materials, dental students, dental technician, dental technology, dentist collaboration, dentures, digital dentures, digital records, digital workflow, education, exocad, fundamentals, fundamentals first, fundamentals teaching, guided surgery, helen tanaka, implant courses, implant planning, implant restorations, lab driver, lab management, lab workflow, laboratory, locator attachments, mandibular advancement device, mentorship, microdental, model room, morphology, occlusion, orthodontics, overdentures, pathways, photogrammetry, quality control, removable prosthetics, removables, restorations, scanning, sleep appliances, sops, stackable guides, technical service, technician, technician training, training, troubleshooting, troubleshooting dentures, waxing copings, wire bending, workflow, zest

This week we talk with Helen Tanaka, a removable and implant specialist who started her career as a dental lab driver and worked her way into lab management, digital workflows, and clinical education. She shares her passion for dentures, occlusion, and implant restorations, emphasizing that technicians must understand the fundamentals and the why behind every step — especially in today’s digital world. The conversation covers guided surgery, digital dentures, doctor training, and the growing need for stronger removable education for both dentists and technicians.