Then things shifted from mills to maintenance with Rebekah Serrago and Chris Wilson from Garland Dental Services. What started decades ago as a garage-based repair business fixing handpieces has grown into one of the industry’s best-kept secrets for equipment sales, service, and support. Rebekah shares the story of growing up folding flyers for her father’s repair company before eventually becoming CEO and expanding Garland into a massive online sales and service operation supporting everything from ovens to mills. Chris joins in to talk preventative maintenance, service certifications, keeping ancient ovens alive, and why labs desperately need dealers that actually understand the equipment they sell. It’s equal parts family-business story, repair shop wisdom, and hilarious behind-the-scenes dental lab banter.

Finally, the future officially arrived when the podcast crew sat down with Antoine Coppens from Relu and orthodontic lab owner Christian Saurman of New England Orthodontic Laboratory. What started as four engineering students experimenting with AI in Belgium somehow turned into fully automated dental workflows capable of designing surgical guides, night guards, models, and restorations in minutes. The conversation explores how AI is reshaping lab workflows, reducing manual design time, integrating directly into LMS systems, and even learning individual lab preferences. Christian explains how his custom-built orthodontic lab management system helped eliminate workflow chaos and automate huge portions of production, while Antoine gives a fascinating look into where dental AI is headed next. Between AI-generated appliances, automated scan checks, and self-learning workflows, this episode feels less like science fiction and more like a preview of what labs will look like over the next five years.

Special Guests: Antoine Coppens, Chris Wilson, Christian Saurman, Rebekah Serrago, and Tony Aliatim.

If you’re passionate about creating natural, beautiful smiles—but want to simplify your workflow without sacrificing aesthetics—this is for you. I’m honored to be part of Ivoclar’s development team introducing a powerful new stain and glaze system featuring Structure Paste, IPS e.max Ceram Art. Create stunning depth and lifelike color in as little as one firing.

Let’s continue to innovate, simplify, and create meaningful change—one smile at a time.

CAM has been a major topic lately, and a lot of that conversation keeps coming back to hyperDENT. But instead of just talking about the software itself, it’s worth looking at real-world experience. Imagine USA has been using hyperDENT in their own lab for over 15 years. That kind of longevity says a lot—they’re not just selling and supporting it, they’re relying on it in their own production every single day. That’s what really sets them apart.

This week, Elvis and Barb sits down with Katherine Steinbock-Dyke of Whip Mix to talk legacy, leadership, and the evolution of a family-run powerhouse in the dental industry. As part of the Steinbock lineage, Katherine shares what it was like growing up around the business—from selling Girl Scout cookies on the shop floor to eventually stepping into the CEO role. Her journey wasn’t a straight line, starting instead in international business and corporate HR before finding her way back to Whip Mix and working her way through multiple roles across the company.

The conversation dives into the realities of running a multi-generational company in a rapidly changing industry. Katherine talks about balancing tradition with innovation, from gypsum and articulators to digital workflows and resin development. She opens up about the challenges of staying relevant, the importance of continuous improvement (hello, WIN program), and what it really means to lead a team she genuinely cares about.

Along the way, there’s plenty of classic bench banter—everything from assembling pizzas at Papa John’s to the chaos of early 3D printing workflows and navigating massive trade shows like IDS. The episode wraps with a look at where Whip Mix is headed, Katherine’s focus on reconnecting with labs and customers, and how the next generation is shaping the future of dental manufacturing while respecting its roots.

Special Guest: Katherine Steinbock-Dyke.

TO DONATE: https://fdlt.memberclicks.net/donor-form#/

Select: Race for the Future
Enter the name of the racer you want to support: BARB WARNER or THE CROWN JEWELS
Enter the amount (One Million Dollars)

All good things must come to an end. No, not this podcast... but the recordings we got while with the AMAZING people of exocad at IDS 2025. It was a wonderful trip and we got to meet and talk to a lot of fantastic people from around the world. This week is no different as we meet a married couple that met in a lab, married, and now own a lab. Agata Bak is from Poland but went to London to find more opportunities for dental technology. Iman Ansari is from Iran and also ended up in London. They both worked at the same lab and it took Iman a while to win Agata over, but he did, and they fell in love. After getting married and working at a few other labs, they put everything on the line and opened Black Pearl Dental Lab where they specialize in high end fixed work.

Then we meet the past President of exocad North America Larry Bodony. Larry recently retired but still stopped by to tell us the awesome story on how he got the job when at IDS 2011. Taking a chance on a new design software and them taking a chance on Larry, set into motion of growing exocad in North America. It took time and work, but soon exocad was gaining popularity. Larry talks about those early years, his use of "reverse" tradeshows, and now that he is retired, working with another new exciting software Bite Finder.

Let's be honest. There are a LOT of zirconia on the market these days. How do you know which is which? Is one better than another? Is there one that can handle every situation? Check out a FREE webinar from Ivoclar called Zirconia Unboxed with Jeff Smith, CDT.

"This introductory webinar is the first in a five-part series designed to address the most frequently asked questions by dental labs when selecting zirconia for their restorations. With a focus on practical guidance, this session explores the key considerations in choosing the right zirconia, including material properties, esthetics, and processing techniques. This introductory webinar is the first in a five-part series designed to address the most frequently asked questions by dental labs when selecting zirconia for their restorations. With a focus on practical guidance, this session explores the key considerations in choosing the right zirconia, including material properties, esthetics, and processing techniques."

Check it out at: https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us/course/zirconia-unboxed/246115?utm_source=External+-+Voice+from+the+Bench&utm_medium=QR+code&utm_campaign=Academy&utm_term=August

Special Guests: Agata Bak & Iman Ansari and Larry Bodony.

DONATE TODAY: https://fortworth.californiatriathlon.org/Race/Register/?raceId=99407

Before we get into this week's episode, Elvis and Barb want to give a big THANKS to Jensen Dental for hosting us at this year’s Florida Dental Laboratory Association Symposium. A great meeting with a great company. Go show them some love and get some MIYO.

First up we talk to two legends in our industry, Dany Sakr and Nick Azzara. Nick talks about what he is doing with a DSO group and reminisces about his time working with Dany. Dany talks about his journey from Lebanon to the US to learn dental technology in the early 80s, getting into digital early in it's existence, opening Sakr Dental Arts, and how they keep their lab relevant about just making crowns.

Then we meet for the first time Ifet Ahmeti. Ifet learned the craft in Albania in 2009. Since then she has been in Switzerland to learn quality, Indiana to learn removables, and then opened her own in-office lab in Philadelphia. She has since moved to Tampa, Florida and opened another lab, Dentart Dental Studio. Ifet talks about managing clients when you are a solo technician, the importance of using the best materials, and why seeing patients allows you do make the best restoration.

Then we wrap up all of the FDLA with past podcast guest, Whitney Coutney. Whitney has had a great journey from assistant to in-office tech in Kentucky, to full arch designer in Florida. In 2022 she wanted to get into education and partnered with Nowak Dental Supplies to on-board and teach labs the digital workflow. Whitney talks about how she handles labs doing a "software switch", helping technicians learn practical uses of either 3shape or exocad, and how she keeps up on the ever-evolving technology.
*NOTE - Since recording with Whitney, she had taken a position back at Midwest Dental Arts doing what she loves best.
If you are interested in getting into education and doing what Whitney did, reach out to Nowak Dental Supplies as they are looking for someone with the same passion for teaching.

Head to a Nowak Invitational near you!

Introducing Ivotion Digital Dentures from Ivoclar – Experience unparalleled precision and efficiency with Ivoclar‘s state-of-the-art digital denture workflow.

Ivotion is available in their patent pending monolithic disc that combines denture base and tooth materials in one seamless puck. Or if you lab needs more flexibility, Ivotion is also available as stand-alone discs - Ivotion Base, Dent and Dent Multi all in 98mm width to fit your favorite milling machine.

With Ivotion you can streamline your lab’s processes, reduce production time, and enhance patient satisfaction. Elevate your lab's capabilities with Ivotion Digital Dentures – where innovation meets perfection. Discover the future of dentures today with Ivoclar." Thanks for your continued support of the podcast Ivoclar.

Join the GOLDEN BENCH CLUB! All you have to do is leave us a 5-star review and comment on the Apple Podcast app (or any other app and email us a screen shot) and we will read your review on the podcast and welcome you to the Golden Bench Club. This super elite club is only for the best of the best.

Special Guests: Dany Sakr, Ifet Ahmeti, Nick Azzara, and Whitney Courtney.