Jed also shared insights on materials, praising the underrated Empress Multi for its beauty and reliability, and highlighting Ivoclar’s ZirCAD Prime zirconia for solving problems that plague other multilayer products.

Not content with what the market offered, Jed even created his own line of 3D printing resins—including a stone-like model resin and a lavender-infused cast resin that makes a lab smell like a spa.

Now, as the new Director of Development at Utah Valley Dental Lab, Jed is taking on a role testing new ideas and pushing innovation without disrupting production.

Check out the amazing resins from Jed: https://www.archibalddigital.com/category/all-products
IPS Empress CAD® from Ivoclar: https://www.ivoclar.com/en_us/products/digital-processes/ips-empress-cad

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: Jed Archibald.

Back in March, Barb & Elvis traveled all the way to Cologne, Germany to set up and record at the biggest dental show in the world, IDS. A special thanks to exocad for giving us the space to record so many amazing people over the course of 4 days.

First up is a dentist turned exocad designer, Hajir Shamil. Hajir talks about dentistry in Iraq and how she went to school just outside of Russia. Going back to a country that is hard to find a practice, she goes about working at a lab and falls in love with the "purple program". Find out what she thinks of her first time at IDS and why she came.

Then we chat with Daniel Portal and Gerson Prada. Daniel has a history of working with but eventually opened his own lab doing only designs for labs and dentists. He partnered up with Gerson Prada in Utah to do any fabricating of the cases. Together they talk about working together from a far, good communication with the doctors, Daniel being a part of exocad's "Heroes of Digital Dentistry", and what they are doing at IDS.

Then we wrap up the episode with a dentist that more letters after his name than in it, Dr. Diogo Viegas. Dr. Viegas went to the Lisbon Dental School to become a dentist. When that wasn't enough, we got his Masters. When that wasn't enough, we went back to get his degree in dental technology. Now, Dr. Viegas has a practice in Lisbon, does his own lab work, still having time to teach other clinicians, and being a member in Bio-Emulation.

Take it from Laura Prosser, the digital marketing manager for Ivoclar North America. She would like to invite you to start following them on Instagram. It's your chance to obtain exclusive updates on product announcements, industry news, upcoming educational events, and heartwarming stories about our local team and industry professionals. Let's get social together. Simply start following us on Instagram @Ivoclar.na. We'll see you there.

Special Guests: Daniel Portal, Dr. Diogo Viegas, Gerson Prada, and Hajir Shamil.

Register today!

Make sure you come see VOICES FROM THE BENCH recording from the Ballroom all weekend!

Attend the 99th Annual Cal-Lab Meeting Feb 20 & 21 at the Swissôtel in Chicago. (Connected to the Hyatt and Lab Day)
Elvis & Barb will be *recording there Thursday night during the "Cocktail Hour" from 4:00 to 6:30 *
Register today: https://cal-lab.org/annual-meeting

This week we had the pleasure of speaking with Jim Thacker, the owner of Utah Valley Dental Lab, who shared his inspiring journey from finance to dental lab ownership.

Jim began his career in finance, working at Wells Fargo before marrying into a family that owned a dental lab. Initially brought in to handle the business side of things, Jim quickly became immersed in the world of dental aesthetics. Over the years, he has transformed Utah Valley Dental Lab from a small local lab into a thriving business with 123 employees, 40 of whom are also owners. This unique employee ownership model fosters a strong sense of collaboration and commitment among the staff, ensuring that everyone has a vested interest in the lab's success.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Jim's approach is his focus on high-end aesthetics and the importance of peer referrals in growing the business. He emphasizes that there’s nothing more effective than word-of-mouth marketing in the dental industry. By building strong relationships with their clients, Jim and his team have established Utah Valley Dental Lab as a go-to resource for aesthetic and implant dentistry. He believes in the importance of kindness and fostering a culture where employees feel valued and invested in their work. Jim Thacker's insights into running a successful dental lab highlight the significance of employee ownership, relationship building, and a focus on aesthetics in the dental industry.

You are invited to Ivoclar’s IPS e.max Panel Discussion Friday, February 22nd stating at 3:00 at LMT Lab Day in Chicago. Our very own Barb Warner will be on stage with Jessica Birrell, Stephenie Goddard, Mike Roberts, Jed Archibald and Dr. Ken Malament as they dive into the world of e.max. After the panel discussion, Ivoclar will host a Happy Hour to commemorate this 20-year milestone. So, please join us by registering at Labday.com/Ivoclar.

Make sure you visit Aidite at Booth E-26 during your visit at LMT Lab Day Chicago! They will be there showcasing their exciting new products and cutting-edge solutions in digital dentistry. Attendees can explore hands-on demonstrations of Biomic stain & glaze techniques and some of their other innovative technologies. Aidite will also host engaging lectures in Grand Suite 2, East Tower, covering topics such as EZneer, 3D Pro-Zir, Digital Dentures, and their Aidite Cloud design service. Even before you go, you can stay updated by following @AiditeNorthAmerica on all social media platforms. Don’t miss the opportunity to see how Aidite is shaping the future of dental labs!

Special Guest: Jim Thacker.

Clinicians Report

Gro3X is a dental supply, service and marketing company that was founded by Norbert Ulmer and their goal is to help dental labs, and especially small labs to lower their cost for supplies, provide business opportunities, and generate growth.

Attend their upcoming Gro3X Gem Talks on November 5th in Charlotte, NC. Gro3X Gem Talks is an all day marketing symposium in Ted-Talk style featuring some 10+ lab speakers as they share their most relevant and practical marketing techniques.

We will hear from Sasha der Avanessian from Harvest Dental, Anne Kelzer from AMK Dental Lab, Frankie Acosta from AA Dental Design and Ricki Braswell from Beyond Coaching and former Co-Executive Director of the NADL. All of them will talk about real marketing as it is done in their own labs and businesses every day.

Register now at gro3x.com to take advantage of their early bird special of only $95.

Enter discount code VFTB for Voices from The Bench and receive an extra 10% discount, just because you listen to this Podcast.

Whip Mix offers you the ultimate in ease, material flexibility and unattended production with the Roland DGA DWX-52DCi milling machine. The popular mill’s automatic disc changer expands your lab production and profit, using a 6-slot Automatic Disc Changer, 15-station Automatic Tool Changer and several other automated features.

The DWX-52DCi dental milling machine now comes with performance visualization software and other intelligent updates. The 5-axis mill even knows which tool to automatically swap out when tools have reached their designated lifespan. Just power it on, let it go, and automatically and accurately mill numerous dental restoration jobs with complete unattended confidence.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Roland DGA DWX-52DCi, visit whipmix.com or call 800-626-5651.

Have you seen the high prices of precious metal these days? They are close to record highs on gold and palladium. With those high precious metal prices, you are paying a high cost for your alloys. We know that you are using less Precious metal in your lab these days, but if you send in half of what you sent in 5 years ago ,your scrap return will be higher than it was 5 years ago ,because of the high PM prices . You owe it to yourself to find a trusted, reputable refining company.

Look no further! Kulzer refining has been tested, trusted and reputable for over 100 years. They burn, melt and assay all under one roof at their state-of-the-art refining facility in Wartburg Tennessee. They have doubled their production capacity to ensure your scrap return within 2 weeks.

With all the non-precious material that has become present in today’s restorations it is important that we ensure the assay sample is homogenous. At Kulzer, they take the extra step to X-ray the top and bottom after they melt the bar to make sure the precious metal percentages--- are the same. If not, copper is added until they are positive the bar is homogeneous. We know this step is very important to get a precise assay result.

Their reimbursement to the customer is after our 10% refining fee. They have zero additional fees. If you need any free shipping containers, which contain a UPS prepaid, full insured label, please visit mydental360.com/refining or call the Director of Precious Metal Refining, Tony Circelli, directly at (914) 906-1843.

Special Guests: Jed Archibald and John Archibald.