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. Beyond the technology, Felix emphasized the value of being there in person—connecting face-to-face with partners, having meaningful conversations, and stepping back to see where the industry is headed. And of course, doing it all in Mallorca doesn’t hurt either.

This episode finally brings a long-awaited conversation to life with Kent Kohli, a name many in the industry recognize—but maybe don’t fully know the story behind. From an unexpected entry into dentistry (thanks to marrying his orthodontist’s daughter) to becoming a lifelong student of ceramics and education, Kent’s journey is anything but typical.

What starts as a pre-dental path quickly shifts once Kent discovers the lab side of dentistry—and more importantly, where his passion truly lives. From pouring models and grinding metal to studying under legends like John Archibald, Kent shares how mentorship, curiosity, and relentless work ethic shaped his career. Along the way, he opens up about the early struggles—working 100-hour weeks, barely making ends meet, and choosing quality over the “race to the bottom” that burned out many of his peers.

Kent dives deep into the evolution of dental technology, from the early days of PFMs and Empress to today’s digital workflows and liquid ceramics. But at the heart of it all is a consistent theme: education. Whether it’s learning from the “giants” of the industry or now helping guide the next generation through his role at Ivoclar, Kent sees it as a responsibility to pass on what was given to him.

He also shares insights into his current mission—bringing hands-on education back to the forefront, blending traditional techniques with modern materials, and helping technicians elevate their craft beyond just production.

Rising costs, tighter deadlines, and greater demands are challenging labs everywhere. When efficiency matters, you need tools that deliver—every day.

Roland DGShape milling solutions are reliable and easy to use. Just turn them on and let them run—no babysitting required. Fewer remakes and less wasted material mean your team can focus on getting cases out the door.

With the Elevate Denture solution, step into digital dentures without disrupting your workflow. Validated CAM strategies and Ivoclar compatibility mean you're building on a system you already trust.

Ready to boost efficiency? Explore DG Shape DWX Milling Solutions and the Elevate Dental Solution at RolandDental.com.

Special Guest: Kent Kohli.

Yet even more conversations that Elvis and Barb got while in the exocad booth at IDS 2025..... back in MARCH!! First up is a visit from on one our favorite companies that make bars, Panthera. Instead of our usual guest we get to meet Pierre-Luc Duchesne and Dereck Donnelly. PL is their Director of Marketing and Derek is head of Global Customer Experience. Together the talk about being at their second IDS show, how they make their product an experience for the customer, the Fusion Bar that only needs 5mm of clearance, their partnership with VITA, and the second coming of The Master Cup.

Then we got to talk to an Irish dentist that practices in Scotland, Dr. Eimear O’Connell. She was plastered on the walls of the exocad booth 20 feet tall because she was one of the "Heroes of Digital Dentistry" and her journey is astounding. Dr. O'Connell talks about learning that Cerec was harder than it looks back in 2007, learning to work with amazing labs, using exocad to help her sell treatment by using the ART function, and a very concerning trend in the UK that makes it harder to be a dentist.

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: Dereck Donnelly, Dr. Eimear O’Connell, and Pierre-Luc Duchesne.

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
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We are back with two great conversations that Barb and Elvis got while attending IDS 2025 in the exocad booth. First up is a Canadian Denturist who was just on the podcast back September but has a LOT to update us on. Jade Connors found some time (and found us) to update us on all the adventures she has been on since your last episode, her entry in the Candulor KunstZahnWerk competition, creating a work/life balance, and making sure patients get care beyond just a denture.

Then we meet Lisa Aguirre, the Marketing Manager for DGShape, the makers of the Roland mill and so much more. Lisa talks about her history working on the clinical side, being with Spear Education, and getting up to speed on all things DGShape. She also talks about some of the new mills and printers that they were launching at this year’s IDS.

Take it from Jennifer Ferguson from Ivoclar. If you have a PM7 or are thinking about getting a PM7 (Take it from Barb, you should), Ivoclar had launched the "Ivoclar Block Module" that can speed up milling emax by 45%!! The best part is that you can try it for FREE for 90 days. All you have to do is send them a message on Instagram at Ivoclar.na or send a email to jennifer.ferguson@ivoclar.com. Now go mill emax faster!

Special Guests: Jade Connors, DD, RDT and Lisa Aguirre.

If efficiency and performance are what you are looking for in a compact milling system, then the PrograMill DRY from Ivoclar is the right choice for you.

Produce precise zirconium oxide crowns and bridges plus a range of PMMA materials including the innovative IVOTION material for the digital production of complete dentures.

Ivoclar provides white glove delivery service, training, choice of service contracts and their outstanding after sales service and support.

Contact your friendly Ivoclar sales representative today for lucrative promotions and to create a digital solution that’s right for you! _

Candulor a dental supply company from Switzerland has been making teeth from 1936.

Check out their Physioselect TCR tooth line now with new 18 anterior molds specifically made for the US market.

Discover all the solutions for Removables at Candulor.com. America with get supported and supplied by the only authorized partner Edmonds Dental Supply

Candulor, High End Only

Special Guest: Brian Binnie.

Participate or Cheer on the racers in Chicago at the Race For the Future 8.0 August 28, 2022

When Texans do anything, they do it big. This year’s conference definitely didn’t disappoint. The podcast was set up next to the Preat booth all weekend recording some wonderful attendees, board members, and vendors. This week we talk to three amazing people in or around our field. First up is Wade Davenport from Alan’s Dental Lab in Austin. Wade and Barb nerd out over ceramics. Then we chat with then president of theDLAT, Richard Wills. And we end the episode with AJ Sheek from American Business Incentive Services who is a member of the DLAT to bring tax savings to lab via the R&D tax credit.

If you want to save, and also grow, Gro3X is, where you should go!

Resins to print night guards, for high-impact and flex, look no further, because we have them at Gro3X.

Burs for your mills, Zirconia for your crowns, with Gro3X you will be the hottest lab in town!

And last but not least, if you seriously want to grow, add Gro3X Aligners, and your doctors will say Wowww!

There are 3D Print resins for models that do a decent job, then there is Whip Mix VeriModel OS.

Dr. Michael Scherer, a prosthodontist from Sonora, CA says “Whip Mix VeriModel OS is one of the finest model resins I have ever worked with. It’s amazing”.

The popular resins offer the dental laboratory a high quality, smooth surface finish, extreme precision, reliable accuracy, and fine detail. They can be used in 385 and 405 nanometer printers, and are compatible with silicone-base separators. VeriModel OS print resins are available in Ivory, Golden Brown, Grey, and White colors for any model application.

For more information, call (800) 626-5651, or visit www.whipmix.com.

Special Guests: AJ Sheek, Richard Wills, CDT, and Wade Davenport.

Whip Mix introduces VeriGuide OS, a Class I, CE certified resin material developed for the production of high precision surgical guides for use in dental implant surgery. The new material is formulated for 3D-printing systems (DLP, SLA, and LCD) at both 385 nm and 405 nm.

VeriGuide OS™ has been successfully tested for biocompatibility and meets all mechanical properties requirements. The resin features an easy post-processing method and produces highly accurate surgical guides with a high-quality surface.

Sleeves may be inserted directly after printing with excellent fit. The material can also be sterilized by autoclave, steam, ethylene oxide, or gamma rays without affecting dimensional stability, physical properties, and biocompatibility.

For more information about VeriGUIDE OS, visit whipmix.com or call (800) 626-5651.

Did you know that most inLab MCX5 users that have ordered burs from Gro3X once, keep on ordering Gro3X burs over and over again? Because Gro3X burs are engineered by some of the folks who have been providing burs to some of the largest US production labs for years.

Did you also know, that most Roland and DGShape users have no idea what they are missing out?

To give Roland and DGSHAPE users the opportunity to find out for themselves how good Gro3X burs work also for their machines, Gro3X is now offering a BUY 3, GET 2 BURS FREE special. This is exclusively for Voices From The Bench listeners.

Simply go to the Gro3X website at gro3x.com click on burs, then select Roland & DGSHAPE. Add five burs of your choice to your cart, click on CHECK-OUT, enter discount code B3G2Burs and check out.

Special Guest: Sandra Puurits.

The Asiga MAX, the world’s most advanced lab 3D printer, offers exceptional productivity. Well over 300 labs in the U.S. can attest to its accuracy, speed and precision. With 62 micron Print Precision, the Max is optimized for both dental lab or clinic environments. Its exclusive SPS™ Smart-Positioning-System Technology guarantees every layer is formed accurately, resulting in consistent results in any environment, and its single Point Calibration makes calibration extremely accurate and fast.

As an Open Material System, you can print any suitable resin from any material manufacturer. Your choice, no strings. The Max also features the Fastest Material Changeover of any 3D printer. Labs LOVE this! Change completely from one print resin to another in under 30 seconds.

All this and the finest, most dependable technical support staff in the dental lab industry.

Call Whip Mix today or visit whipmix.com to find out more about the Asiga Max!

Gro3X is a dental supply, service, and marketing company. It is to help dental labs, and especially small labs to lower their cost for supplies, provide business opportunities, and generate growth. They carry amazing zirconia burs and their “rainbow burs” for PMMA and TriLor are top-notch. They also carry zirconia from Aidite, a wide range of Harvest Dental products, and different 3D print resins.

What’s really cool about Gro3X is, that you can join their Gro3X Family program for only 99 cents. This will then give you an additional 10% discount on all of their supplies and even their CAD/CAM design and fabrication services.

Get a 3-months trial membership with Gro3X Family now for only $0.99 and receive 3 Shade Peg Shots - free of charge.

Just go to www.gro3x.com and add Gro3X Family to your cart, then add 3- Shade Peg Shots of 3cc each to your cart and go to check out, enter discount code VFTB for Voices From The Bench and check out.

Special Guest: Gil Villavecer.

Look no further for your design or milling needs other than right here in our galaxy. Alien Milling Technologies is a cutting-edge Dental Milling Center known for using the latest methods and technologies in milling top dental prosthetics. They can help your lab by milling everything, like crowns, abutments, partials, guards, titanium bars, and even digital dentures. Best part is that they are all milled right here in the USA. Plus they also provide the same zirconia they mill in-house. Give them a call at 844-ZIRCONIA or visit them at alienmilling.com.

Whip Mix is now providing its milling customers with Prima Milling Tools, the high performance milling tools engineered specifically for Roland mills. This new tool range outperforms the competition. The results show not only that the tools last 29% longer than most others, their precision creates pin-point accuracy, ensuring a perfect fit for the patient. VISIT WHIPMIX.COM OR CALL (800) 626-5651

Special Guest: Norbert Ulmer.

Pre-register for the 2021 Pathera Master Cup or suggest a colleague or friend

The UP 3D P5 milling maching from Aurident is a 5 axis, efficient, dry mill. Great for milling zirconia, PMMA and wax. It boasts software that produces high precision and fast milling. It can mill a crown in 14 minutes and the tool life yields about 60-80 hours of quality restorations. A game changer for labs of all sizes, big and small. For under $20K, a small lab can now do their own milling instead of outsourcing and reducing their profits. Quite impressive! Give Aurident a call at 800-422-7373 or you can visit their website at aurident.com.

Using 3D printed Dentca Temporary Resin is the easy, fast, clean and accurate way of creating natural-looking temporary restorations using Dentca Temporary C&B 3D Print Resin from Whip Mix.

The new temporary material is FDA cleared, biocompatible, photocurable, and can be printed fast. That patient can be temporized with the highest quality temporary crowns that last a minimum of one full year in the mouth. Dentca C&B Temporary features excellent life-like esthetics and shade-matching capability with Vita shades A1, A2, A3, A3.5, B1, B2, and BL (Bleach).

Dentca Temporary C&B resin is validated for use with the Asiga Max, Asiga Pro 2, Asiga Pro 4K, and the Whip Mix Veribuild printers, and with the following curing units: Uvitron (SunRay 400 and IntelliRay 600), and the CUREbox Plus.

For more information, visit www.whipmix.com.

Special Guests: Béatrice Robichaud and Jeffrey Luk.