Dental technology breaks through adages like “It’s about as much fun as having a root canal”, by advancing beyond dreaded dental procedures requiring drilling, filling, sticking, cutting or digging. Patients no longer have to cringe if you say root canal!

Dentist labs progress quickly with new dental lab products and methods. Brag to your patients about these painless technologies from orthodontic labs and dental laboratories:

1. The velscope uses a magnification light to detect oral cancer.

2. Digital radiography uses a sensor to take faster x-rays with less radiation

3. From orthodontic labs, the Freedom-Lock™ Appliance System for braces keep them in place while you quickly remove them during treatment.

4. The intraoral camera lets patients see dental problems and watch it corrected on a computer screen.

5. Instead of tap, tap, tapping on a sensitive tooth, the latest technology from the dentist lab offers a Diagadent cavity finder that beeps to identify tooth decay.

6. The TAP® 3 Appliance enhances breathing, arrests sleep apnea and reduces snoring in 95% of patients who use it.

7. New from the dental laboratory, immediate loading gives patients a new, functional tooth in less than an hour.

Action Steps
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Partner with dental laboratories that are qualified

Always check the credentials of dental labs you consider using. The Dental Laboratory Infection Control Council (DLICC) provides effective infection control.

I recommend: The DLICC provides the names of their certified members online. Search the National Association of Dental Laboratories' member directory for your dental laboratory.

Choose a dental laboratory that makes your job easier

As dental labs improve their dental laboratory equipment and procedures, they also improve their service to you. Pick a dental lab that pulls it's resources to simplify your use of them, so you can concentrate on your patients.

I recommend: Thayer Dental Laboratory encourages you to upload your preferences on their Doctor's Preference Chart to help serve you better.

Tell patients about a new technique from dental laboratories, immediate loading

Immediate loading is a remarkable dental implant technology to come out of the dental labs. It saves adjacent teeth and rescues the surrounding bone. Tell your patients it is painless and can be performed in one appointment with a current success rate of 96%.

I recommend: A video from Zimmer Dental shows the immediate loading process. In addition, a book published by Quintessence Publishing, "Immediate Loading in Implant Dentistry: Surgical, Prosthetic, Occlusal, and Laboratory Aspects", gives an in-depth look from the dentist's point of view.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Help patients overcome phobias and fears resulting in dentistry techniques of the past by producing office literature and direct mail literature like newsletters that keep them aware of technological advances in the dentist labs.
• •  Send a direct mailer to patients who have not made appointments in 2+ years. Creatively tell them to 'take a step of faith' and enjoy new advancements in dental lab products.

Dental laboratories manufacture and customize dental hardware, such as bridges, crowns and dentures. Orders come from dentists office and not from the patient. As such, the dentist office becomes the customer of the dental laboratory. Though the dental lab does not deal directly with the end user, it must still understand the end user's needs. The dental lab must also work closely with dentist offices, so both supplier and buyer understand what to expect from each other.

As with other fields, technological advances stimulate changes in the equipment the dental laboratory uses as well as the dental laboratory products it manufactures. Innovations in management practices, information management and marketing may also affect how the dental laboratory operates.

To ensure your dental laboratory remains on the cutting edge, pay attention to dental laboratories news and trends.

1. Join dental laboratory associations to network with other laboratories.

2. Subscribe to dental laboratory magazines to learn about the latest technology.

3. Research new products that may enhance the operation of your dental laboratory.

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Join associations for dental labs that provide current information

Trade industry associations provide services for their members such as research information, changes in laws that affect the business, educational opportunities and other relevant information. Stay in touch with issues important to a dentist lab by joining related associations.

I recommend: The National Association of Dental Laboratories assists members with interpretation of laws applicable to dental laboratories and orthodontic labs, assists with training of dental laboratory professionals and researches areas of interest to the members. The National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology certifies dental laboratories and the technicians who work in them. Laws do not require certification, but doing so tells potential customers your laboratory upholds certain quality standards. The American Dental Association provides information and resources for dental professionals such as training, publications, resources and events and addresses dentist/dental lab relationships.

Subscribe to dentistry laboratory technology magazines and journals

Many online and print magazines supply information regarding developments in dental laboratory technology. New techniques for fitting dental appliances may develop. Stay up to date on new dental appliances and manufacturing techniques and materials.

I recommend: The Journal of Prosthodontics promotes the study and practice of prosthodontics, implant, aesthetic and reconstructive dentistry. The journal publishes reports of innovative techniques, new dental lab products and new uses for existing material. Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research magazine discusses dental implants. The journal reviews implants, bone biology, bone grafts and bone substitutes. Subscribe to the RSS feed from Medworm to stay current on implant dentistry - you'll get the latest information to help your dental lab stay competitive.

Look for innovations in dental laboratory equipment

New tools and techniques provide improvements that allow efficiencies and improvements in the operation of your dental lab. Make use of such technologies and business practices whenever you can. Pay special attention to dental technology advances that can keep your business competitive.

I recommend: LABDENT software provides full dentist laboratory management capabilities for your dental lab. This software can keep track of your customer list, your invoicing, and your product inventory. SensAble Technologies manufactures the SensAble Dental Lab System, which uses digital technology for creation of bridges and crowns. The system uses the PHANTOM 3D(r) interface to let you use your sense of touch to create your designs. The system is available in two versions: one that allows a dental laboratory to design work only and outsource fabrication and another version the laboratory can use for both design and production.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Trade shows remain another good source of dental laboratory information. Exhibitors bring their latest products for the dental lab, both tools for manufacturing your products and for running your business. Take advantage of these sources.

Dental labs offer a promising career if you have training in proper dental technology. A dental laboratory technician helps create custom bridges, dentures, and other orthodontic equipment for dentists in their area. Workers must have certification, so the right education and training is a must for this special career. Luckily, training and seminars that will help you with your goal of working in dental technology are available around the country.

If you're interested in training for a dental laboratory career, look for:

1. Schools and tech colleges that offer dentist laboratory training.

2. Membership groups and organizations that offer seminars and dental lab products training.

3. Books and training manuals for continuing education in dental laboratory equipment.

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Seek out schools in your area that offer dentist laboratory training

Many technical colleges excel in dental lab training, offering specialized courses to help you learn to help others. Some dental schools offer dentistry laboratory training certificates along with traditional dentist programs. Look for accredited schools with reputations for high-quality education and career resources to help you find a position after you graduate.

I recommend: The Fine Arts Academy of Dental Technology offers day and night courses to help you train for a career in a dentistry laboratory. Adams College in California offers specific courses in dental lab technology for dental lab technicians.

Join membership groups and organizations offering dentist lab training and seminars

When you join a dentistry lab professional organization, you can attend conferences and seminars on your chosen career. Many of these courses are available online, so once you become a Certified Dental Technician (CDT) you can continue your education virtually, making it easy to meet continuing certification requirements.

I recommend: The National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) offers virtual training courses, certification, and continuing education for dentist lab training. The National Board for Certification (NBC) offers CDT certification and testing at various locations around the country.

Read texts and view training videos to help you learn about dentist and orthodontic labs training

If you can't find schools and dental lab training in your area, look for textbooks, training manuals, and other resources to help you train for a career in dentist labs. You can uses these manuals throughout your career as references, and they give detailed information about what you can expect when you go to work in dentist laboratories.

I recommend: School Tube offers training videos from Edmonds Dental Labs for technician training and information. WD Publishing offers "Orthodontic Laboratory Procedures" by a registered dental technician.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Try to take a tour of dentistry laboratories in your area, so you can see just what dental technicians do and what the working conditions are like before you enroll in any dentist laboratory education and training. You may find there are certain aspects of the lab that interest you more than others, and you can concentrate your training in those areas.

A dental laboratory is a place where lab procedures are carried out to improve dental health. In some laboratories, technicians perform all stages of the work, whereas in other labs, each technician does only a few of the necessary tasks. Generally, once the dentist decides the treatment plan and the tooth or teeth are x-rayed and prepared, an impression is made of the mouth and sent to the laboratory. There are numerous phases of work performed on the impression to develop the ordered implants. Although working in a laboratory does not require licensing or certification, knowledge of industry lingo will certainly help you succeed in this field.

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Casting machines and metal alloys

Casting machines are used to melt and cast different types of alloys. Metal alloys or castings are used to restore or replace teeth. They are also used to construct partial dentures.

I recommend: Learn more about casting machines and what they do through RDO Induction. Go to abymc.com to learn how a crown is cast. DoctorSpiller.com offers an online course on dental alloys.

Periodontists and dental implants

A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal diseases. Periodontal diseases are infections caused by bacterial plaque that effect the supporting bone around natural teeth. The periodontist is responsible for correcting the teeth and gums by providing and placing dental implants. Dental implants are artificial tooth replacements created in a dental laboratory.

I recommend: Refer to DrGartner.com for an in-depth description of a periodontist. Learn more about dental implants through American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Dental veneers

Dental veneers are thin coverings of porcelain or composite placed over the enamel of a damaged tooth. They can be created by a dental technician in a dental laboratory or fabricated directly inside of the mouth at the dental office.

I recommend: Learn more about dental veneers through the Cosmetic Guide to Dentistry.

Typodont and dental models

A typodont is a model of the oral cavity. The typodont is often used by dental students as a means of practicing dental procedures. Typodonts are also use by orthodontists to aide in the placement of braces.

I recommend: Learn about typodonts and dental models at Dental Model Plus.

Pickling solution

Pickling solution is a prepared solution that removes the surface film from a cast restoration. This procedure is often carried out in the laboratory by a dental technician.

I recommend: Learn more about the pickling solution in The American Textbook of Prosthetic Dentistry.

Inlays and onlays

An inlay is a cast restoration that fits inside a particular tooth to protect or correct damage while an onlay is used to correct damage that has spread to multiple teeth.

I recommend: DocShop.com, an online resource offered by Einstein Industries, offers a complete explanation of the difference between inlays and onlays.