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December 10, 2009 | dlpmagazine.com
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Zahn Leadership Summit defines the digital highway 

By Pam Johnson 

Zahn Dental recently held what can only be described as one of the most dynamic and informative gatherings of key opinion leaders and laboratory owners from around the country. “Future Ready” was the theme of the conference and “ready for the future” were the attendees after two intensive days listening to forward-thinking speakers present their views on the challenges and opportunities tomorrow’s laboratory owner will be facing, and then interacting with panel members during lively question and answer sessions.

“This is a pivotal time in our industry,” said Dell Dine during his presentation to the more than 100 lab owners attending the conference. And this statement could not have been truer as reflected by the presentations of the other 18 panel members. From the globalization of dental technology, consolidation of the industry, international outsourcing, access to capital, convergence manufacturing, educational and marketing needs, and industry regulation to digital end-to-end solutions, standardizing procedures, and new materials, attendees heard the latest thinking on where the industry is headed and what it will look like in the future.

“Laboratories of the future will be centralized design centers,” said Lee Culp, Vice President, D4D Technologies. “Technicians will be communicating in real-time with their clients on HIPPA-secure networks. There won’t be any more waxing, spruing, casting, or model pouring.” Although the restorative thought processes he said will be the same, the tools to carry out those processes will change, still leaving room for the artistry and craftsmanship of the restorative process.

Dr. L. Jackson Brown, President of L. Jackson Brown Consulting LLC, best illustrated the impact digital technologies are having on the helathcare industry when he said, “Digital technologies will increase the interdependence between laboratory and dentist. Proximity of the laboratory to the dentist will become less and less important.” He pointed to a medical case recently carried out by American doctors here in the U.S. controlling a surgical robot in a French hospital operating in real-time on a patient.

The conference kicked off with an exhibition of Zahn Dental’s extensive line of digital technologies exclusively distributed by the company including Dental Wings (DWOS) scanner, D4D Technologies’ E4D Labworks CAD/CAM system, EnvisionTec 3D printing technology, including the new PixCera, and Custom Milling Center’s outsourcing service.
 
Panel Speakers
Pam Johnson, Editor-in-Chief, Dental Lab Products
Lee Culp, Vice President, D4D Technologies
Ryan Faufau, Director of CAD/CAM Resources, CMC
Steve Dearien, owner, Sundance Dental Laboratory
Dell Dine, Vice President Research and Development, National Dentex
Troy Gasser, founder Professional Dental Arts
Scott Etlinger, COO, Dental Services Group
Todd Hamilton, founder of Bolder Capital
Bennett Napier, Co-Executive Director, NADL
Robin Provost, Dental Wings
Al Siblani, CEO, EnvisionTec
Judy Fishman, President and founder, LMT Communications
Marcus Keiffer, Head of Export, Wieland Dental
Mike Kulwiec, founder and owner, Dental Masters laboratory
Jim Mahan, President, Productivity Training Corp
Warren Rogers, CEO, Knight Dental Group.
Richard Miranda, President of the Diversified Healthcare Group at Henry Schein, acted as moderator, keeping speakers on schedule and helping field questions from the floor.