Kellie Nock is the assistant editor for Dental Products Report. She graduated from Kent State University in 2018 with a Bachelor's in Journalism. Kellie enjoys multimedia content creation with a focus on audio and video storytelling. 

The Vaniman V6 SE multistation dust collector.

Any dental laboratory that needs a multimaterial dust collector.

Designed to collect dental materials at multiple stations or dental mills.

The Vaniman V6 SE multistation dust collector will help maintain a sterile workstation in the laboratory. Utilizing the variety of features that it touts, such as the Long Life Brush Motor, “Air-Pulse” filter maintenance system, and the large dust collection tray can help create clean environments at up to 6 workstations or 4 dental mills.

The multiple inlet plate options allow multiple suction possibilities for optimal workstation cleanliness. This multistation dust collector can suction a myriad of lab materials, including CAD/CAM, then filter those materials using high-efficiency particulate filtration. The V6 SE can be paired with Vaniman’s Design Center service to help dental laboratories during service or maintenance. The V6 SE also delivers at the lowest per-station cost in the industry, making it a powerful and cost-effective tool for laboratories.

Articles

This multistation dust collector ensures collection of all materials including CAD/CAM. 

5Ws* Vaniman V6 SE

Implant-supported overdentures are a life-changing option for many fully or partially edentulous patients. Attaching dentures to an osseointegrated dental implant enhances stability for the restoration, which allows for better function and increased confidence that the dentures will stay where they’re supposed to whether the wearer is talking, chewing, or doing anything else.

When it comes to affixing the dentures to implants, there are numerous approaches to choose from. The clinical situation and the patient’s anatomy inform the choice, but an in-depth knowledge of attachments allows the technician to select the best option for the case at hand and design the restoration to meet the case’s functional and esthetic requirements.

With this in mind, here are some pros and cons for 5 different styles of attachment.

The “most-fixed” type of fixed removable, this involves designing a restoration that will be attached directly to implant abutments with screws.

Creates a secure connection and provides optimal restoration stability

Can be used without a bar or metal substructure

Restoration cannot be removed by the patient

Screw access channels can create esthetic or structural challenges

These attachments are versatile and feature a male ball usually attached to an implant bar or directly to implant abutments. The restoration locks onto the balls with integrated o-ring female attachments.

Numerous design options exist for the location and orientation of the attachments

Easy for patients to remove and replace the appliance

Requires enough space for the ball to be fully above the gingiva

Retention o-rings or other devices wear out over time and must be replaced

Similar to a ball attachment, these features a low-profile, cylindrical male component and a cap style female that clips the restoration to the attachments.

Easy for patients to insert and remove restorations

Attachments can support angulated connections from nonparallel implants

Low profile makes it easier to use when vertical space is limited

As they allow some movement, they cannot be used when a rigid restoration is required

Connectors wear out over time and must be replaced

This attachment style features an implant bar that is affixed to the implants with screws, and then the dentures contain a channel that fits around the bar with plastic or metal clips in the channel to provide retention

Bar does not need to be integrated into the dentures themselves, making replacement easier

Bar must be designed to accommodate clips

Requires more precision in design and fabrication

These attachments feature magnets that are attached to the implant abutment or screw-retained bar, as well as corresponding magnets that are attached to the denture.

Low profile for when vertical space is limited

Retention is often weaker than other attachments

Magnets can corrode or lose strength over time.

A look at the benefits and drawbacks of different approaches to implant attachments.

The Pros and Cons of 5 Implant Attachment Styles

On any ceramic restoration in need of enhanced esthetics

The stains can be applied after the ceramic restoration has been surface treated.

Designed to be a universal coloration solution, Biomic Stain/Glaze is compatible with all ceramic dental materials including zirconia, glass ceramics, and porcelain. The colors are simple to apply and can be custom mixed to achieve desired viscosities and shades. The materials are available in 3 kits, the Basic set contains the most used stain colors, while the Aesthetic set includes an even wider range of shades. Additionally, the Biomic Gum set includes shades for creating lifelike gingival shading and effects.

The Biomic system is capable of adding efficiency to all-ceramic CAD/CAM workflows by eliminating the need to cut back restorations after milling to allow a technician to add 3D effects via ceramic layering. Instead the system features a set of 2D shades designed for mimicking the colors of natural teeth, as well as additional 3D pastes that contain porcelain powder and are designed for adding esthetic effects and adjusting tooth surface morphology. The materials can add a natural-looking fluorescence to zirconia crowns, and the sintering temperature can be adjusted to achieve different surface brightness effects.

A coloration system designed to add esthetic details to all-ceramic restorations.

5Ws* Biomic Stain/Glaze

Whenever implant screws need to be adjusted.

With many implant manufacturers using multiple prosthetic connection types with their implants, making sure the correct drivers are always on hand and ready to go can be challenging. Implant Buddy is a kit of color-coded long and short implant drivers that are compatible with 99% of dental implants, such as those from Straumann, Nobel Biocare, Lifecore, BioHorizons, Astra, Zimmer-Biomet, Megagen, Hiossen, Friadent, Ankylos, and more.

Stored in a magnetic base that makes keeping all the kit components together easy, the system features tapered driver tips designed to provide an optimal connection between the screw and driver to reduce the risk of dropping the implant screw. The entire Implant Buddy kit can be sterilized, and the included thumb knob fits directly into torque drivers.

A nearly universal set of implant drivers to simplify working on implant cases.

5Ws* Implant Buddy Driver Set

Stan Goff is the Managing Editor of Dental Products Report, Dental Lab Products and Modern Hygienist. He has covered the dental industry since 1999 and can be reached at sgoff@mjhlifesciences.com.  

At last month’s Dentsply Sirona World 2021 in Las Vegas, Denstply Sirona launched its new DS PrimerTaper self-tapping implant along with a comprehensive restage of its implants business. In the Q&A below, Gene Dorff, the company’s Group Vice President Implants Product Group, answers questions about these key developments.

There are 3 essential factors for the success of implant treatment: the clinical expertise of the dental professionals, high-quality products used in the process, and structured and seamless workflows that intelligently combine the first 2 factors for a long-term healthy and esthetically pleasing result. Dorff explains the considerations behind this concept.

Q: With PrimeTaper you are presenting an innovative concept for dental implant therapy. What is the relevance of this market for Dentsply Sirona?

 The needs of our customers and their patients are the key driver. Fortunately, people are living longer, have a keen awareness of their oral health and want a healthy smile – for life. This can be achieved in a number of ways, including good oral hygiene, teeth straightening with aligners treatments, and esthetic replacements for natural teeth lost due to trauma or age. Dentists have been solving the latter problem with implants for several years. As a result, implants and complex restorations are among the fastest growing areas in dentistry.

These complex procedures can be made easier, safer and more efficient through the use of digital technology. As a company, we recognized this potential early on. "Digital" is our key competence. Dental practitioners have relied on the quality and safety of our products and digital technologies for years. More than 20 million patients have already benefited from DS Implants. Our excellent track record gives us the confidence that we can move implant dentistry forward – with excellent products, cutting-edge workflows and, of course, with continuing education and training.

Dentsply Sirona Launches DS PrimeTaper, Announces Comprehensive Restage of its Implant Business

Q: What trends do you see in dental implantology?

 Dentists who want to provide their patients with implants, bridges, and dentures face several challenges including long-term survival and esthetics of the restoration, simple and safe treatment procedures, and efficiency.

At Dentsply Sirona, we’re seeing the real value digital technologies provide, especially in treatment planning, manufacture of restorations, and the security it offers clinicians by making the processes simple and accurate. As an example, surgery guides and temporary restorations can be produced digitally from one file in advance of the patient treatment. Ultimately, the aim is to combine the many procedure steps within implant dentistry in a way that is beneficial for everyone involved – including the dental technician. We call this "connecting the dots". It is not just about improving a single product, but about providing intelligent, logical workflows that are intuitive, reliable, accurate and improve the predictability of treatment results.

Q: Dentsply Sirona is already a leader in the implant market with well-known brands. What exactly do you want to change?

 Ankylos, XiVE, Astra and Astra EV as well as MIS are indeed strong brands appreciated by our customers. But they are more or less individual brands that stand alone in our company. In order to present a full spectrum of solutions for implant dentistry to our customers it is 

important to harmonize our implant business under the Dentsply Sirona brand and connect the many individual parts that create value and trust. This will include our outstanding new product, DS PrimeTaper, and proven signature workflow solutions for implant dentistry.

Our goal is to be the first “digitally native company” to help our customers simplify complex processes and workflows with digital technology and coordinated procedures so that they become a regular part of their daily work as a natural consequence. This enables Dentists and Technicians to provide better Oral Health and esthetic outcomes to patients.

DS PrimeTaper self-tapping implant, implant business restaging designed to outperform 
expectations in bone health, longevity and esthetics.


Denstply Sirona’s Gene Dorff Discusses His Company’s Intelligent Implant Solutions

Slate has announced the launch of its electric flosser. It is designed to be ergonomic and to eliminate all the plaque between the teeth in order for a healthier smile, according to the Kickstarter page for the product. Because plaque contributes to a variety of health problems including cavities, heart disease, and even dementia, it was vital for Slate’s electric flosser to be as effective as possible.

To achieve this, the Slate Electric Flosser utilizes its Gum Sweeps. These are strategically placed bristles and ribs that are meant to emulate the shape of the teeth and gums. The Gum Sweeps remove plaque that would otherwise be untouched by normal brushing. The flosser also features a tongue scraper that can be used to clean bacteria off the tongue. It has 2 rows of rubber bristles designed to clean while still maintaining a comfortable experience.

Floss heads can be exchanged, cleaned, and removed as needed, touting a greener and more sustainable way to floss. It is recommended for replacement every week, and is moving to its production run later in the year.

This electric flosser from Slate will provide an easier, greener, and more efficient way to floss every day. 

Slate Launches Electric Flosser

During the 2021 American Dental Association’s SmileCon, Imagine USA announced the availability of Imagine OPEN, a digital dental treatment ecosystem that is designed to enable clinicians to add intraoral scanning and a digital workflow that is tailored specifically to their practice.

The chairside system is also designed for the unique needs of each practice while incorporating everything the practice needs for support and training, according to a press release from the company. OPEN is an entirely scalable solution that is built upon Align’s iTero technology. This gives practices with Imagine OPEN the ability to offer orthodontic aligners to patients and export scans to exocad’s ChairsideCAD software.

A full range of restorative indications and materials can be used and its CAD/CAM files can be used by anyone with an OPEN digital system. Imagine also provides access to a host of qualified labs in their OPEN network or clinicians can choose to produce restorations and appliances in-house.

Imagine OPEN is a digital dental treatment system designed to enable a digital workflow.

Imagine USA Debuts Digital OPEN System During 2021 SmileCon

Sunbit Shares Industry Survey Data Results at ADA SmileCon 2021


Sunbit is sharing the results of new industry survey data at ADA SmileCon 2021. As a buy now, pay later solution, Sunbit has become a partner for various dental groups. This survey, conducted from 1,559 dental professionals, shares a few different results:

58% of dental professionals said they aren’t proactively offering financing. Cost of care is often not factored into monthly budgets.

32% said they are not offering financing because their patients don’t need it. According to the press release, this demonstrates a disconnect between professionals and patients when it comes to financing procedures.

Only 12% of dental professionals have expressed complete satisfaction with their existing financing solutions.

About one-third of surveyed offices have patient financing approval rates below 59%, and over two-thirds of offices see patient approval rates below 69%.

Sunbit hopes to prove that buy now, pay later methods can offer dental practices new options for dental financing. The survey results are also said to demonstrate growing popularity in the buy now, pay later trend.

Almost 23% of patients have purchased something with a buy now, pay later payment options.

56% of patients said they would prefer to pay for dental treatments with buy now, pay later.

43& of patients said they would undergo more dental treatments if they were able to pay for them over time.

Sunbit hopes to demonstrate the value of its buy now, pay later system through these survey results. The results were premiered at the Sunbit booth at ADA SmileCon 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sunbit is sharing the survey data results at ADA SmileCon 2021 that show financing trends in the dental industry. 

Sunbit Shares Industry Survey Data Results at ADA SmileCon 2021

Robert Elsenpeter is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Dental Products Report and Dental Lab Products. He is also the author of 18 technology books, including the award-winning Green IT: Reduce Your Information System's Environmental Impact While Adding to the Bottom Line. As such, he’s particularly interested in the technological side of dentistry.

Staying on Top of Infrequent Infection Control Practices. Photo courtesy of WavebreakMediaMicro / stock.adobe.com. 

Once a year, homeowners should perform infrequent chores such as deep clean their dryers, vacuum around vents, and wash curtains or drapes, according to 

. However, many homeowners do not follow such a schedule with those chores. Like these homes, dental practices may find themselves in a similar position with routine infection control tasks that should usually be performed once or twice a year.

It’s easy to understand why such tasks are forgotten. Even the most well-intentioned infection prevention specialist can overlook these chores because they are performed infrequently. One such task is keeping up on staff’s continuing education (CE) requirements.

“Infection control CE is mandatory for your license renewal in some states,” says Karen Daw, MBA, who is known as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Lady (OSHA). “Sometimes it’s easy to overlook. For instance, OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens training, which covers bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials, including saliva and other body fluids, [can easily be forgotten about]. That is mandatory training every single year, and yet it never ceases to amaze me [that so many] practices either wait a few years or weren’t aware it was an annual requirement. Or they might do it in January of one year and then December of the following year. Technically that’s 2 years, according to OSHA.

“Annual safety training must be conducted within 12 months of the last time you did training,” Daw continues. “It’s mandatory every year, but we forget to do it because it’s not something that’s happening with more frequency. I always advise offices, ‘Mark your calendar. As soon as you complete training one year, get the next one’s scheduled with the team….’ At the same time, you can review the exposure control plan with the office too. This is another annual requirement.”

“Most of those things are by a specific date on the calendar,” adds Lisa Kane, DMD, of the Dental Office Compliance of New England. “So yes, every year you should make sure you know when all the licenses are coming up and the certifications. You should make sure you have that documentation well in advance and make sure everyone’s had all their classes and that everyone’s actually renewing their licenses. Also, everyone needs to do an N95 fit test every year.”

Planning and setting reminders, whether it’s on a desk calendar, a planner, or some automated reminder, is a valuable way to keep up with those tasks.

“People should keep yearly logs so they don’t forget about this kind of stuff,” Kane advises. “You’ve got to make sure you check your compressor, your amalgam separator, your fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and all the emergency supplies. There are also engineering controls that you have to do every year. When we go into an office, we create their logs and standard operating procedures based on Centers for Disease Control [and Prevention] and OSHA guidelines and the instructions for use for the equipment they have. You should always defer to that and see what the recommendations are and make sure [you know] what you’re supposed to be doing.”

Be cognizant of the work environment and what types of health and safety systems must be regularly maintained. For instance, as the specter of COVID-19 is still haunting us, air quality is in the limelight.

“Because there is such an enhanced focus on aerosols, when I do training or when I speak publicly, I touch on water and air safety as well,” Daw says. “And when we’re talking water safety, I’m talking about whether we are using a product to maintain our dental unit water lines. Are [you] connected to municipal water, which poses a little bit of a challenge as far as being able to shock, or do you have a bottle and use a product to maintain [the lines], or are you going with something like a whole-office filtration system? And do we have a protocol for testing? The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention published a white paper recommending quarterly testing. For example, some manufacturers’ instructions for use (IFU) have specifics monthly.

“Then, if it passes, you can go to quarterly after that,” she continues. “Some of them are very vague. This is what upsets me: vague IFUs like ‘test as needed.’ What the heck does that mean? Practices need, want, and deserve clear instructions for use. I recommend quarterly testing, unless the manufacturer says more frequently, to make sure the water lines are looking good, not just safe for the patients. But if you’re generating aerosols, is that water that your team is being exposed to safe? We’re talking about the heterotrophic bacterial counts in the water lines, not total dissolved solids. Some offices say, ‘Oh, I stopped testing. I stuck a meter in the water and it says it’s under 200, so I know I have safe water.’ Well what they’re testing is total dissolved solids. They’re not really testing for harmful heterotrophic bacteria, like Legionella [or] Mycobacterium. So testing your water lines routinely is something you should do even if it’s in office. And then I recommend testing annually using a mail-in testing system, so that you have something in writing from an independent, third-party lab that shows your water is safe.”

Infection prevention coordinators at a practice must keep up on many things, so tasks that are seldom performed are easily forgotten. Tapping the skills of an infection prevention consultant is one way to stay abreast of requirements.

“Don’t forget workplace hazard assessments,” Daw recommends. “Did things change since COVID-19? Did the specific occupational hazards in your particular business change in any given year? That’s something you want to routinely review as well. Add that at least to your annual responsibilities, and then, after you’ve done the workplace hazard assessment, conduct a personal protective equipment certification based on that hazard assessment.

“When I mention those 2 terms, this is where people’s eyes start to glaze over,” she continues, “because they [say], ‘Wait a minute. What is this? This is the first time I’m hearing about it.’ So some offices would benefit from working with a consultant when it comes to not only training the office but also helping them with some of these routine assessments and checklists that they should be maintaining. There are a lot of practices that don’t do it because they were never advised to do it. You have offices that just do what I call ‘check off the box’ annual OSHA training and not have worked with a consultant or attended different types of safety and infection control CE. They might not have ever heard about it, and nor do I expect them to know about it, unless they specifically were working with a consultant. And the job of that consultant is to advise them on some of these more obscure requirements that the employer is subject to in a dental setting. So a lot of offices are not doing it, and that’s where I come in. I point that out to them and make sure that we’ve dotted all our I’s and crossed all our T’s.”

Although practices must ensure that the big things such as air and water quality mechanisms and staff CE requirements are up to date, they must not lose sight of the seemingly little things.

“You should be checking the expiration dates on all of your products on a regular basis,” Kane says. “Make sure you have some sort of a plan to get everything done. There’s a ton of stuff you have to do, and it may be daunting. You don’t have to do it all on December 31st. If you have thorough logs and procedures, it will make it more organized, and you can spread tasks out throughout the year.

“When I go in and do a walk through, I see a lot of expired supplies,” she continues. “Anesthesia carpules would be the most common. It’s definitely good to have a written procedure for how you are keeping track of supplies and their expiration dates.”

Keeping up on the nondental parts of the practice is also necessary.

“Look at your labor law posters,” Kane recommends. “Make sure those are up to date every year because they change. I would always check your local dental board website or society and see if there are any changes in any regulations, because things are changing all of the time.”

Ultimately, having a plan and reminders in place to perform these infrequent tasks is key to staying on top of infection prevention matters.

“Don’t wait till the last minute to do everything,” Kane says. “Keep on top of everything throughout the year, and make sure that whatever equipment you have, you’ve looked at the instructions and what the maintenance is so things don’t add up at the end of the year.”

We may not be as diligent as we should be at cleaning behind our home refrigerator or washing the drapes, but failing to carry out similarly infrequent tasks at the dental practice can come at the cost of team and patient safety.

Some infection control protocols can be easy to miss, which is why it’s important to stay on top of infrequent tasks. 

Staying on Top of Infrequent Infection Control Practices

Dentulu has announced a partnership with teledentisty network, The TeleDentists. This partnership was created to expand access even further for patients who wish to receive quality dental care from the comfort of their own homes, according to a press release from the companies.

Dentulu will combine its expansive dental network and teledentistry software to The TeleDentists’s network of professional clinicians. Co-founder and CEO of Dentulu Dr Arash Hakhamian stressed the importance of improving patient’s lives through this partnership.

“Both Dentulu and The TeleDentists recognize the tremendous institutional and professionaldemand across the United States to provide innovative technology that will improve the oralhealth and quality of life of dental patients,” Dr Hakhamian said in the press release. “Combining Dentulu’s growing list of collaborations with major retailers along withThe TeleDentists’ extensive network of Virtual Dentists provides Dentulu the opportunity to helpmillions of patients receive immediate access to a licensed Dentist when they need it most.”

The TeleDentists have also partnered with insurance companies Cigna and Anthem to provide coverage to members. Dentulu and The TeleDentists plan to launch the partnership this month, October, 2021, and are currently working toward a full merger.

This partnership will combine the network, software, and clinicians in order to expand oral health care access. 

Dentulu and The TeleDentists Partner Up

Information provided by Wagner Precision Rotary Instruments.

UltraBerry®, RedBerry®, BlueBerry® and GoldenBerry® instruments

Dental laboratories and dental practices looking to develop an efficient contouring process for restorative work.

The Berrys were developed for use with zirconia and lithium disilicate restorative materials.

The Wagner diamond infused spiral provides a flexing action that allows the instrument’s fingers to get into difficult occlusal areas. With UltraBerry (coarse plus), RedBerry (coarse), BlueBerry (medium), and GoldenBerry (fine, high shine) instruments, lab technicians and clinicians can make final adjustments, refine occlusal anatomy, and create a high shine polish. They contour and shape aggressively yet leave a smooth finish.

The instruments are infused with a high concentration of uniquely shaped diamond particles that allows for more effective contouring and shaping of these materials. The Berrys reduce heat transfer, prevent microscopic surface scratches, and leave a smooth surface during the contouring process. This smooth surface eliminates the capillary effect that causes stains to be drawn to unwanted areas.

Specifically developed for use with zirconia and lithium disilicate restorative materials, these instruments from Wagner Precision Rotary Instruments leave a smooth surface during the contouring process.

5Ws* UltraBerry, RedBerry, BlueBerry, and GoldenBerry

Kristin Hohman has served as Associate Editor of Dental Products report since 2019. She has a background in journalism and digital content. Kristin can be reached at khohman@mjhlifesciences.com.

Any practice providing removable partial denture frameworks.

Anytime a dental technician needs a simpler design solution for complex cases

PartialCAD 3.0 Galway is a module for removable partial denture frameworks with advanced features for the design of high-quality partial dentures. It is said to provide experts and new users with smooth, improved integration with exocad’s DentalCAD. PartialCAD 3.0 Galway is available as an add-on module or standalone module and can be accessed by all users with a valid upgrade contract.

The new module is designed to include accurate fits from attachment-based partial framework designs without needing to scan the attachment itself or the accessory parts; smooth interaction of the crown-and-bridge workflow and partial-framework workflow allows comfortable reverse planning of the whole restoration; integration of partial framework design with DentalCAD enabling the design of multiple separate elements like framework, teeth and gingiva; and reverse planning with exportable teeth and gingiva and the possibility to seamlessly combine secondary telescopic crowns with partial frameworks.

PartialCAD 3.0 is a new module designed specifically for the design of removable partial denture frameworks.

5Ws* PartialCAD 3.0 Galway

 experienced major advancements over the past few decades, and nowhere is that more apparent than in equipment categories. When dental technicians need to use hand-held instruments, today’s dental laboratory can take advantage of all the latest modern technology.

Designed for a variety of applications, handpieces are one of the most reached-for and most used pieces of equipment in the dental lab, so it is critical to make the right choice based on your lab’s needs. Whether you are working on models, finishing and polishing, grinding, or adjusting, it’s important to consider what features will complement the tasks you regularly perform and the materials you frequently work with.

Let’s take a look at some of the dental laboratory handpieces on the market.

Lab Handpieces 

A product roundup of dental laboratory handpieces. 

In the Palm of Your Hand

5Ws* Ceramill DRS High-Speed Zirconia Kit

Any dental lab that requires fast fabrication of esthetic zirconia restorations

Whenever a zirconia restoration is needed quickly and efficiently or same day

The Ceramill DRS High-Speed Zirconia Kit creates restorations in a fast and flexible manner. The compact machine combines important steps in the fabrication of zirconia restorations to make fabrication quicker for dental labs to better serve practices and patients.

Combining the Ceramill Therm DRS sintering furnace and the Zolid DRS material, the Ceramill DRS High-speed Zirconia Kit creates esthetic zirconia restorations in a shorter amount of time. It coordinates with Vita shades and translucency gradient for esthetics and utilizes a superfast sintering cycle for a quick turnaround. Because the Zolid DRS meets the characteristics of a Class 5 zirconia, technicians can find comfort in its safety.

This bundle creates durable, esthetic zirconia restorations in less time. 

Laura Dorr is the former executive editor of DPR's Modern Dental Network and a regular contributing author.

Clinicians Have Growing Need for Implant Experts. Photo Courtesy of Krishnacreations/stock.adobe.com. 

he dental implant industry is booming and your laboratory’s business could follow suit. It sounds like an over-the-top marketing tagline, but the rapid growth of implant dentistry (and the burgeoning work it gives labs) is indisputable. According to the American Dental Association, over 5 million implants are placed annually in the United States.

 The American College of Prosthodontists says 2.3 million implant-supported crowns are fabricated annually.

 And these numbers are growing every year.

Although dentures and bridges once were the treatment of choice, the rising popularity of implants means any lab not offering them is squandering opportunities, some professionals say. “The true pioneers in implants made it mainstream in the 2000s,” says Conrad Rensburg, owner and head of the Dental Implant Division for Absolute Dental Services in Durham, North Carolina. “Obviously we did implants before then, but that’s when it really became commercialized. It was a little easier in those early days to get into the space. But today, if you haven’t offered it, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. And you need to be offering it.”

So how can a lab become the go-to for implants? In a competitive market, a lab must stand out. You need to put in some work, do research, become a resource, and understand—and meet—the demands of clinicians.

“Dentists are looking for lots of things in a lab when it comes to implants,” says Chris Bormes, MICOI, president of Preat, a company in Santa Maria, California, offering dental implant components. “They want treatment planning skills. They want to see knowledge of multiple systems and restoration types. They want their lab to have the ability to problem solve and think outside the box. And of course, they want reliable quality and timely communication.”

As with any industry, good connections are essential. Building relationships can make the difference between a successful and long-lasting or not-so-successful and fleeting partnership. With so many options available to clinicians, having a solid relationship can set a lab apart.

For example, when clinicians attend a trade show, they are looking at 400 vendors, all saying their products are the best. This can be overwhelming. Instead of the dentist wading through endless options, the lab can—and should—be a resource.

“I think the lab should be who the dentist calls when they are looking for advice about a product or company,” Rensburg says. “A lab can be a true resource, provided they are going to speak up and not play favorites but instead say, ‘Hey, here are the advantages of X over Y,’ regardless of any existing relationships with companies. Being transparent and honest is going to instill trust in dentists.” This means labs must research what options are available on the market and what dentists are looking for in a product or service.

“You need to understand your [clinician], what is being promoted to them, and their pain points,” Bormes says. “In 2017, dental school graduates listed implant dentistry as the key area they are not sufficiently prepared for. This is an opportunity to provide additional value other than just your product.”

Understanding what a clinician is looking for is key. Ask questions like “How can I create more efficiency for your practice? How can I help boost your revenue? How can I support your staff?” Then, Bormes says, the next step is to show them what your lab value proposition is. Whether that involves demonstrating how you can save them chairside time or investing in your relationship via an experience together (such as attending continuing education as a team), building that sense of a partnership is important. Helping clinicians increase their knowledge (and therefore confidence) leads to less stress, higher patient acceptance rates, and, ultimately, more revenue for all parties. “And remember to support the entire dental team, not just the dentist,” he adds. “Make sure your value proposition includes the hygienists, assistants, and front desk staff.”

“Become a resource and invest in your relationship, whether it be providing lunch-and-learns or continuing education to your dentists,” Bormes recommends. “Attend [the] Pankey [Institute], Spear [Education], or Kois [Center LLC] with your [clinicians]. Attend the same study clubs. Be the ‘technicians that know implants’ to these key prospective [clinicians]. You will increase respect and likely pick up new [clinicians] simply by being ‘the resource’ and sharing what they don’t know, whether that be material choice or technology.”

If your lab has the ability and resources, providing free continuing education to dental professionals can also attract attention. This positions the lab as a reliable resource for clinicians. Becoming heavily involved in treatment planning and case troubleshooting generates trust, building a closer relationship.

“It’s critical to provide complex and simple treatment planning,” Bormes says. “You need to be able to help choose the right framework, restorative components, and materials to provide the optimal solution for each patient. Dentists want lab advice on material options, restoration choices, and treatment planning. Understand the [clinician’s] experience level with each implant case and make the level of communication appropriate to provide peace of mind.”

Ultimately, providing support and accessibility is paramount to success. “We identify hundreds of implants and attachments each day,” Bormes says. “People trust us for their difficult cases, so the same professionals will trust our multiplatform prosthetics for their patients. We also strive to be ‘easy to do business with’ via extended hours, multiple ways to connect with us, and a senior technician on staff at all times.”

To provide what a clinician needs, the lab must be expert on the available offerings. This means staying up-to-date and educated on the latest materials, techniques, products, and technology. Otherwise, Rensburg says, a lab becomes obsolete.

“It’s my job to know what kind of zirconia is out there,” he says. “It’s my job to know what kind of implants or restorative options are out there. And the way you do this job is by constantly educating yourself.”

This means the workday doesn’t end at 5 pm. For Rensburg, clocking out of the office means spending time reading articles or sitting in continuing education—for both technical and clinical sessions. Rensburg says he probably spends more time in clinical courses than technical, because it is important to understand what happens on the clinician’s side. For example, if a lab technician has never been chairside with a guided-surgery case, they cannot know what could go wrong and do not see a patient’s discomfort, or understand how making a mistake at the bench relates back to the chair.

“I think a lot of lab techs like to limit themselves to just technical, because of course that’s what you’re going to be doing, but you have to understand what a clinician is dealing with to be able to help them,” Rensburg says. “If you learn from clinicians, you can be a resource to other clinicians.” Rensburg and Bormes agree that you cannot gain this knowledge without participating in continuing education events, classes, or conferences.

“Attending education events is very important,” Bormes emphasizes. “Ideally, a noncommercial course will provide ideas, tips, or techniques, and is a great way to remain current and motivated.”

This is critical in the rapidly evolving world of implant fabrication. New technologies and improvements are frequent, so it is important for labs to stay current. For example, Bormes says, in the 1980s the biggest development in implant fabrication was the angled tissue extension abutment. More recently, it has been the angled access channel. Both developments allow the patient to have a reasonably priced, esthetic, retrievable, and strong screw-retained restoration, often eliminating the need for painful, expensive bone augmentation and lowering the risk of peri-implantitis from cement. Although this technology is now common, not understanding it (or other improvements that hit the market) can hurt a lab. This makes knowledge and flexibility imperative.

“We all strive to have each surgery be prosthetic-driven, but often the surgeon must place where bone is,” Bormes says. “These combined technologies allow for fixed or removable cases with up to 60º of angle correction.”

Continuing education is not only a chance for technicians to learn; it presents a good marketing opportunity as well. “I recommend technicians who come back from a course send a note to their dentists informing them of the course they attended, what they learned, and inviting them to a lunch or meeting to discuss,” Bormes says. “It all goes back to being that invaluable resource.”

To be that all-encompassing resource, labs need information about companies, products, and materials. Being limited to a single company or product line can limit a lab’s capabilities and hurt its ability to offer a range of services. Although you may have companies you work more closely with, keeping an impartial and open mind about which offerings are the most effective for a specific indication is important. Not only will this allow a lab to provide superior services, but it will also build faith with clinicians who will trust that you are recommending the best product and not just promoting a company with which you may have ties.

“You will obviously build closer relationships with some companies over others,” Rensburg reiterates. “But a clinician needs to trust that when they ask you a question or what you think about a product, you will speak your mind truthfully and not play favorites just because you have a relationship with a company or rep. Instead, you should be honest and say, ‘Hey, these are the advantages, this is what I like or don’t like, and this is what I think you should do.’ This will build trust while also providing the best restorations.”

“Don’t be a ‘Brand X only’ lab,” Bormes agrees. “Learn multiple platforms. The value implant segment is the fastest growing in the United States. For example, in Europe, the value segment is expected to account for 60% of units placed by 2024. You never know when the surgeon is going to change brands, or a new patient presents with a system the doctor is not familiar with. It’s the same as with restoration types (ie, not every crown should be cemented porcelain fused metal or screw-retained ceramic): Be familiar with the indications and contraindications for many restoration types to be that resource for your clients.”

Labs can provide multiplatform prosthetic offerings by branching into multiple brands and restoration types. A lab that is a 1-stop shop can provide the widest selection of implant parts and attachment solutions for fixed and removable restorations. Because not all patients are the same, not being tied to 1 implant brand allows labs to provide clients with the best restorative parts for each patient. “In the end, an implant is an implant,” Bormes says. “The patient only cares about the restoration.”

In-lab technology can also increase a lab’s appeal to dentists. When the return on investment warrants it, Bormes recommends that labs have a scanner. Until it makes financial sense to bring printing or milling in-house, labs should outsource their work. Technology can be a huge driver for labs—and for implant companies—so both need to constantly innovate and not fall behind the other available options.

But technology alone will not market a lab. Although having the latest in technology may seem like a huge value add, it may not matter if the lab is lacking elsewhere. Even if the lab has the latest, greatest gadgets, it will not be cutting edge without reliability and knowledge.

One example is digital dentures. When they emerged, many in the industry were skeptical and did not believe they could be high quality. Many clinicians were hesitant to trust in the new technology, even though digital dentures can be esthetic, functional, and stronger than those made by hand. From the lab standpoint, digital dentures are faster and cheaper but still deliver a better product, saving time and money. But none of that really matters if the clinician does not have the information to trust in the technology—information the lab should be able to provide.

“I think it really doesn’t matter what technology a lab uses,” Rensburg says. “I think what gives labs a marketing ability is understanding the technology. If a dentist hears about a new material, he should feel confident that he can call me because he trusts I will already know about it. Yes, if a lab doesn’t embrace new technology, it will eventually become obsolete—but only if you are scared of it instead of immersing yourself in the knowledge and understanding of it. You do have to continually innovate to drive your company forward, because otherwise you can’t offer the latest innovations. But you need to know what you’re doing.”

The quickest way to destroy a lab’s relationships—and credibility—is to turn out a subpar finished product. Good relationships with clinicians and reps will not matter if you cannot produce a quality restoration. This means knowing your lab’s capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses, and realizing when a case is not feasible.

“It’s OK to say no to a case,” Rensburg says. “It’s crucial to be able to do that, because if you don’t, you’ll end up looking like a fool. Not all money is worth making—because if it’s a bad case, you’re not really making money anyway, since you’re going to be doing the case 2 or 3 times and wasting bench time.”

Not only can taking the wrong cases waste time and money, but it can hurt reputations. “At the end of the day, the clinician that was trying to take a shortcut or force a case that couldn’t be done will stand up at a dental meeting and tell people how bad the case was and what a bad job you did, even though you initially told him, ‘I don’t think this is going to work,’ ” Rensburg says. “It’s much better to say, ‘Doctor, with all due respect, I’m not going to accept this case because it’s not going to work.’ Otherwise, you will become the villain.”

Although rejecting cases can be difficult for smaller labs with only a few customers, it could make a huge difference in potential growth. When saying no to a case that simply will not work, a lab is not being difficult; it is being smart. In the long run, turning down jobs could lead to more work in the future, because a lab will build a stronger reputation for producing impeccable, high-quality work.

“Ask yourself 2 questions with every case,” Bormes says. “First, would I recommend this to my mom? Second, can I service this restoration in 10 years? It is becoming more important to provide life cycle support for implants.”

Providing life cycle support is a big value add. This ensures that clinicians know your lab can help troubleshoot for the life of the restoration and through all phases of prosthesis life, whether that be a reline, rebase, jump, or simply replacing attachments or screws. Ultimately, this means a longer life cycle for the restoration, a higher-quality restoration, and a happier patient.

“The continued excellence and quality of all implants on the market is one of the greatest developments in implant fabrication,” Bormes says. “With high osseointegration rates, now we can focus on what truly matters to the patient: the restoration. When is the last time you saw implant patients talking about what type of implant they have? As I mentioned, an implant is an implant to patients. Patients care about the quality, esthetics, and functionality of the restoration. They want the confidence of looking good, feeling good, and returning to as much of a normal quality of life as possible.”

When it all boils down, marketing is all about building relationships. In addition to building relationships, making connections with company representatives and implant reps can rapidly expand a lab’s business. Rensburg says it’s been his biggest business driver over the last 20 years.

“Build relationships with your company reps,” Rensburg says. “I’ll be the first one to admit that my relationships with my clinical implant reps have driven more business to me than any marketing or any speaking engagement because those guys are in the field. They can say to a doctor, ‘Hey, you’ve got an implant case, send it to this lab, this lab knows what it’s doing.’”

To build these relationships, Rensburg recommends getting the representative into the lab and talking about how you can collaborate and support each other. This opens the doors to not only a good relationship with a company representative, but a good relationship with someone who already trusts that representative. Although this does involve some selectiveness in the representatives you work with, he still emphasizes the importance of working with multiple companies and not becoming tied to a single brand.

When it comes to marketing to clinicians, traditional marketing can be ineffective. Unless you are a large lab with a big marketing budget or a brand-name chain, most referrals are going to come through community connections. However, there are ways to build your reputation as an implant resource that will not break the bank.

Bormes cites several primary steps for marketing a lab as a go-to for implant cases. He reemphasizes the importance of being a resource to dentists, completing continuing education, and adds several other tips including the following:

Highlight your best—and toughest—cases on social media.

Show clinicians how you can save them money, but be sure you are making money as well. Don’t be worried about being the lowest price; rather, make sure clinicians understand your value proposition and keep your focus on quality, turnaround time, and partnership. Offer multiple-tier pricing to make services more accessible and appealing. “You should have different price levels for different types of [clinicians] and patients,” Bormes says. For example, one can be using all OEM parts, and the other can be a value price using “multiplatform” (non-OEM) parts. “Many labs have increased profitability by offering tiered pricing,” he says.

Source referrals and testimonials that can promote growth for your lab. Ask a few of your favorite clinicians for a referral to “other dentists like them.” Eighty-six percent of dentists look for another dentist’s recommendation when choosing a lab. Testimonials from current clinicians are important to have on the lab website to highlight your value proposition.

Because there are so many moving pieces and parts, building a lab’s business—and maintaining that business—is no easy feat. Getting those components to move in synchronicity will have positive results.

“What we do is hard,” Rensburg says. “We have to build relationships, we have to be marketers, we have to create a product, we have to control the quality, and then we have to deliver on time. So we really capture every facet of almost every industry out there. It’s a one-of-a-kind industry.”

1. Dental implants. American Dental Association. Accessed 9 September 2021. http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Publications/Files/ADA_PatientSmart_Implants.ashx

2. Dye B, Thornton-Evans G, Li X, Iafolla T. Dental caries and tooth loss in adults in the United States, 2011-2012. NCHS Data Brief. 2015;197:197.

It is vital for dental laboratories to have dental implant experts to expand implant business.