Our Industry Continues to Elevate the Standard of Care

Technology and material innovations continue to evolve in dental laboratory technology, and the processes of manufacturing restorative dental prosthetics have evolved in a great way. We are seeing a true evolution of materials utilized today in order to create dental prosthetics for our dental clients and their patients. Currently, with technology advances-in hardware, software, and materials-we can create prosthetics that perhaps 10 to 15 years ago were unimaginable, whether it be geometric shapes, material behavior, and more; the processes that we have today utilize different materials and equipment that we simply did not have at our disposal prior. The benefactor ultimately is the patient, because we can increase the level of dental viability and thereby the standard of dental care through these new and unique solutions, all while becoming more productive and allowing our dental laboratory businesses to become more scalable, thereby allowing our businesses to thrive.

Understanding and leveraging these technological advances, as well as material advances, affords the laboratory with a new and unique opportunity to truly excel and think outside the box in order to arrive in the best place to meet and exceed our dentist clients' and their patients' needs and expectations. Nonetheless, it is especially important for every dental laboratory owner and manager to stay abreast of all the different technological advances as well as material advances to really be able to deploy each benefit to the best of its ability. Using materials and technology to arrive at the best outcome affords a greater level of efficiency and an elevated standard of care when restoring a dental patient's dentition. And that is why I am especially excited for this iNav issue, an annual thematic issue that has captured all the tremendous advancements and organized it in a useful format, so that you can then make the best and most informed decisions for your laboratory. This year, we have seen great focus and growth in the 3D printing arena and resins for manufacturing. Not all resins are alike, and there are differences in the way they behave and what they produce as an outcome. Understanding those differences and which attributes will provide our dental laboratory, dentist clientele, and their patients with the greatest benefits and outcomes will lead us to the best solution to provide to our dental clients.

As we begin to close out 2024 and reflect, assess, and plan for the new year, I hope you use this resource that we have proudly created for you to help in whatever new initiatives or developments you have planned in your dental laboratory. I would also like to take this opportunity, with great and sincere gratitude, to wish all of you and all your loved ones a happy holiday season and a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!

Daniel Alter, MSc, MDT, CDT
daniel.alter@conexiant.com