Carestream Dental’s David Claridge says a successful dental lab “Combines talent and technology”
A successful lab knows it takes more than the latest technology to survive – the most essential element is talent. It is the vision and talent of a skilled technician that will bring both the patient’s and the supplying dentist’s desires into fruition. A poor workman might blame his tools, but an excellent workman – who has skill, ambition and insight – will rightly take all the credit for a job well done.
A laboratory can install all the ground-breaking tools it can afford, but unless it is being used by a talented team then it will not realise its full potential. It should be made clear, however, that even the very best technician in the world can not produce good quality products if given only very primitive materials to work with – a balance does need to be struck.
Technology needn’t be a compromise; the best technology will co-exist alongside talent and merely enhance everything you and your team already do. Let’s face it, anything that can allow you to do more in less time, provide more precise results and deliver an improved service must be hard to dismiss.
Being able to demonstrate that you are passionate about patient care and completing their treatment with great precision in the shortest time possible is a great selling point, and this applies whether you are pitching for new business or giving your current clients reasons to stay.
Ultimately, technology is there to make your life easier. For example, if a supplying practice takes digital impressions, you are more likely to receive greater detail replication, enabling you to fabricate a more precise restoration. If you employ compatible technologies, you may even be able to transfer and receive the necessary information while the patient is in the chair, taking the level of service you provide the dentist to a whole new level.
Even better, some systems do not require labs to purchase any additional software to do this. These include CS Solutions from Carestream Dental, developed for optimal communication between laboratory and dentist. The dentist can simply send an open STL file to your lab, which will be with you in minutes, and you can instantly use it to work using your existing design system without any problems.
There is no substitute for talent. If we reward and recognise talent, we will keep attracting skilled individuals to our profession. However, it’s still important to embrace technology that is as unobtrusive as it is cutting-edge, helping us work smarter. The net result will be a more efficient workflow and products that are comfortable, fit well and allow your lab to maintain its reputation for excellence.
For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk
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