This is Rick, one of the outstanding ceramists who works in The Winter Lab at Spear Education. I enjoy going into the lab and seeing what he is working on and hearing his perspective on what is happening with the cases he does. He was working on the waxup below when I snapped these pictures.
He was trying to give the doctor who sent the case his very best stuff but he didn’t have enough information to do that. The waxup is beautiful but he isn’t sure that is what the doctor wants since the prescription simply said “wax 4-13 to ideal form.”
OK.
What the heck does that mean? Ideal compared to what?
I have been guilty of not giving my ceramist enough information on far too many occasions. That began to change when I actually visited the lab and started to watch and understand what the ceramist wants, how he wants it and what our communication should look like on a regular basis.
I was working with a large practice last year, helping them to become more comprehensive in their approach to patient care. Out of 27 doctors in the group, only two had visited the labs they depend upon on a daily basis.
I think our lab is the best partner we have in the work we do. Doesn’t it make sense to get to know the technicians who we are working with?
