Why Dental Labs Should Be a Partner in Restorative Dentistry

When I decided I wanted to become a technician, I sought out a formal education to learn the core principles of the industry. After I completed my training and entered the workforce, I soon realized that what I thought I knew, I didn’t know.

Being fortunate enough to have seasoned technicians and clinicians push me to gain knowledge and develop skills helped spur my interest in continuing to educate myself and expand on my core principles. As I worked my way through different courses, the importance of continually educating myself became more important to me. This emphasis on high-quality educational experiences made me seek out courses to provide advanced concepts and techniques.

In 2014, I decided to apply for a grant from the Journal of Dental Technology and Spear Education to allow me access to advanced education beyond the usual courses, because having a better understanding of what our clinician counterparts go through would really help me with what I do at my bench.

After being awarded the grant, I attended the Spear Education workshop Worn Dentition. One of the factors for my decision was that Spear’s philosophy is perfectly aligned with the type and amount of treatment planning and diagnostics we do at my lab. I found that clinicians want us to be not only technicians but also a collaborative partner in the planning, design, and execution of these cases.

At Spear, I had the ability to learn with top clinicians who were striving to be their best. The influence of these people and those who have so graciously mentored me has enlightened and impacted me in a positive way. I now have the confidence to not be a “back-seat driver” during the restorative process.

As technicians, it’s easy for us to sit behind a bench and say, “Why did the doctor do that? I wish he would have called me and planned this out before starting,” but never call them to discuss anything we saw. Now that I’ve gained the knowledge shared at Worn Dentition, I have the tools to make informed decisions about restorative cases and can discuss with the clinician what can be achieved from the laboratory aspect. I am now not just a technician but a valuable partner of the restorative team!