Welcome to The BRIDGE, the social and information hub of the dental lab industry. Connect with industry peers and vendors, ask questions, sign up for events, review products, read LMT articles and industry news and more!
REBECCA WADE, CDT: An Artist With Drive
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readLike many young artists, Rebecca Wade found joy in expressing herself on canvas. Now that canvas is a crown. An aspiring painter and sculptor who was working toward a degree in computer graphics in 1997, Wade responded to an ad for a part-time position at a dental laboratory only because it mentioned 'artistic ability.' She was hired as an opaquer and—due to her obvious potential and ability to learn quickly—was moved into the ceramic department within just two months. It wasn't long...
PAUL SIMPSON: From Down-and-Out to Up-and-Coming
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readPaul Simpson turned his life around after he discovered dental technology at age 20. Still trying to shake off the consequences of growing up in a bad neighborhood and dropping out of school a few years earlier, he applied for a job at a local laboratory. "I had no car, no high school diploma and was struggling to pay my rent," he says. But soon after I started that job, my whole perspective changed. I enjoyed it—and was good at it—and knew I had a chance for a future." The job was in...
James Grady: Spearheads Family Lab's Shift to All-Ceramic
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readAs a kid, James Grady never envisioned working at his father's laboratory; he wanted to "do his own thing." But then he grew up. "It was when I was in college that I realized the opportunity I'd be passing up. How many people can graduate and get involved in an established business at the level I would be able to?" says James. So, after earning a BS in public relations from East Carolina University, he went back to school to earn another degree in dental technology so he could have the complete...
Henning Elvennes and Christian Scull recommend thisMan Kwok 'Tommy' Zhu, CDT, TE: Nurturing a Thirst For Knowledge
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readTommy Zhu had laid out a detailed plan for becoming a dentist. First, to gain a background in the profession, he enrolled in the Restorative Dentistry program at the New York City College of Technology. After graduation in 2003, the next step was to work as a denture technician to save money for dental school tuition. That's when the plan fell apart, but only because he loved being a technician and forgot all about dental school. During Zhu's nine years in the field, he has worked in nearly all...
Krista Hartley, CDT: a Standout in the Removable Specialty
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute read"Most of the other students were taken by the 'glamour' of ceramics, but I was drawn to dentures," says Krista Hartley, CDT, referring to her experience at Indian River State College's dental technology program. "I love the challenges of the denture specialty, setting the teeth and establishing the vertical so the patient can enjoy the things that most of us take for granted, like chewing and smiling. Doing everything just right restores the patient's confidence and self-esteem." After graduation...
Joshua Polansky: Educated By the Masters
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 2 minute readJoshua Polansky hasn't had just any mentors. Although initially intending to become a dentist like his father, he worked in several laboratories during college and 'fell in love' with dental technology. However, it was in 2003 when he had a one-on-one apprenticeship with Master Technician Olivier Tric that Polansky knew he had found his calling. "Studying with Olivier opened up a world of possibilities to me; it was the direct opposite of the kind of laboratories I had been exposed to," says Polansky....
Jessica Birrell, CDT, FACE: Passionate About Education and Philanthropy
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 2 minute readConfident and passionate, Jessica Birrell believes there's no limit to what she can accomplish in the dental technology field. Since starting her laboratory three years ago, she's developed a successful niche for high-end smile design cases and now she's eager to branch out as an educator and share her knowledge. Her educational philosophy is that it's critical to understand the foundations of a material in order to successfully use that material. She's just started lecturing for Ivoclar Vivadent...
Reed Nunnally: Focused On the Numbers
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 2 minute readReed Nunnally spent five years building his own highly successful construction and real estate business buying, renovating and flipping properties in Louisville, Kentucky's historic Highlands area. But after a couple of years nursing a bad back, he knew he needed to switch gears. His father, David Nunnally—interested in finding an operations manager to help run the business—jumped at the chance to get his savvy son on board at his lab, Derby Dental Laboratory, also in Louisville. While...
Christian Scull recommends thisHeather Pear, CDT: Loves the Palette of Possibilities
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readHeather Pear grew up with a lab in her home and knew from a young age that she wanted to be a technician. At age 15 she worked with her mother—Carol Ruset, CDT, MDT—helping with model and die work and learning every aspect of the lab. "I remember watching her build up a crown and longing to do that part of the job!" she says. After gaining more experience as a technician in an in-office laboratory in Naples, FL, Pear opened her own one-person C&B lab. But when she became the mother...
Jack Marrano, CDT: Former Marine Runs Multi-Million Dollar Division of Microdental
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 2 minute readWhen Lee Culp, CDT—one of the most respected technicians in the world—wants to recognize you for excellence, it would be easy to let it go to your head. But Jack Marrano, CDT, is as modest as he is accomplished. For instance, ask Marrano about his success—at age 34 he runs the multi-million-dollar Fixed Prosthodontics/Implants division of Microdental, one of the largest laboratories in the country—and he's quick to credit his six team leaders. "I couldn't do it without their...
Alexander Mouradov, MDT: a Drive For Perfection
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readIn 1988 when the Soviet Union collapsed, eight-year-old Alexander Mouradov was forced to flee his home in Baku, Soviet Union to the Northern part of the country. Today, the 32-year-old has overcome his turbulent childhood to become a successful laboratory owner in Connecticut. Mouradov moved to the U.S. in 1996 to start a new life as a typical suburban high school student in Glastonbury, CT. A few years later, he learned about the dental technology program at Eli Whitney in Hamden, CT through his...
Christian Scull recommends thisAdam Mieleszko, CDT: Top-Notch Ceramist Publishes Book in His Second Language
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readWhen 15-year-old Adam Mieleszko moved to New York from Poland in 1990, he didn't speak any English and never dreamed that, 20 years later, he'd publish a book in his new language. But that's exactly what happened. After graduating from an intensive English as a Second Language high school in Brooklyn, Mieleszko—who loved art, drawing and carving—earned his degree in dental technology from the New York City College of Technology in 1997. When he decided a large production laboratory setting...
Victor Harp: Not Afraid to Roll Up His Sleeves
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readIn 2004, New Image/Laboratory Solutions became the first 3M ESPE Lava Milling Center on the East Coast. Victor Harp, an up-and-coming waxer/finisher, learned the system and wowed everyone with how quickly he picked up the digital process. "He was like a kid in a candy store playing with the machine and got great results right from the start," says Fay Ashley, Customer Relations Manager. The laboratory immediately began accepting outsourcing cases and Harp was chosen to head the department which...
Christian Scull recommends thisLauri Steffen: Eager to Prove Removable Prosthetics Are Alive and Kicking
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readAge: 32 Production Manager at My Dentist, Inc. Oklahoma City, OK Lauri Steffen has something to prove. While she's had plenty of opportunities to branch out from removable prosthetics during her 12-year career, she's opted not to. Why? "With so much emphasis being put on fixed restorations, the number of technicians focusing and excelling on the removable side is dwindling. I want to prove that removable prosthetics are still alive and well, and as important as other aspects of the...
Josef Kolbeck and Christian Scull recommend thisBilly Goddard, CDT: This Third-Generation Technician Gives Back
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readBilly Goddard once met a man and helped change his life. The man&mdas;who drove from western Tennessee to a Mission of Mercy (MOM) event in Virginia—had lost his job and, with several decaying and missing teeth, knew his prospects for getting a job interview were slim. When he left that event, he had a complete denture in place and felt like a brand-new man. "The change was immediately obvious. He was totally confident he could go out and find employment and take care of his family," says...
Michael Kudrna, CDT and Christian Scull recommend thisMegan Gardner: Bridging the Generation Gap With Technology
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readWorking at her parents' lab was the last thing Megan Gardner thought she'd be doing when she graduated with a graphic design degree. But when the company she worked for went under and she needed a job, her parents had an opening in the model room. It was when she moved into waxing, though, that she had her "aha" moment. "Waxing up copings and full cast crowns was very reminiscent of my sculpture and pottery courses, so not only was I applying skills I learned in school, but I was using my hands...
Brin Vogel: Digital Technician Extraordinaire
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readEvery CAD/CAM department needs a Brin Vogel. Throughout the past five years, Vogel has been instrumental in implementing Knight Dental Group's CAD/CAM and advanced technology initiatives. But he's also proven to be a dynamo in computer networking, troubleshooting, material evaluation, process integration and, well, just about anything else that comes up in the department. "Not only has he become a recognized expert in every facet of 3Shape software, he can quickly diagnose and repair issues with...
Christian Scull recommends thisMike Wandling, CDT: Leading By Example
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readThere are technicians attracted to the artistic side of dental technology, and then there's Mike Wandling. "I love the math, science and biology that's involved," he says. "This field has a little bit of all of those things and I enjoy using them to enhance a person's look and function." Since joining Keller Laboratories as a metal finisher 11 years ago, Wandling has steadily worked his way up the ladder, handling a variety of positions including investing/casting, waxing, fixed quality control,...
Carla Miller and Christian Scull recommend thisJosef Kolbeck: a Technical Innovator
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readJosef Kolbeck has accomplished a lot in his 12 years in the industry. He received his dental technology degree from the Universidad Latina of Costa Rica, served as Academic Coordinator in dental technology at that same university, owned his own lab and is currently the managing director of a five-person removable department at Town and Country Dental Studios in Freeport, NY. Kolbeck is part technician, part innovator: he continually tests new materials and techniques to improve the lab's fabrication...
Christian Scull recommends thisJose Martinez: 'It Just Doesn't Get Old' For This Young Manager
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readYou might say his brother's loss was his gain. When someone at church offered Jose Martinez's brother a job at a local laboratory, his brother wasn't interested. But Martinez was. "It was supposed to be in the model room, but when I got to the lab, I was told I'd be in the finishing department. I was a little intimidated; I saw those cutting discs and thought, 'Whoa, I'm going to lose a finger'," he laughs. But he needn't have worried; he was a natural and was quickly up to speed in finishing...
Christian Scull and Jose Martinez recommend thisMartin Martinez: a Master of High-Profile Smiles
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readWhen you're a ceramist at a lab known as the "Lab to the Stars" in Beverly Hills, CA, you know you're going to have some exacting clients. But Martin Martinez's painstaking attention to detail and artistic talents—he's also a painter and illustrator—make him the man for the job. "Our clients are often working on very high-profile smiles, so they're very particular about everything from contacts to texture to color," says Martinez, who has been at the lab for 11 years. "We have dentists...
Brandon Dickerman: Recent College Grad Implements High-Tech Implant Software in Family Lab
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readBrandon Dickerman never planned to join the family business, Dickerman Dental Prosthetics which was started by his grandfather, Myron Dickerman, CDT, nearly 50 years ago. "Everyone outside my family always assumed that's what I was going to do so, naturally, I decided to go the other way," he recalls with a laugh. But when he graduated from the University of Vermont in 2009 with a degree in geography and didn't like his employment prospects, his grandfather reminded him he always had a place at the...
Julian Infante, CDT: a Constant Student, a Natural Teacher
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readFrom a family of educators, Julian Infante, CDT, has both a love of learning and a gift for teaching. He earned his Associate's degree from Bates Technical College and eventually joined Modern Dental Lab—then called Northwest Labs—in Bellevue, WA in 2006. Since then, he has earned his CDT in crown and bridge, helped develop the lab's implant and CAD/CAM departments and moved into a consulting role, advising clients on everything from materials to digital impression systems to implants—which...
Christian Scull and Heikas Martirosian, CDT recommend thisChristian Scull: 'The Total Package'
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 2 minute readMany in our community have been inspired by Christian Scull and his remarkable combination of technical, teaching and business skills. For example, NaRae Free, Model Technician and Stain and Glaze Specialist, who worked with him at Esthetic Alliance in Las Vegas for two years, says "Besides fabricating some of the most beautiful, artistic ceramic work I've seen, Christian has an amazing ability and the patience to streamline, simplify and bring each technician to his highest potential." Laboratory...
Brian Nagle: Renstrom's Go-To Guy
LMT Communications, Inc. · 40 Under Forty · Labs & Profiles · Nov 2012 · 1 minute readIf the staff members at Renstrom Dental Studio need something done, they call Brian Nagle. While Nagle mainly focuses on the lab's CAD/CAM restorations, he can pitch in wherever he's needed in the laboratory. "I'm able to do a lot of different things—trim dies, waxups, technical troubleshooting," says Nagle, who joined the lab 11 years ago. "I don't have a typical day. I'm all over the place." Nagle cultivated his menagerie of skills by working closely with Owner Rick Renstrom, whom he considers...
