Joshua Polansky: 'You Have to Protect the Environment You're Trying to Build'

Owner, Niche Dental Studio,
Voorhees Township, NJ; 13 employees

LMT: What kind of environment have you aimed to create in your laboratory?

Polansky: I always say, I built the type of lab I had always dreamed of working in. When I was younger, it was hard for me to flourish because when I sought opportunities to perfect my work, I was constantly told, “don’t experiment, don’t waste material, don’t train with that person, focus on your own work.” I want my team to grow, so I built an environment where technicians not only can do those things but are encouraged to.

I bring in well-known technicians to train our team members on single centrals or how to work with the newest technology; I encourage them to write articles or post pictures of their work. I see them sharing information with each other, offering to cross-train each other…that wasn’t...