Krista Hartley, CDT: a Standout in the Removable Specialty

"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 in 2006, Hartley's first boss took her under his wing and allowed her to immerse herself in denture fabrication; five years later, she was chomping at the bit to do even more. "I really wanted to work closely with dentists and get involved with treatment planning," says Hartley, who joined DDS last January precisely for that reason.

As Head of Incoming Quality Control, she spends the majority of her day on the telephone with clients, emailing photos back and forth, and...