We've got the ball rolling. We're moving the needle in the right direction--maybe not as fast or as far as we'd like--but it's moving," said Dr. James Willey, Director of the ADA's Council on Dental Practice, addressing almost 50 technicians, dentists, educators, manufacturers and association representatives at the 8th annual Lab Summit in Chicago.

The ADA's involvement in the Summit has grown substantially since the group was formed in 2005 by Drs. Gordon Christensen and Bill Yancey to brainstorm about the challenges facing the laboratory community. As in past years, the meeting touched on many of our profession's ongoing difficulties, including the aging technician population, dwindling technology programs, increased offshore competition and the need for closer dentist-technician relationships.

But this year's meeting also offered a look at what's been accomplished as well as projects in the works. For example:

•In keeping with the ADA's 2010 resolutions to...