Matt Rago, 34

In 2016, Matt Rago had a big decision to make: go to dental school or accept an offer to partner with world-renowned educator Dr. Steven Olmos to create a laboratory that provides state-of-the-art TMJ and sleep appliances.

“It was never my intention to own and run a dental lab, but I felt like Dr. Olmos was offering me the opportunity of a lifetime…so I took it,” says Rago, who now co-owns Diamond Orthotic Laboratory in San Diego with Olmos. It’s the main laboratory responsible for training and certifying labs on the Olmos technique as well as appliance research and development.

Like every startup, the early days were challenging: Rago set up shop in his garage and hired two friends with no dental technology experience, training was time-consuming and the demand resulted in 20-hour workdays. Now, four years later, the lab has 25 employees and occupies a 4,500-square-foot building. It recently streamlined its proprietary fabrication processes...