Shifting My Mindset for Better Business

By Nick Oganov, Oral Design Dental Lab, Holladay, UT

I’ve seen a lot of changes in my life. I’ve witnessed the collapse of my government in the former Soviet Union; moved to Utah in 1991; and started a new life, career and business. But, in all honesty, I think the changes I’ve seen in my business over the past decade have been greater and more tumultuous than any of those events. I’m sharing two quick stories I think offer valuable lessons for all dental technicians.

Lesson #1: Without question the biggest change was the advent of CAD/CAM technology. Many think of the decision to go digital as an entirely analytical one, looking at ROI, cash flow and loan payoff schedules. But for me, the change was a fundamental shift in my thinking as a dental professional.

I’m an old school technician and I was trained when PFMs were cutting-edge technology. I was taught the Willi Geller method of multiple stacking...