February 2016

LMT’s Editor Kelly Carr and I teamed up this month to put together an LMT-based Q&A. After all, this is The Answers Issue: LMT’s guide to everything you need to know about the dental laboratory industry and those who are in it. I’ve been dominating this

The Answers Issue is LMT’s exclusive guide to everything you need to know about the dental laboratory industry & those who are in it. Our special coverage features over 400 facts, figures, statistics & strategies on industry trends, finance, retirement, dental lab history, personnel, dentist-clients, marketing, oral health & much, much more!

LMT surveyed our readers to learn more about what makes you you!+

How are you connected?

More than 70% of you own a smartphone, computer and/or tablet

76% of you spend 1-6 hours per day using digital devices including computers,...

1-Person Labs

2- to 5-Person Labs

6- to 20-Person Labs

21+-Person Labs

How many practicing dentists are male vs. female?

In 2013, 73% were male, 27% were female.

Source: ADA, Dentist Supply in the U.S.: 2001-2013 

Which states have the most dentists?

As...

How much should I be saving for retirement?

While you’re still working, save at least 15% of your gross income—which includes any employer 401(k) match—to maintain your lifestyle in retirement.

Ultimately, you should have 10 to 12...

Where did the Cal-Lab Group get its name?

The name “CAL” harkens back to the group’s origins as Certified Akers Laboratories. Founded in 1926, the Cal-Lab Group is the oldest dental laboratory organization in continuous existence...

How can I get more work from current accounts?

Cross selling your services to existing customers—rather than getting new business from new accounts—is easier because they already know you and your work and they’re more likely to be...

Which state has the worst teeth?

Mississippi has the worst dental health score, with only 58% of adults visiting a dentist in the last year; 27% of senior citizens in that state have no remaining natural teeth. Adding to the reasons for its “worst”...

Which five states have the highest concentration of laboratories?

Is the small laboratory dying off?

No. The demographic profile of labs has remained relatively consistent since the 1980s, with...

What should be included in a personnel manual?

The length and complexity of your manual should be tailored to your lab’s needs and environment. You can include attendance and other employee expectations, holidays and vacation time, sick/personal...

How many of these early 20th century pieces of equipment can you identify?

Answers

Photo 1: Hagman Balancer and Hagman Balancer Jr. articulators developed by Harry Hagman of Minneapolis, MN, and patented in 1929. 

Photo 2: Baker High...

Take this quiz to test your knowledge of the dental lab industry!

Is the number of U.S. labs shrinking?

Yes. The number of U.S. laboratories grew steadily from the late 1930s, peaking at approximately 11,500 labs in 1995. That number held pretty steady through the mid-2000s and then began a slow decline. Today there...

Lab Owner Salaries: 1994 vs. 2014

Restoration Fees: 1994 vs. 2014

Average Hourly Wage for a Beginning Technician: 1994 vs. 2014

Using their 40+ years of experience and knowledge of over 200 furnaces, Jed and John Archibald put Ivoclar Vivadent’s new, feature-rich Programat P710 ceramic furnace to the test.

DAMAS—Dental Appliance Manufacturers Audit Scheme—is a quality management system specifically for the dental laboratory industry. It provides labs with a set of processes that ensure a common-sense approach to management and compliance with the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). 

The...

George Obst highlights ways to turn your lab into a customer-driven organization and increase sales and profits.