March 2014

Lake Forest, CA

Owner: Mike Hill

15 Employees

Many labs call themselves“studios” but Mike Hill, Owner of 6-11 Dental Studio, makes sure his lab lives up to the name. Treating his technicians like artists is his number-one priority in his employee-centric laboratory.

To inspire creativity...

Pittsburgh, PA

Owner: Don Albensi, Sr.

94 Employees

When Albensi Laboratories says its employees receive a Total Rewards Program, it means total. Along with paying 100% of the staffs’ medical, vision and dental coverage, the lab also provides flexible working hours, life insurance, a 401(k)...

Sandy, UT

Owner: Dr. Dick Barnes

240 employees

With more than 200 employees, it’s no easy feat to get everyone focused on the same goal. But at Arrowhead Dental Laboratory in Sandy, UT, a singular mission gives meaning to the work day: helping customers become better, more productive dentists.

“Dr....

Bolingbrook, IL

Owner: Jerry Ulaszek

85 Employees

Twice a year, no matter what, Artistic Dental Studio in Bolingbrook shuts down for the day to celebrate its staff. While the first order of business is to share news and updates such as OSHA standards or HR information, after that, it’s time for...

Headquartered in Seneca Falls, NY

Owner:  Bruce Bonafiglia, CDT

200 employees  across three locations

Striking a work-life balance is a constant challenge for many of us. How can I squeeze in a workout? Who will watch the kids? When will I fit in a haircut or get the laundry done? And what’s...

Shreveport, LA

Owner: Benjamin Hart

27 employees

A 50” HD TV. Ping-Pong tables. Sony PlayStation. Workout equipment. These are just a few of the amenities with which Owner Benjamin Hart has equipped the third-floor of Custom Arts Dental Lab.

Designed as a recreational area for employees, the upstairs...

Sharon, MA

Owners:   Ira Dickerman, CDT, and Myron Dickerman, CDT

26 Employees

Once a technician starts working at Dickerman Dental Prosthetics, he has a tendency to stick around. Of the lab’s 26 employees, 62% have worked at the lab for at least 10 years and another 23% have been...

Wyoming, MI

Owner: Dental Services Group; Area Vice President: Kim Jones

Employees: 150

Twice named one of West Michigan’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, DSG Davis has found numerous ways to create a work environment where employees feel excited about coming to work each day. “Even...

Chatsworth, CA

Owner: Dr. James Hartzel, CDT, and Edwin Fajardo

35 Employees

“One day, we knew we weren’t going to make the shipping deadline for a case for one of our larger  accounts on the East Coast. But we also knew we weren’t going to let that client down. The case was finished...

I've been traveling around the country this season and have visited a number of laboratories, manufacturers and educational institutions. As I was passing through the Pittsburgh area, I stopped to visit Nick Hayden at Partial Foundations Dental Lab. Watch for more stories in my Road Trip series throughout the 2014 issues of LMT. ~Judy Fishman

Utica, NY

Owner: Curt Gardali

17 employees

“I’ve been at this lab for eight years and am still excited to get up and go to work to try and make a difference in our patients’ lives. As an artist, it has been a great place for me to develop my skills and knowledge. The owner of the lab,...

Headquartered in Newport Beach

Owner: Jim Glidewell, CDT

2,375 employees at four locations

Working at Glidewell is like being part of an exclusive club: technicians get members-only, no- and low-cost benefits they wouldn’t have access to anywhere else.

Case in point: Health and wellness is a priority...

Are you ready to take the plunge and invest in your own digital equipment? Going digital was the name of the game at NADL Vision 21 in Las Vegas in January where speakers offered tips on how to incorporate new technology into the laboratory.

Manchester, NH

Owner: National Dentex; Lab President: Lynn Jenkins

108 employees

“H&O Dental Lab valuescomplete honesty and trust; open, two-way communication; mutual respect; individual accountability; and total commitment. Management always acknowledges team member accomplishments such as...

Dublin, OH

Owner:  Lonni Thompson, CDT

7 Employees

More and more thrill seekers are getting into the zipline craze, flying high over forests, zoos and parks around the country. Touted for the adrenaline rush, this outdoor adventure experience has also proven to be a valuable team-building experience...

St. Louis, MO

Owner: National Dentex Corp.; President: Larry Weiss

235 Employees

Open communication is a core value at Keller Laboratories. Every other month, President Larry Weiss holds “A Forum with Larry” where team members are chosen to join him for lunch and encouraged to ask questions...

Oldsmar, FL

Owner: Warren Rogers

87 employees

Knight Dental Group considers its employees so valuable, they’re included in the company’s mission statement: “Our employees are one of our most precious resources; we will treat them with respect and provide a state-of-the-art facility...

Cedar Knolls, NJ

Owners: Yukio Otsubo, President; Yoshinobu Umeda, Vice President; and Ikuzo Enoki, Production Manager

41 employees

In January 2000, Kuwata Pan Dent, founded by Masahiro Kuwata, became one of the first laboratories in the U.S. to achieve ISO 9001 certification, verifying that it has...

San Ramon, CA

President: Laura Kelly, AAACD

17 employees

Laura Kelly, President of LK Dental Studio in San Ramon, CA, is a member of an elite group and wants her technicians to join her. One of the only 42 American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD)-accredited technicians in the world and former President...

Farmington, CT

Owner: Jerry Kaizer

26 employees

While some labs tout a fancy facility or robust benefits package, there’s one thing Murray Kaizer Dental Laboratory has that others simply can’t match: Owner Jerry Kaizer.

“Jerry is half parent, half boss,” says Sabrina Janco, a...

Atlanta, GA

Owner: Jeff Paulen

52 employees

“When I think ofall the reasons why New Image Dental Laboratory is a great place to work, it comes down to the Owner, Jeff Paulen, and his family. The Paulens are committed to helping us be the best we can be in our industry. They help us improve our...

Issaquah, WA

Owner: Ron Humphrey

8 Employees

It’s a crisp winter day and the sun is shining on Cougar Mountain in Issaquah, WA…just another day of spectacular views for the staff at Northwest Dental Arts. The second-floor boutique lab features an open floor plan with huge windows on all...

San Antonio, TX

Owner: Dirk Albrecht

46 Employees

At Oral Designs, every day is an opportunity to build a collaborative and supportive team. The culture revolves around building camaraderie; for example, the group often gets together during lunch time for games designed by the managers to quiz employees...

Headquartered in Ottawa, IL

Owners: Luke Caruso Sr., Luke Caruso Jr. and Jim Caruso

130 employees across three locations

If you’re at an industry meeting and meet a group of people with blinking lights on their shoes, chances are they work at Ottawa Dental Laboratory (ODL).

That blinking light...

In early February, LMT traveled to Panthera Dental in beautiful Quebec City to learn more about this new high-tech production center and its digital product offerings, including zirconia and PEEK double-structure bars.

Bartlett, TN

Owners: Randy & Daxton Grubb

42 employees

When Daxton Grubb joined his father Randy’s laboratory in 2002 after working at a Fortune 500 company, he had already learned a thing or two about employee motivation. “The company set unrealistic goals and only managers were rewarded...

Lompoc, CA

Owner: Mike Robertson, CDT

50 Employees

At Robertson Dental Lab, aspiring CDTs don’t need to take the journey alone. Eight months ago, inspired by technician Karlena Schutz, General Manager Tom Love created a CDT Study Club that meets once a week after the lab closes to help the eight...

Waco, TX

Owners:  Hal and Glenda Jones

36 Employees

“Hal and Glenda Jones are exceptional people first, exceptional employers second. I’ve been working here for 13 years and their genuine care for their employees shows throughout the company,” says Mikki Davis, Ceramist at Waco,...

Mechanicsburg, PA

Owner: Greg Thayer

48 employees

Ever wish you had an extra day in the week to run errands, go to appointments, spend time with family or just chill out? The employees at Thayer Dental Laboratory have just that thanks to the lab’s four-day workweek adopted in 2005.

“Ninety-five...

LAB DAY Chicago was particularly energized this year.

With technology calling the shots on so many levels, it seemed attendees flooded the Exhibit Hall and educational programs with a heightened level of enthusiasm. That’s just what’s needed if you want to keep on top of what’s trending.

Like...

Mount Vernon, NY

Owner: Andrea Tintrup

15 employees

When Frank Tintrup, Jr., Owner of family-owned Tintrup Dental Lab in Mount Vernon, NY, passed away at the end of 2000 from pancreatic cancer, no one expected his wife Andrea Tintrup to step up the way she did. Without any previous laboratory experience,...

Freeport, NY

Owners: Barry Lampert, CDT; David Lampert, MBA; Steven Lampert

100 employees

“From his early days as a lab owner, Barry Lampert, CDT, trained and nurtured his staff in a way that is quite unique. He respects his technicians and believes they are his greatest asset. The fact that the...

Lewiston, ME

Owner: Michael Adkins

16 employees

The team members at Twin City Dental Lab in Lewiston, ME, are so tight, they worked together to build their own laboratory.

Prior to 2003, the lab was housed in the basement of a professional building and while the space offered some unique features—for...