I Want to Work in That Lab
Thanks to readers’ nominations, LMT recognizes 29 laboratories across the U.S. that offer their employees a culture that’s hard to beat, with top-notch work environments, outstanding perks, an impressive facility, or by going above and beyond to celebrate their employees.
Keller Laboratories: Team Spirit, Empowerment
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...
Becky Tyre
Apr 3, 2014 at 10:01am
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Arrowhead Dental Laboratory: the Technician/Dentist Bond
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....
Maribeth Marsico
Apr 3, 2014 at 9:55am
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6-11 Dental Studio: Putting the Artist First
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...
Becky Tyre
Apr 2, 2014 at 9:38am
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Oral Designs: Building the Team One Activity at a Time
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...
Laurel Carbonneau
Apr 2, 2014 at 9:28am
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DSG Davis Laboratory: Happy Workers are Productive Workers
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...
Kelly Fessel Carr
Apr 2, 2014 at 9:25am
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Knight Dental Group: Employees are a 'Precious Resource'
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...
Kim Molinaro
Apr 1, 2014 at 9:46am
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Custom Arts Dental Lab, LLC: Right at Home
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...
Maribeth Marsico
Apr 1, 2014 at 9:43am
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Kuwata Pan Dent: ISO Certification Puts Staff on Same Page
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...
Kelly Fessel Carr
Apr 1, 2014 at 9:39am
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Gardali Crown & Bridge: 'I'm Still Excited to Go to Work'
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,...
Kim Molinaro
Mar 31, 2014 at 9:46am
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Excel Studios: Joined Together by a Commitment to Service
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...
Maribeth Marsico
Mar 31, 2014 at 9:43am
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Image Gallery: Goes to Great Heights for Team-Building
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...
Laurel Carbonneau
Mar 31, 2014 at 9:41am
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Ottawa Dental Laboratory: Award-Winning Healthy Workplace
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...
Maribeth Marsico
Mar 28, 2014 at 9:29am
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Artistic Dental Studio: Rewarding Hard Work
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...
Laurel Carbonneau
Mar 28, 2014 at 9:25am
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Tintrup Dental Lab: Taking Care of its Own
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,...
Sherrie Shover
Mar 28, 2014 at 9:22am
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H&O Dental Lab: Open Communication a Priority
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...
Kelly Fessel Carr
Mar 27, 2014 at 9:25am
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New Image Dental Laboratory: 'I Couldn't Ask for More'
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...
Kim Molinaro
Mar 27, 2014 at 9:22am
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Summit Dental Lab: Focus on Character Enhances Work Environment
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,...
Becky Tyre
Mar 27, 2014 at 9:19am
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Northwest Dental Arts: Lab with a View in the Pacific Northwest
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...
Becky Tyre
Mar 26, 2014 at 9:56am
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Robertson Dental Lab: Aspiring CDTs Don't Go It Alone
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...
Becky Tyre
Mar 26, 2014 at 9:53am
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Dickerman Dental Prosthetics: Challenges Keep Technicians Motivated, Loyal
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...
Becky Tyre
Mar 26, 2014 at 9:21am
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Albensi Laboratories: Voted One of the Top Workplaces in Pittsburgh
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)...
Becky Tyre
Mar 25, 2014 at 10:02am
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LK Dental Studio: Nurturing Greatness
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...
Sherrie Shover
Mar 25, 2014 at 9:59am
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BonaDent Dental Laboratories: Covering all the Bases for Work-Life Balance
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...
Maribeth Marsico
Mar 25, 2014 at 9:39am
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Twin City Dental Lab: the Team That Builds Together, Stays Together
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...
Laurel Carbonneau
Mar 24, 2014 at 10:04am
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Murray Kaizer Dental Lab: You're Part of the Family
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...
Sherrie Shover
Mar 24, 2014 at 9:51am
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