The Dental Technician Magazine June 2021

VO L 74 N O. 6 I J U N E 2 0 2 1 I B Y S U B S C R I P T I O N

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION

BY STEVE CAMPBELL ADI TEAM CONGRESS 2022 “THE GREAT DEBATE”

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VERIFIABLE ECPD FOR THE WHOLE DENTAL TEAM

THIS MONTH... l

INTERVIEW: JULIE BARKER I HEAD OF ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE AND DENTAL AT THE SHEFFIELD COLLEGE P. 12-13

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DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY: WRIGHTS 3D PRINTING I SOLLAB 370 P. 28-29

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DENTAL NEWS: DENTSPLY SIRONA AND 3SHAPE ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP P. 32-33

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CONTENTS

JUNE 2021 Editor: Matt Everatt F.O.T.A. E: editor@dentaltechnician.org.uk Designer: Sharon (Bazzie) Larder E: inthedoghousedesign@gmail.com Advertising Manager: Chris Trowbridge E: sales@dentaltechnician.org.uk T: 07399 403602

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Andrea Johnson Ashley Byrne Ross Chapman Sharaz Mir Sir Paul Beresford

PUBLISHED BY THE DENTAL TECHNICIAN MAGAZINE, PO BOX 2279, PULBOROUGH, RH20 9BR. T: 01372 897463

Welcome Welcome from the editor

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DTS 2022

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Dental Technology Sagemax NexxZr®

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Education College of General Dentistry - What’s in it for technicians? By Andrea Johnson

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Interview An interview with Julie Barker

NEW ADDRESS

The Dental Technician Magazine is an independent publication and is not associated with any professional body or commercial establishment other than the publishers. Views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or the editorial advisory board. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are welcome, though no liability can be accepted for any loss or damage, howsoever caused.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the express permission of the editor or the publisher.

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Business Do you sell your services as if you are the buyer? By Matt Everatt

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Health & Wellbeing What is massage? By John Forde

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Technicians Insight 5 things I cannot work without! By Andrea Johnson Smooth runnings. By Andy Fairbanks Life outside the lab. By Sean Thompson

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Insight A springboard for many great things. By Luke Barnett

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ECPD

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There is a major change in CPD coming soon. The Dental Technician Magazine is a must read. Tell your colleagues to subscribe and if they do so we will extend your subscription for 3 months.

ADI Team Congress 2022. By Steve Campbell Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape announce strategic partnership Henry Schein commits to advance ESG Stewardship

The only condition is that they have not subscribed to the magazine for more than 12 months. Just ask them to call the Subscriptions Hotline. With four colleagues registered that means your subscription would be extended for a year free of charge.

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BAR HEADER WELCOME

Welcome

TO YOUR JUNE 2021 ISSUE

By Matt Everatt F.O.T.A I Editor

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elcome to your June edition of The Dental Technician Magazine.

No doubt most of you are hanging on baited breath for the opening up of life again on the 21st June. What a funny and difficult time to live in and experience.

I was surprised to read that many labs are still experiencing a drop in revenue by as much as 50% in some instances, whilst others are busier now than they have ever been and struggling to recruit quick enough to keep up with the demand in work. There is clearly some levelling out and I expect that NHS dentistry is going to change in the next few years. I do hope that we are beyond the worst of times and that all labs are able to continue and thrive in this next season.

I wanted to thank everyone who continues to contribute to the magazine and this month I am delighted to include Sean Thompsons article on ‘Life Outside of The Lab’. Sean gives us a really inspiring glimpse into his life beyond Dental technology. I would really like to expand this feature and make it a regular appearance. Please do contact me if you would like to take part in this feature.

Another area that has sparked my interest this month was educational institutions. I read

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several damning posts in the DTGB group about the poor quality of service from several training institutions. I do have a soft spot for our training institutions and I do empathise with their struggles. So much so, I visited our local college and have subsequently delivered a few training sessions to the first year students.

Covid has had a massive impact on their ability to get into the labs in college and get the vital hands on experience that we as a profession need them to have. I interviewed Julie Barker, Head of the Academy for Science and Dental at Sheffield College.

Julie gets it, she understands the need to get industry and colleges talking to each other. We, as a profession, are desperate for qualified Dental Technicians who have some form of practical ability. If we work with our colleges, they can help us.

I want to wish you all well for the coming month, I do hope June the 21st brings us all the freedom we need to get our profession, businesses and lives back on track and that we don’t experience another event like this in our lifetime.

Again, it goes without saying, I do hope you enjoy this month’s issue. We are always keen to hear from you, if you want to reply to an article or feature, or if you have an idea for a feature, I would be really keen to hear from you.

DTS 2022

STRONG PARTNERSHIPS AT DTS 2022 l Now is the time to strengthen partnerships – within your team and within the industry.

The dental laboratory industry will be coming together at DTS 2022 in May. With dentistry at the forefront of health promotion and disease prevention, it has never been more important to share ideas and find out how to become even better at what you do.

With visitors from all over the UK expected, you will come away feeling enriched, empowered and inspired!

CHAL W E LE N

AS WE REUNITE AND REBUILD, SAVE THE DATES TODAY.

E G N

l This past year has proven that this industry does not shy away from a challenge, it uses it as an opportunity to grow.

Next May, DTS 2022 will bring you the all the latest innovations from the dental technology industry.

FREE to attend, you will discover how to grow professionally and personally. The programme has been designed to help you become more profitable, efficient and even better at what you do, focusing on an exciting future.

SAVE THE DATES NOW – WE CAN’T WAIT TO MEET YOU ALL AGAIN.

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The next DTS will be held on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th May 2022, Birmingham NEC, co-located with the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show.

For the latest information, please visit www.the-dts.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270 or email dts@closerstillmedia.com

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EDUCATION

THE COLLEGE OF GENERAL DENTISTRY

WHAT’S IN IT FOR TECHNICIANS?

By Andrea Johnson

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ets start with - Who am I? that is a good question, I am currently a highly specialised orthodontic technician, orthodontic & OMFS laboratory manager, deputy clinical governance lead, quality improvement coach, chair/founder of registered charity Den-Tech, editorial board member of the Dental Technician magazine, advisory & reference group member of CGDent and a part time Masters student. I have previously served as a STEM ambassador, Chair of the OTA, a DTA council member, have taught dental technology in various education establishments, I lecture both nationally and internationally at conferences and events and generally get involved in trying to further and support my profession wherever and whenever I can.

Is this who I have always been? No. I actually retrained into dental technology in my early 30’s, I had spent the years previous to this in a variety of different roles, ranging from manufacturing, cleaning and even a milk round for 3 days! But it was predominately, for around 10 years, in various retail management roles.

I must admit that it was a little scary in some respects going back to being a student and knowing I would be one of the eldest in the group. However, I needn’t have feared because I was welcomed with open arms and treated as just one of the group. Having said that, I did end up mothering them all to some degree and to this day I am still referred to as ‘mama goose’ by one of my fellow classmates who is now a very successful business owner and company director. I love the bonds that we all built during that time and they have lasted the test of time as we still keep in touch and try and meet up whenever our busy lives will allow.

My career in dental technology has been relatively straight forward, I started out in small private denture laboratory and then

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after a couple of years moved into the hospital service training further in orthodontic technology and have not looked back since.

I didn’t realise at the time just how much I would enjoy the challenges I would face in the field of orthodontics, especially the more complex and challenging patient cases we see in the hospital service.

When I started at my first hospital-based post, my then manager insisted that I become a member of the Orthodontic Technicians Association (OTA) and attend their annual conference. He realised the value of contact with fellow technicians from other labs and the networking opportunities these events provide. Little did I know at that time where that would lead, but I am very grateful for the nudge, because after only 2 years as a member I was approached by the then chair of the OTA and was asked to present at their conference and subsequently to sit on the council. Ultimately, I spent over 8 years on the council serving in a variety of roles including secretary, BSI liaison, newsletter editor, vice chair and finally becoming the OTA’s first female chairperson.

My time with the OTA gave me the opportunity to engage with professionals and regulators from across dentistry in a variety of settings, but the common theme I always noticed was the inequalities in the opportunities and engagement offered to our various groups within dentistry and the old fashioned and outdated hierarchy clearly still very present.

Throughout my working life so far, I have found that the only true positive and productive way forward is through a strong team working ethic. I have held various managerial roles throughout my working life but I have never considered myself as someone who just manages people, but rather as a leader of a team, and that only through

EDUCATION

strong team working will we achieve the very best results, not just in the end product we are working towards but in the job satisfaction we all achieve from this.

The college will consist of faculties, there will be one for Dental techs & CDT’s, Dental Nurses, Dental Therapists & Hygienists and of course one for Dentists.

These are the reasons that I was very excited and honoured to be approached to work with the newly forming College of General Dentistry, to be given the opportunity to work with like-minded, forwards thinking professionals from across all of dentistry and help set up the dental college of the future that we all want and most definitely need.

‘We are planning to convene Faculties of the College for the various dental team roles, each of which will have a membership structure that reflects that same progression from “safe beginner” to “accomplished practitioner” - from Associate Member to Fellow. Membership of a Faculty will go hand-in-hand with College membership, for no additional membership contribution.’

A college that would treat every member of the team as an equal, that would recognise the incredibly important role that each and everyone of us plays in achieving the very best in patient care and outcomes. A college that will break down those old hierarchical barriers, that will help to forge new and exciting team relationships and that will support every team member to be the very best that they can be at what they do and ensure that is fully recognised and acknowledged.

‘The College of General Dentistry is being established in the UK with a vision of leadership in the professional team - to foster excellence and confidence in oral healthcare, for all.’

So how will this be achieved? One of the key and very exciting steps is the development of a Careers Pathway. This pathway is being developed separately for each of the dental groups but also designed to be inline, and with parity, between all the dental professional groups, we will all have equivalent progression, recognised associated post nominals and membership status regardless of our role within the dental profession. It will be our experience, skill, ability, training and education that will determine our position and standing within the college, allowing all to stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with our peers.

‘The College of General Dentistry aims to take a distinct approach to its role, fully embracing the dental team as a whole in its membership and cultivating the best in a teambased approach to healthcare service delivery.

That approach is essential if we are to continue delivering for our patients, meeting their needs and expectations, in a way that is sustainable.’

We have a very dedicated, able and determined group of representatives from across the profession working on these pathways and they are looking fantastic already. Although there will still be some tweaking needed to complete these pathways even after the college has officially opened up these pathways will be integral to the college membership structure and will be flexible enough that regular reviewing of the structures will ensure that they are kept up to date and relevant for all the years

ahead. As you can see below, the pathways will start at safe beginner and lead right through to accomplished practitioner. This structure will underpin and foster career long professionalism for all members of the dental team. Qualifications will also be built to support a holistic approach to development and succession. The college aims to underpin their Career Pathways with a “Professional Framework“, which will describe the breadth of capabilities of the practitioner at each stage of their career. College membership will provide clear evidence of career standing for every member of the dental team.

SAFE BEGINNER

SAFE PRACTIONER

CAPABLE PRACTIONER

ENHANCED PRACTIONER

ACCOMPLISHED PRACTIONER

www.dentaltechnician.org.uk

THE MEMBERSHIP FEE FOR TECHS WILL BE:

MEMBERSHIP Fellow £144 Associate Fellow

£117

Full Member

£94

Associate Member

£33

Student Member

£10

Student Affiliate

Free

In short, I have real belief and faith in what the college is determined to achieve and although I have outlined only a tiny part of what will be an amazing college structure for all, I urge you all in the strongest possible way to join the college and be proud to be a part of something amazing.

Membership of the College will be activated on the 1st July, so, if you wish to pre-register and be one of the first to register when it opens please go to: https://cgdent.uk/join-or-upgrade/ to put your name down.

NOTE: All direct quotes, references and pics were obtained from: https://cgdent.uk/

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INTERVIEW

DENTAL TECHNOLOGY TRAINING – OUR COLLEGES NEED YOU! An interview with... Julie Barker I Head of Academy for Science and Dental at The Sheffield College Following recent posts on the DTGB Facebook group about the current state of Training for Trainee Dental Technicians we felt it would be worth speaking to one of the long standing training centres for Dental Technicians.

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I have been the Head of Academy for Dental for nearly 4 years now and have seen significant changes. On arrival in late June 2017, I had the unenviable task of informing students that they have not achieved their Extended Diploma in Dental Technology. This was as a result of a GDC Inspection where it was determined that students had not passed outright, had to repeat some of the practical elements in order to meet the criteria or had failed the course. This was accurate as some students were simply not safe practitioners and should not progress into this specialist field.

This difficult initiation into the Dental World meant that things could only improve and the team have worked tirelessly for the students resulting in improved ‘Pass’ rates each year.

Has there been any obstacles or difficulties you’ve faced in your role as the Head of Academy?

The Sheffield College

Recruiting new members of staff has proved difficult. Recently, we haven’t appointed anyone to fulfil the role of Orthodontic specialist, despite two advertisements. This is repeated from one year ago where the same happened for a Fixed Restorative specialist.

Have any Dental Laboratories offered any assistance in training, offering placements or running sessions with students?

The relationship between Educational institutions and Dental laboratories is essential.

I feel that this had waned leading up to my appointment and the negative impact of this had contributed to the poor pass rate. Attempts were made to engage laboratories inviting owners and managers to ‘Meet the teaching team evenings’ but with low or no attendance.

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INTERVIEW

Where staff members have resigned, we have relied upon local laboratory owners and managers to support the students to complete the practical elements of their course. The various specialists have kindly offered their services, following our plea for support. This support has been invariably towards the end of the academic year to ensure that graduating cohorts fulfil the criteria.

I am very grateful for all the support we have received and this must not go unmentioned, but forging relationships with laboratories is the only way forward. If we are to produce capable and current Dental technicians, laboratories must play their part.

If they are involved in their teaching/training they are more likely to recruit them!

We cannot work in isolation. Dental technology students need to be aware of current practices used in the laboratories.

They need to be familiar with current laboratory processes and consolidate their learning in order to prepare them for the

world of work. Teachers also need regular contact and where appropriate, request industry updates and upskilling.

It has to be acknowledged that we are governed in curriculum delivery and follow the Pearsons BTEC syllabus for the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Dental Technology.

The syllabus is becoming dated and it is not particularly reflective of the modern practices carried out in laboratories.

Therefore, industry exposure is essential to complement these traditional practices.

Do you think you are training enough students each year to fulfil those leaving or retiring from the profession?

It is clear that we have a nationwide shortage of Dental Technicians; this is evident in the rising number of advertisements seen in forums and magazines in recent months.

On a positive note, at Sheffield, the number of applicants to study Dental Technology from September 2021, has

increased and it is anticipated that we will reach the target number of students.

Whilst this is excellent news for the college, it would be better news if, the students recruited, received a holistic teaching experience that encompasses the mandatory syllabus with the necessary input from the dental laboratory.

It has been really insightful to get your take on the current status of training for Dental Technicians, is there anything you would like to add or say to the readers of the magazine?

I urge all Dental lab managers, owners and team members to consider how you can support your local education institution, whether that is offering work placement opportunities, offering some time to act as guest lecturer, or even considering becoming part of the teaching team (full or part time). With your support we can ensure courses continue to run, student numbers increase and the fledglings of the world of Dental technology can soar in the future.

Note from

MATT EVERATT I EDITOR l There has been a lot of negative press about our Educational Institutions for Dental Technicians, some comments are no doubt valid. I was recently invited to The Sheffield College as a guest speaker. The college had not been able to recruit an Orthodontic lecturer and the students were in need of some help to complete their coursework.

It was a real eye opener for me to go into college. It made me realise just how much they need our labs and skills to help bring the students on.

Whilst staying within the syllabus, I have tried to be realistic about the skills each student would need to take on an entry role in a laboratory.

Let’s face it, we cannot expect to produce master technicians in sterile environments like universities and colleges, we can help them gain some vital skills to be rounded and expanded upon when in industry.

I would say that it has been very rewarding and I have enjoyed my time helping the students. It keeps the old grey matter ticking too! I would urge any of you to pick up the phone or drop an email to your local college or uni and see if you can help in anyway.

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BUSINESS

DO YOU SELL YOUR SERVICES AS IF YOU ARE THE BUYER?

By Matt Everatt I Editor & Author the time! However, I bought them for very different reasons and I love the process of car buying. On the other hand, a colleague who has very similar demographic to mean has 1 family car that does everything the family need it to do, and hates the thought of having to shop around for a replacement when the 4year lease is finished.

I read a post in a business group this week that gives a very similar example to mine above.

“It was a tale about two English gentlemen…

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et me start by talking about the dirty word, SALES! We all cringe a little when we hear the word sales or sales person, don’t we?

Let us deal with this firstly. Leading author in the Business world, James Ashford, suggests that to ‘Sell is to Serve’. By serving your customers you are helping them solve a problem, be that dentures for a new patient or some amazing full mouth rehab.

We are serving our Dentist colleagues and patients alike.

How do we serve them? Do we think about how we like to be served, or sold to?

What are you like as a buyer, what is your buying persona and how much does that influence how you sell to your customers?

Let me tell you this, your buyer persona is all but useless. We are all very different individuals and we all make very different buying choices and how we actually buy. Thank goodness, otherwise it would be a very boring world to live in. For example, my car buying habits are random and totally based on feelings rather than practicality, yes I have 5 cars, 3 of which are totally impractical having 3 children and a dog with me most of

Both were born in 1948 in England and grew up in Blighty. Both have been married twice, have two kids, are wealthy, and they both like dogs.

The difference is, one of them is Prince Charles; the other one is the prince of darkness, Ozzy Osbourne.

Same demographics, polar differences in just about every other area of life, not to mention the buying persona. If we relied upon their demographics alone, we might struggle to know which type of music they would like to buy.

So the reason why most buyer personas are useless is they rely on demographics rather than psychographics. It is not as easy as; they are all just dentists, they need a lab to provide their restorations and mine are cheaper/ better/quicker.

Psycho…what you say? Psychographics, simply put, it is WHY we buy from people.

There’s a saying, ‘People buy from people they know, like and trust.’ If we can gain some rapport and engage with some personal interest they may have, it is more likely they will want to try your services.

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Let me give an example; If we are looking to attract new dentists to use my new lab services, would I go and visit all of the places I like first? Trust me, there aren’t many Dentists that enjoy watching Sheffield United on a cold Saturday afternoon!

I have to think a little more about the psychographics of my potential new customers. Are there any social media groups they will be in? Do they visit local eateries? Do they enjoy discussing investments? Do they participate in a sport? Do they enjoy exotic holidays or backpacking?

All of these things are little gems of information that may help you gain rapport with a new customer and it may just prompt them to give your services a try. There is nothing better than having something in common or even if you acknowledge an interest that someone has for gaining trust.

The trick is to try to stop selling to people as if you are the one buying the service and to respect that we are all very different. You may be driven by a cheaper price on something or how quick you can get it, don’t automatically think your new customer is driven by the same values as yours.

Demographics

Psycographics

Marital Status Gender Where you live Profession Age Salary

Sporting fan Strong Family values Enjoys exotic holidays Pet owner Likes dance music Likes 80s retro

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

WHAT IS MASSAGE?

By John Forde I Physiotherapist at Katie Bell Physiotherapy and Wellness

D

ental Technicians, often spend their days in static sedentary positions, be that standing for a long time casting models, or polishing appliances.

Muscle aches and pains often become the norm and they needn’t be and massage can help.

Massage is normally a whole or part body treatment with the therapist using their hands to perform pressure, stroking, kneading and rubbing movements to the skin. There are various types of massage that one can experience depending on the reason why an individual requires such a treatment.

Sports massage, lymphatic drainage massage and relaxation massage are treatments which are widely used and have huge benefits to the body and its functioning.

RELAXATION MASSAGE:

A relaxing massage is achieved by using the full hands of the therapist in a gentle manner over the skin, following the muscle contours (soft tissues) of the body. The whole of the body is normally massaged during this type of treatment. There should be no pain involved during relaxation massage, in fact it should be a very pleasurable experience. Gentle kneading, and long smooth stroking rhythmic movements

produce many benefits to the client’s overall health and wellbeing. It is a treatment designed to relax and soothe, not to relieve chronic pain or other underlying conditions.

WHY IS IT RELAXING?

Massage is relaxing due to the gentle nature of the therapist’s movements on the body’s soft tissues. It has a calming effect on the nervous system, reducing stress and pain and promotes a healing environment within the body.

BENEFITS OF A RELAXATION MASSAGE:

Improved circulation: the gentle stroking and kneading movements over the skin can improve the flow of blood circulation peripherally, bringing fresh blood to the area providing better local nutrition and hastening the removal of toxins and waste matter. This in turn will improve the recovery of soft tissue injuries locally and improve skin tone.

Reduced muscle tension: Muscle tension which could be due to a postural issue (sitting at a desk for long hours) can be reduced by a regular relaxation massage. Gentle but firm pressure to specific shoulder muscles for example will help disperse any tension build

up/tightness in this area. Postural problems are cumulative and massage therapy is one of the best ways of ‘nipping it in the bud’ so to speak.

Muscular fatigue from over use during exercise can also be greatly reduced by having regular relaxation massages. The effects of the kneading and stroking movements to the muscle fibres help disperse/remove lactic acid build up reducing fatigue, discomfort and reducing recovery time.

Eases muscle pain: A trained massage therapist is able to isolate specific muscles or muscle groups to treat localised pain. As the different layers of musculature are stimulated and the body’s extremities are thoroughly treated, the body begins to open itself up more freely and relaxes. Circulation is improved, which improves localised inflammation as well as reduce fatigue, pain and improve energy levels.

Alleviates anxiety and depression: These conditions are responsible for the vast majority of mental ill health in most people. By creating a calming atmosphere and with the healing benefits of skin to skin contact, as well as the practical analgesic effects of massage itself, this therapy can alleviate some of the symptoms of instances of anxiety and depression. A person’s overall wellness can be improved.

Improves sleep: Relaxation massage relaxes the client and provides relief from stress and the feeling of calm, which can help a person fall asleep more quickly, sleep more deeply and be less disturbed during sleep.

Massage therapy also relieves postural stress and localised pain so that a person will find it easier to sleep more comfortably.

Improved immunity: By reducing stress hormones and lowering blood pressure the body is better able to target its immune response to ward off disease or infection more efficiently.

W: https://katiebellphysio.com E: hello@katiebellphysio.com

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THE COURTYARD CLINICAL ACADEMY

This award-winning cosmetic dental practice in Huddersfield are looking for a Junior Dental Lab Assistant to start as soon as possible.

The role is available full-time Monday-Friday and the hours are: Monday 8am until 6pm Tuesday 8am until 5pm Wednesday 8am until 5. 30pm Thursday 8am until 5pm Friday 8am until 2. 30pm They are offering a competitive salary circa £10 per hour depending on experience - this will be discussed at the interview stage.

They currently have 2 ceramists, a digital design team of technicians and an account manager.

Key roles will be to manage the production of their 3D printed models and Essix retainers and occlusal appliances.

On-the-job training for CAD CAM and porcelain layering will follow as the role develops over the years to come.

TO APPLY PLEASE CONTACT Gabrielle@courtyardacademy.co.uk

TECHNICIANS INSIGHT

5 THINGS I CANNOT WORK WITHOUT!

By Andrea Johnson l Well as most of you will know I am primarily an hospital based highly specialised Orthodontic tech so of course I would most definitely have to say my number 1 would have to be my good selection of Ixion orthodontic pliers and my Mauns cutters as an absolute must. Where would any self-respecting orthodontic technician be without those? And they cannot just be any old pliers, they have to be your own pliers, you know those that you have properly bedded in and most probably - if you are anything like me, modified to suit your own working style too.

As for number 2, well I work alone for the most part, although my lab is on the main corridor of the dept and I have regular visits from the clinic staff and get called out into the clinic to consult on cases often, but when I am in the lab, I am alone, and therefore cannot live without my music. I would say it keeps me sane but I’m sure there will be many who claim I have never really been classed as that, but music is my life, it keeps me going in the lab, at home and in the hours I spend commuting and travelling around. I do have a fairly varied

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musical taste in some respects but I always tend to drift back to heavy rock, metal and some of the old classics mixed in with some Disney. I like music that provokes emotion. So, there are a lot of tracks that I listen to that were used in films that makes me smile as it reminds me of some of my favourite films and scenes. I mean you can’t tell me you don’t like to sing along to the odd track or two from Mulan, Lion King, Moana etc especially as I quite often have the metal remixes of them! Gives them some umph.

Number 3 on my list, well no matter how advanced your skills are in orthodontics you never really get away from having to carry out the very basic appliances too, you know those pressure formed lovelies, the orthodontic retainer. I like most other techs, have to make quite a few of these and they are almost always a sit and wait affair, nobody wants to go away and come back nowadays, they just want to sit and wait. Which is fair enough at times, but for that you need a reliable and efficient piece of equipment to carry out this task and for me there can be no other then the Biostar range

4 2

3

5

from Eurodontic. I have tried others elsewhere and quite frankly nothing stands up to the Biostar so I would be mortified if I lost that.

Reliable and totally idiot proof so perfect for me.

It's getting a little trickier now, what would my number 4 be? Well I think it would have to be my no-flame induction heater. When I worked in the denture lab I started my career in, we had bunsen’s, I mean you need them for lots of denture work, warming up your sheets of wax cannot really be done as well in any other way but in an ortho lab you don’t really need to do that so often so if I do need to warm up a sheet of wax I use my hand flamer. However, I do need to heat up my wax knife pretty often for melting little bits of wax to tack down my wirework on my appliances prior to spraying up my acrylic bases so the no-flame is super quick and efficient.

This does lead neatly onto what is my number 5, as that would have to be my Palamat pressure pot. Such a neat bit of kit, not only can I have water ready and waiting at the perfect temp when I wish to polymerise my appliances but it maintains that temp perfectly so no cooling as its processing as it would in a traditional pressure pot, you can set the timer for the correct cycle, the bars of pressure required etc and then just pop your job in, set it off and wait until it beeps to tell you its done. No brainer!

Also, you can heat cure in it too so it is perfect when I have to make the odd denture or simple heat cured obturator, I don’t make many so it’s nice that it can step up to this when I need it.

You may have figured out by now that I like efficiency, if you have good and reliable equipment you can work far more efficiently and effectively, so although some of the equipment I use may seem more expensive initially than some others it most definitely pays off in the long term. Don’t make your job any harder than it needs to be by cutting corners on your tools and equipment. Buy good quality and look after it well.

If you would like to participate in our ‘5 Things I Cannot Work Without’ feature please email: editor@dentaltechnician.org.uk

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INSIGHT

A SPRINGBOARD FOR MANY GREAT THINGS Luke Barnett, owner of The Luke Barnett Centre in Watford, Herts, is an accredited member of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD). Here he shares his motivation for completing the journey and what Accreditation means to him.

“

Accreditation was a goal that almost all the early members of the BACD aspired to achieve. This grew from our times travelling to the USA for conferences by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). We were on a very steep learning curve and breaking new ground – they were exciting times!

“I found the Accreditation process itself was transformative. It enabled me to focus on detail that was not easily achievable without the parameters set by the programme.

My entire team now work to these testing standards on every case we produce, elevating our quality of work.

“My BACD Accreditation has always been an achievement of which I am very proud of, as it is not easy. From a personal perspective, it was the springboard for many great things and I am very appreciative of the opportunity to study for this goal alongside some of the greats of cosmetic dentistry, such as Dr James Russell.

“I hope that more professionals, especially dental technicians, take advantage of everything that BACD Accreditation offers. The process brings clinicians and their technicians closer together and transforms the participant’s eye for detail. This journey takes us to another level of understanding and I would encourage more technicians to utilise the opportunity.

“For anyone considering it, my advice would be to just get on and start it. All the disciplines involve everyday dentistry for most restorative dentists and technicians. It’s too easy for people to talk about improving their skills but then not engage with processes like BACD Accreditation. I think a lot of the cosmetic dentistry carried out today has much room for improvement, especially as techniques and materials evolve, and BACD Accreditation goes a long way to rectify this.”

For further enquiries about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, visit www.bacd.com

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Stained and glazed monolithic zirconia restorations, made by dental technician Tomoyuki Edakawa, Japan

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TECHNICIANS INSIGHT

Smooth

Runnings

By Andy Fairbanks I Fairbanks Dental Laboratory

I

am no guru in the slightest but wanted to share a few experiences throughout my lab life and running of a dental laboratory, in the hope it helps a few people out. This is what worked for me.

‘SMOOTHER LAB IS AN EASY LIFE’.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? it can be, and it is not hard to implement, it is keeping on track that is the tricky bit and not slipping back into old ways.

TIME SCALES, WEDDINGS, HOLIDAYS, AND ASAP!

Turnaround times are a massive issue for labs, if they let the turnaround times dictate the workflow. We had a 2 week turnaround for all work, apart from large implant cases where we asked for 3 weeks. Even a simple whitening tray was 2 weeks, or a study model. We had no express charge and nothing slipped through with less than 2 weeks, I may also add that this was plus postage times. Fair enough we had the usual suspects moaning about not having it back when they wanted, but at the end of the day they knew our terms, so it is their fault. When these cases arose, we gave then 2 choices, either we do it to our time scale or post it back and they can send it somewhere else with a quicker turnaround. Keeping in mind by the time we posted it and they sent it to another lab the overall time scale would be longer. It is your rules, they are sending you work. If they do not like your rules, they can send it somewhere else. Might sound harsh, and I probably was to many of

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them, but I wanted to go home at 4pm and not be rushing around for some goon who wanted a crown back in a week. Implement time scales you are comfortable with and stick to them, keep in mind you want less stress and an easier life. Do not be worried about losing clients over this, if your work is good and they are a decent human being they will understand. If not, then they are not worth your time.

Many people may say ‘I don’t have time to phone up on every case to change the date’, well to put it bluntly that is the wrong way to look at it as you get more time back in the long run.

DELIVERY, GO GO GO!

I found using the post or a courier service was 100x better than having drivers. The main reason that at the exact time each day the work lands in the lab and all work leaves at a set time. We used to post the work back after our 2 weeks in the lab on a next day delivery.

If this is then late back due to postage delays it is not your fault, it is the couriers.

You posted it back on time, blame the courier service!

Another thing they cannot blame you for, the proof is in the tracking number. I may also add that this saves the lab ££££s when you sit and work out the costs. Some people may dispute this, but it was true for

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us. By the time you have paid the drivers wages for 12 months, ran vehicles and insurances, it all adds up. With post you are not having to pick up the slack if the drivers on holiday, when the labs closed its not costing you anything, you only pay for work you are receiving or returning, and it is just one less headache. Let the courier take on that stress while you concentrate on building up the quality of the lab and making more money.

WHERE IS THIS CASE?!

Admin, I know many people do not have one or any, but it will change the way the lab runs for the better. For those of you that do not have an admin, just imagine not having to answer or make phone calls, make payments, chase payments, chasing dates and information, or booking and bagging up work. You could probably save a third of your time each day, go home early via the pub or use that time to earn more money for yourself and pay for the new admin staff. This will make the lab run smoother, make your life easier, mean you do not have to be in the lab every day and you can take holidays. Admins provide you the time and space to concentrate on your work and pass on the stress.

WORKING TO DATES!

I am not sure where people stand on this next point I am about to make, but this worked for us. I hated it when I worked in other labs and jobs were started or batched by the return date, makes no sense to me. With implementing the 2 week turnaround on all cases we just did the work in batches from the day it was received. Work came in and went straight to the plaster room for casting. The

TECHNICIANS INSIGHT

following day all these jobs went onto the next stage, we never even looked at dates or stressed as they all had ample time. Easy life. This also meant that if a job needed something extra it was not going to run short of time, it had come straight through from day one and we had breathing space on all cases. You can just bench rest cases that get finished early before returning them. Nothing ever went back earlier than 2 weeks, even if it was finished within 2 days.

With jobs coming through like this with plenty of time on it also meant that if staff were off sick or we just wanted to leave early, there were no issues and no rushing around.

WILL IT WORK?!

Trust your materials and be comfortable using them, this will speed everything up easily. This also applies to equipment.

‘Buy cheap buy twice’ is a good quote, and a true one. Unreliable equipment or materials just add extra stress and pressure which nobody wants. Yes, you may pay more for certain materials, but the cost saved in time and stress more than covers them. Same for equipment, the cost of a reliable piece of capital equipment divided by the amount of years it is going to last, and the amount of units that can be produce is well worth the investment.

I implemented these basic strategies and they worked for me. Some will disagree but that is the way of the world, I have zero to gain from this so no point in my lying to you all. I hope it helps a few folks out or makes you consider implementing a few ideas of your own. It is not about hard work but smart work.

I have said it before, if anyone wants any further info or thinks I can help please drop me a message, I do not bite.

People always go on about, ‘work/life balance’, but that is still incorrect. In my eyes its ‘life/work balance’.

When staff had holidays, the duration of their holiday would be added to our turnaround times for that period. These dates and turnarounds would be sent out to clients with as much notice as possible, yes some may moan but it is your business and you can do what you want. They have holidays! This extra time enabled the work to be distributed evenly and slower rather than everyone rushing to get more units through when others were off.

TO ADVERTISE IN THE DENTAL TECHNICIAN

T: 01372 897462 E: sales@dentaltechnician.org.uk

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TECHNICIANS INSIGHT

LIFE OUTSIDE THE LAB

FOLLOWING YOUR Dream

By Sean Thompson I Ashford Orthodontic Laboratory

I approached Sean Thompson – Director at Ashford Orthodontic Laboratory, to share a bit about his life outside of the lab.

I was aware that Sean had an interest in the property market and I was so interested to hear more about his story.

He clearly has a great business mind, and a wonderful family man to boot.

E

arly in my working life as an apprentice Dental Technician in Jarrow, just before my first ever boss suffered his third and final heart attack, he told me ‘’always remember that family comes first, and that you go to work to provide the means to enjoy your life outside of work, so make it count for something’’ and those words have stuck with me to this day.

It’s not until you have kids that you really start ‘counting the years’ as you celebrate their birthdays and as such are constantly reminded of how quickly they grow and the years pass.

The best memories are made over those years with the family, and this really became my passion outside of work, spending as much time together as we could, forging memories that will last a lifetime.

to express their passion for watches, cars, fitness etc, that I actually realised that this should be an inspirational piece which will hopefully positively impact his readers, particularly in these difficult times for labs.

I suppose the interest in property and property development came from years of watching programmes such as Homes under the hammer, DIY SOS etc, eventually expanding to overseas programmes on HGTV such as Love it or List it, Flip or Flop and Property Brothers etc. This led to saving up and buying a small 1 Bed apartment to renovate and rent out. Then a second one and so on, but the effort it took actually meant less time with the family, even though we’d bought our first Touring Caravan to enjoy the Northumberland coast and Lake District with the family and our dog ‘Tuffy, the WireHaired Fox Terrier’.

I quickly realised as the kids were growing rapidly, that caravans are only so big, so I looked at a larger option such as a static caravan somewhere. This search led us to a second-hand lodge in Bowness on Windermere.

‘Woodside Lodge’ was fantastic and opened my eyes to the possibility of renting out the lodge when we couldn’t use it.

Our friends and family also had the option of using it, and this was something that none of us could do with rental apartments.

As a family, quality holiday time was key to our time away from work, and as my other passion was property, it became apparent that combining the two would be a really beneficial hobby, if I could find a way to make this happen.

When Matt (Editor of The Dental Technician Magazine) approached me to write ‘my story away from the lab’, I must admit to being reluctant in case it was perceived as some kind of ‘bragging’, which it definitely isn’t, but when Matt explained this as more of an inspirational article, and that other people will do the same

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Lake Windermere is popular all year round, regardless of the weather.

Owning the lodge made me realise that rental flats really didn’t fit the bill. An opportunity presented to buy a plot right on the lake and site a brand-new lodge, so I went for it and sold the apartments. We now owned a second brand new lodge ‘Lakeshore Lodge’ that was right on the lakeshore, and as everybody wants a view of lake Windermere, it proved extremely popular, and we made great memories there, eventually buying a small boat also to further enjoy the lake. The benefit of this was that you could actually use your asset and rent it when you didn’t.

I think the lesson learned here was that short term holiday lets, in the right location with year-round visitors, really did allow personal use whenever you wanted, and create a second income when you weren’t using them.

As anybody who knows me will testify, I’m quite driven and passionate about most things, particularly Orthodontics and property. Having moved 12 times in my lifetime, and developed most of them in the process, the opportunity to get involved in a barn conversion overlooking Budle Bay in Northumberland was too good to overlook. We’d spent many weekends with the kids in the sand dunes of those beautiful Northumberland beaches, so the opportunity to design from scratch just meant we had to make it happen, and ‘The Warren’ became the venue for some more great

TECHNICIANS INSIGHT

memories. Originally designed as a two bed, 1-bathroom property, we eventually ‘convinced’ the architect and planners that a 3 Bed, 2-bathroom property was achievable, and the kids then had a room each!

As the kids grew quickly, their interests changed. Being two very sporty boys, somebody recommended a really nice place in Spain called La Manga Club which did sporting holidays (football, rugby, tennis, golf etc) especially tailored for kids of all ages, so we holidayed there in the summer, and the kids absolutely loved it to the point we went there for many summers. Top Premier League and international teams use the fantastic facilities, so the demand is always there for good quality villas to rent. The kids love it there, and even went on to coach out there once there were 18, so when we saw an opportunity to have a property there in the Montemares district, we made it happen. They have friends and ex-colleagues there and use it to build their own memories now. You can be on an early flight to Alicante and putting your key in the door by lunchtime, and on the golf course straight after.

So that was our summer holidays and weekends sorted, but we were fortunate enough to take a winter holiday also, and we took the kids to Orlando, Florida when they were 9- & 12-year-olds. They absolutely loved Disney and the parks, as most kids do, and as we were spending regularly on rental villas over there, we decided to look into possibility of acquiring a place over there. We had established great contacts over there over the years, mostly ex-pats, so when we were introduced to a 5 bed, 4-bathroom villa about to come onto the market for a ‘quick-sale’, we made it happen. That sparked our ‘American dream’ given that I’ve always hated the cold.

Once we had a foothold over there and started to understand the legalities and joint treaty taxation processes, we realised that it was much more favourable to own in the US than in the UK, so we pursued our dream and tried to improve on what we already had.

We used our newly gained knowledge to identify an up-andcoming area called Championsgate.

This has gone on to become one of the most prestigious areas in Orlando, and before long we had found our next 6 bed, 6-bathroom property on a new gated community called Solterra. We as a family are entwined in the American way of living now,

and understand their somewhat different view of life, and embrace it fully when we are there.

After many holidays there with the kids and our extended family, we again took the opportunity to find a similar property backing onto a golf course, with breath-taking views.

We’ve learned as a family to take opportunities when they come along, and not to take anything for granted, so we have adopted the mentality of ‘just go for it’ if we can.

We all agreed to it, and what could possibly go wrong with the holiday let market in Orlando given that it’s a world-wide year-long destination? Then a little thing called Covid came along, and the world virtually shut down.

We didn’t panic and held firm to our belief that it was the right thing to do as a family, and completed during lock-down, having never set foot in the property! Although overseas visitors had ceased, the US domestic rental market for Orlando had never been busier. The legal process in the US for buying a property is well known to us now and is so much easier than buying in the UK, so we really had the bug by now, and as a family we were all fully committed to this. When we got the opportunity to acquire a property on the ultra-prestigious Reunion Resort, we made it happen once again. Having contacts over there such as solicitors, accountants, realtors (estate-agents) and management companies, was invaluable, and allowed us to acquire our Reunion villa, again without setting foot in the country.

The Homestead Vista villa is unbelievably popular with visitors given the facilities it has such as games room, fire pit, Tiki bar, golf course outlook etc plus the themed kids’ rooms.

It's only 6 miles from Disney and the resort is a theme park in itself with numerous restaurants, pools, slides, and a lazy river etc so the kids are happy even on their ‘day off’ from the parks! There’s a great video on our website at www.floridadisneyvilla.co.uk if anybody wants to view it.

can create locations that we can all go to as a family and separately with their friends, then we can perhaps permanently eliminate the need for long term separation. We’ve created some fantastic memories, and something physical that we can all use long-term, so they can create their own memories with their families and friends’ long term.

We’ve gone full circle as well as we’ve purchased a motorhome, so in theory, we can spend the summers exploring this country, the spring and autumn in Spain and the long grey winters in sunny Florida and use it as a base to explore more parts of the US and make even more memories.

We all need a dream and something to aim for, but I’m very aware that this may be perceived by some as bragging, but it definitely isn’t meant to be. I don’t own a posh car. I drive a van and own a smart car. I’ve never bought designer clothes in my life. The hope with this article is to inspire others. To demonstrate the value of having a dream, to work hard, to cherish loving families, and that the work ethics and determination we’ve demonstrated as a family over the years will have a positive effect on them and others. Anybody can have a dream, anybody can do whatever they want to do and achieve whatever it is they want out of life if they work hard, are patient, and never stop believing. Start small. Build slowly. Always believe in yourself.

You’ll never get up that life ladder unless you’re prepared to be brave and determined enough to step on that first rung. It doesn’t matter if life chooses to grease the rung and you slip back, as long as you are strong enough to put your foot back on it. Stay strong everybody and stay true to yourself. Pursue your dreams as life really is very short, so live and love every minute of it.

The whole ethos for me is about creating memories with the family, whilst satisfying my passion for property and design. Even though the kids are 23 and 26 now, we all still live together and long may it continue. I’m also very aware that this won’t last forever, but if we

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of 3D printing models for thermoforming aligners n Choice of material n Time-frame knowledge

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3D printing of models for thermoforming aligners using the SolLab 370 David Hermann

Q5. Besides the projector what material plays a significant role in the printing process?

Q1. What does DLP mean?

C - DLP

A - Digital Light Processing B - Data Loss Processing

A - VAT B - SLA D - CDLP

C - Data Lease Protocol

Q6. What type of resin does the material contain?

D - Digital Lease Protocol

A - Photosensitive

Q2. A DLP projector is used instead of what?

A - A blade B - A laser C - A drill D - A saw

Q3. This is used to cure what?

A - Resin B - Adhesive C - Polymer D - Zirconia

Q4. What resolution is the HD projector?

A - 480p B - 720p C - 1080p D - 4k

B - Phototoxic C - Anthotype D - Photopolymer

Q7. The PowerVat meets the requirements perfectly since it combines rigidity with a certain XXX?

Q9. And in what time frame?

A - 10-20 minutes B - 20-30 minutes C- 30-40 minutes D- 50-50 minutes

Q10. In the first step of the 3D printing process what file is imported to a slicing software?

A - .stl B - .vst C - .lmo D - .html

Q11. Print file preparation is performed on XXX? A - Medicor B - VOCO

A - Translucency

C - Pyramis

B - Flexibility

D - DGSHAPE

C - Durability D - Density

Q8. In only one print job no less than XX models with 100μ can be produced?

Q12. In this specific case, the 12 models are finished in how many minutes?

A - 20 B - 25

A-4

C - 30

B-8

D - 35

C - 10 D - 12

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DENTAL TECHNOLOGY DIGITAL

3D PRINTING OF MODELS FOR THERMOFORMING ALIGNERS USING THE SOLLAB 370

MOVING DLP TECHNOLOGY WITH FULL HD PROJECTOR

INTRODUCTION Over the past few years, Digital Light Processing (DLP) turned out to be the best 3D printing method when it comes to digital dental technology due to its precise and - compared to the SLA method - very fast printing results. These impressive advantages of DLP technology are based on the fact that instead of a laser (SLA method); a DLP projector is used to cure the resin. Therefore, the projector is the heart of the DLP 3D printer and its resolution determines the accuracy of the results and the size of the building area. A smaller pixel size usually means higher accuracy, but smaller building area.

However, especially for bigger dental laboratories, both factors are crucial.

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The new SolLab 370 from W2P Engineering has been designed as a unique solution for the laboratory sector.

The desktop device offers both, a high precision, and a large building area. This 3D printer integrates the full HD projector (1080p) into the existing moving DLP technology and achieves the best possible results by moving the full HD projector in the printer and thereby triple exposing the building area.

EFFICIENT MATERIAL VAT SYSTEM

Besides the projector, the material vat also plays a significant role in the printing process. The transparent material vat contains the photosensitive resin which is being cured layer upon layer by the light from the projector positioned below the vat.

Due to the large building area, the SolLab 370 requires an extremely stable vat, yet the peel-off forces must be kept as low as possible to avoid the breakage of the delicate layers when being pulled off the vat.

The PowerVat meets these requirements perfectly since it combines rigidity with a certain flexibility. The rigidity

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is guaranteed by a glass plate with an aluminum frame and the anti-sticking film on top of the glass bottom provides the flexibility. The film yields slightly when the layers are being peeled off which ensures smooth separation. Although functionality and the reliability of a stable printing process were the top priorities in the development of the PowerVat, at the same time there was a strive for an increase in efficiency. As an ideal solution considering all these aspects, firstly the extremely durable aluminum frame with glass plate was chosen to avoid waste, and secondly the running costs are kept on a minimum, as only the film must be replaced after approx. 300 print jobs. In only one print job, no less than 12 models with 100μ can be produced within 30 to 40 minutes in horizontal position.

Print file preparation is performed on Pyramis from CIMSystems or NetFabb.

DENTAL TECHNOLOGY

In the first step of the 3D printing process, the .stl file is imported to a slicing software which is used for preparing the print job. The models are placed horizontally on the virtual build platform, so 12 pieces can be produced in one printing process. (Duration: approx. 5 min.) The exported job file is then sent to the printer via the network, enabling the printing process to be started. In this specific case, the 12 models are finished in 35 min. printing time. After the models have been removed from the build platform, they are cleaned and exposed in a UV post-curing unit to ensure that the material is fully cured. The entire digital workflow is thus completed in just one hour. The models can further be used for the fabrication of aligners.

CONCLUSION

Particularly in the laboratory sector, where a high output has to be produced in a short period, the SolLab 370 can support operations and massively increase productivity. The large building area also simplifies the preparation of the print job to a certain extent, as there is no need to add support structures, which in turn speeds up post-processing.

Digital production processes facilitate the manufacturing of various models, splints, temporary crowns and bridges, individual impression trays, drilling templates, cast models in the dental sector, and will become more and more important in the near future.

SUMMARY

In practice, 3D printing using DLP technology has become widely used in the dental field. The challenge has been

Use Case: 3D printing of models for thermoforming aligners with the SolLab 370

to design a 3D printer in a way that the largest possible build area is available while ensuring high resolution for precise printing results. The innovative SolLab 3D printer addresses these needs and ensures a reduction in running costs by reducing wear parts through an efficient material vat system.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION:

• SolLab 370 • Building Area: 134 x 226 x 200 mm • Pixel Size: 70 microns • 6.2 Megapixel (Exposure Area) • Unit Size: 480 x 425 x 800 / Weight: 25 kg • Full HD Projector • Wavelength: 385 nm

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• Open system • Moving DLP Technology • Optional: temperature-controlled vat system (ThermoVat) - heated tray up to 50C All systems are developed and manufactured in Austria by Way2Production Engineering.

The SolFlex & SolLab Systems are available through Wrights the Dental Supply Company.

For more information, please contact: David Hermann, Digital Technical Specialist. Kingsway West, Dundee, DD2 3QD. Tel: 0800 668 899 Email: d.hermann@wright-cottrell.co.uk Mob: 0753 914 6890

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DENTAL NEWS

NOW

IS THE TIME FOR ACTION

By Steve Campbell

S

teve will be rallying the troops at the ADI Team Congress 2022 within the Technicians’ Programme. He says: “I will look at manufacturing processes in dental technology and demonstrate why many analogue workflows are no longer fit for purpose.

Now is the time for action and I’ll being calling colleagues to arms and take up digital if they want to keep their businesses open.

ADI TEAM

CONGRESS 2022 “The Great Debate”

26-28 MAY 2022 Manchester Central

ADI members will be able to attend the ADI Team Congress for discounted rates.

“I will share a very honest journey on how I transitioned from analogue to digital, considering the impact of digital on our capacity and our workflows. I will also discuss the digital workflow from acquisition to production. The different solutions available will be explored from intraoral scanners to 3D printers and milling machines. A benefit of the ADI Team Congress is that delegates can view solutions and speak to representatives in the exhibition, but they can also seek unbiased opinions about the equipment from speakers and peers.

JOIN TODAY www.adi.org.uk/ congress22

“Gaining vision is one thing, but it’s not enough for delegates to leave the lecture hall and forget about it. Even in the current situation, digital labs are growing rapidly because they can offer better, more efficient and more effective services that the old ways simply can’t compete with. We need to value the technical team and their skills, and innovate with technology.

We need a new mindset and we need it now.”

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DENTAL CERAMIST TECHNICIAN We are looking for two full time, experienced Ceramists to join our friendly team based in Beamond End near Amersham, Bucks.

Competencies must include EMAX, Composite, Diagnostic Wax-Ups, Porcelain and Implant work.

We offer:

n n n

n n

A generous salary NEST pension scheme Statutory holiday Free on-site parking And all the usual benefits of working for a long-established company.

Applicants must be available to work in the UK and the position is available with immediate start.

Please get in touch by calling Chris or Nick on 01494 717841. Or email your CV to: chris@woodlandsdental.co.uk

DENTAL NEWS

DENTSPLY SIRONA AND 3SHAPE ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP The partnership between Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape focuses on a collaboration for better access of 3Shape TRIOS users to SureSmile Clear Aligners

Don Casey, CEO of Dentsply Sirona

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Dentsply Sirona, the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, announced today that it entered into a partnership with 3Shape, a developer and manufacturer of 3D scanners and CAD/CAM software solutions based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The first step of this partnership focuses on a facilitated collaboration between 3Shape’s intraoral scanner 3Shape TRIOS and Dentsply Sirona’s SureSmile Clear Aligners.

Jakob Just-Bomholt, CEO of 3Shape

www.dentaltechnician.org.uk

Dr. Terri Dolan, Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at Dentsply Sirona, is convinced that dental professionals will find this partnership very valuable.

DENTAL NEWS

l

Charlotte, N.C./Copenhagen, June 1st, 2021. As part of their steps to innovate dentistry and lead the digital transformation, Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape have agreed to work on multiple strategic opportunities in order to improve digital dentistry and oral health. In the immediate term, the partnership will focus on a collaboration for better access of TRIOS users to SureSmile Clear Aligners. Opening the platforms to the 3Shape system allows dental professionals to benefit from greater choices, more flexibility, and smoother workflows in the future.

“The collaboration with 3Shape supports our goal of tailoring our product solutions to the needs of our customers. We want to give dental professionals real added value with digital technologies that can be easily integrated and are an intelligent advancement in their routine workflows,” says Don Casey, Chief Executive Officer of Dentsply Sirona.

“Open systems allow the integration of new functions into existing practice and laboratory structures. We are convinced that we have an excellent partner for this with 3Shape and look forward to additional partnership opportunities in the future.”

The partnership between Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape opens opportunities to develop together in selected areas. The connection from 3Shape’s TRIOS scanner to SureSmile will be improved and streamlined to allow 3Shape customers smoother access to the fast-growing clear aligner system SureSmile.

Pioneered by orthodontic specialists, SureSmile Aligners are designed using advanced software to ensure they fit perfectly and deliver the exact tooth movements needed to achieve great results in the shortest possible time. The cloud-based SureSmile Aligner software offers various options for treatment planning and implementation. Unlike with conventional concepts, dental practitioners always maintain control of the treatment process. The 3Shape TRIOS intraoral scanner gives doctors a great starting point for their clear aligner workflow now seamlessly integrated with SureSmile aligner software.

For 3Shape, the new partnership means an additional service to its customers: “3Shape’s goals and solutions are based on an open ecosystem philosophy and on working together with other companies to provide better and more cost-effective solutions that will benefit clinicians and their patients”, says Jakob Just-Bomholt, Chief Executive Officer of 3Shape. “We’re very excited that TRIOS users can now take advantage of the leading SureSmile Aligners treatment through a smoother workflow.”

Dr. Terri Dolan, Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at Dentsply Sirona, is convinced that dental professionals will find this partnership very valuable: "Open platforms and smooth workflows are beneficial for a range of treatment options and add to our core goal of offering clinicians the possibility to work with different workflows and partners. Finally, this collaboration helps patients reach their desired outcome - both sooner and smarter."

More information about SureSmile Clear Aligners is available on the Dentsply Sirona Website: www.dentsplysirona.com/suresmile More information about TRIOS is available on the 3Shape website: www.3shape.com/trios

SureSmile Clear Aligners are designed using advanced software to ensure they fit perfectly and deliver the exact tooth movements needed to achieve great results in the shortest possible time.

The connection from 3Shape’s TRIOS scanner to SureSmile will be improved and streamlined to allow 3Shape customers smoother access to the fastgrowing clear aligner system SureSmile.

Due to the different approval and registration times, not all technologies and products are immediately available in all countries.

www.dentaltechnician.org.uk

33

DENTAL NEWS

HENRY SCHEIN COMMITS TO ADVANCE ESG STEWARDSHIP • Issues Annual CSR

Report Detailing Actions to Address Company’s Environment, Social, and Governance Work

• Publishes New and

Expanded Disclosures and Goals on ESG Performance

• Aims to Donate

at Least $50 Million by 2025 to Advance Health Equity

l

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 12, 2021 Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), the world’s largest provider of health care solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners, announced today a series of efforts to further advance its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and to reaffirm its commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. As outlined in the Company’s 2020 Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, titled “Resilience for a Healthier World” and published today, the Company’s ESG strategy includes enhancing health equity and access to care, expanding ESG disclosures, and taking action to address the climate crisis.

By the end of 2022, Henry Schein plans to report progress in accordance with the Standards of each of the Global Reporting Initiative and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. In addition, the Company is enhancing its disclosures on climate risks and opportunities according to recommendations made by The Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures and exploring a pathway to setting a Science-Based Target.

For more than 30 years, Henry Schein has continued to support the five constituents that make up the Company’s Mosaic of Success – Customers, Suppliers, Team Schein Members, Shareholders, and Society at Large. This year’s report, as detailed below, represents another milestone in the Company’s commitment to the Mosaic of Success.

Among other work highlighted in the report, Henry Schein is committed to the following actions for accelerating ESG stewardship: • Aspiring to be carbon neutral in its supply chain emissions by the year 2050, if not sooner. In 2021, Henry Schein will focus on baselining its distribution and transportation metrics in key markets in North America, Europe, and Australia; • Aiming to donate at least $50 million in cash and product through Henry Schein Cares and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc. by 2025 to advance health equity; • Enhancing in 2021 an individual D&I goal tied to Henry Schein’s annual performance

34

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incentive program (i.e., cash bonus plan) for the senior managers in the Company (Directors, Vice Presidents, and Members of the Executive Management Committee); • Contributing as a member to the World Economic Forum’s Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics initiative which seeks to improve ways companies measure and demonstrate their performance against ESG indicators and to enable positive contribution towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; and • Committing to an all-electric operations lift truck fleet in its U.S. distribution centers by 2025.

“Even as we tackled the unprecedented challenges created by the pandemic, we continued to accelerate progress along our ESG journey. We deepened our sustainability efforts by formalizing our policies, setting goals and targets for our ESG ambitions, and making steady and measurable progress toward these goals throughout the year,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. “Our resilience in the face of the current crisis is a testament to the spirit of Team Schein and the strength of our longterm purpose-driven stakeholder model of engagement. We will continue to champion our socially responsible and sustainable approach to business as we do our part in building a healthier, more inclusive, and more prosperous future for all.”

The 2020 Sustainability and CSR report underscores the values instilled at the Company’s founding 89 years ago and highlights how Henry Schein gives back to the professions and communities it serves.

The Company is committed to addressing its own environmental impact, engaging with investors in its business practices, providing its TSMs with a healthy, safe, and inclusive workplace, and contributing to health equity.

To learn more about Henry Schein’s ESG efforts and to view the full 2020 Sustainability and CSR report, please visit www.henryschein.com/ corporatecitizenship.

Workstations & Equipment

for 21st Century Lab Technicians WORKSTATIONS Ergonomic Secure Sustainable Modular, unlimited layout possibilities, wide range of materials and colours to suit your laboratory and style

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E: info@blueprintdental.co.uk

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MARKETPLACE

FEEL SAFE: 30-YEAR WARRANTY ON IMPLANT ABUTMENTS & SCREWS BY ZIRKONZAHN IMPLANT ABUTMENTS 100% MADE IN ITALY FROM A SINGLE SOURCE, WITH NO COMPROMISES Especially when manufacturing implant restorations, it is important to work safely and flexibly with controlled products, for the good of the patients. Zirkonzahn, a family-run dental technical company located in South Tyrol (Italy), known for their Prettau® zirconia and CAD/CAM systems production, has also become one of the largest manufactures of implant prosthetic component. From scan components to implant abutments and their related screws, they offer a vast range of components that is constantly expanded to provide the techno-clinical team with improved flexibility for their analoguedigital workflow.

100% CONTROLLED – EVERYTHING IS HOME-MADE Components are produced according to ISO 13485 MDSAP and Directive 93/42/ EEC for medical devices, using high-quality medical titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V ELI according to ASTM F136 and DIN EN ISO 5832-3). All components are produced in-house with versatile and high tech CNC machinery with turning and grinding components as well as coating systems. Being the sole entity involved in the manufacture process, the company supervises the process completely assuming responsibility for the quality of their products.

100% SAFE – 30 YEARS OF WARRANTY ON IMPLANT ABUTMENTS AND SCREWS In addition to the legally prescribed warranty obligation, the company

Complete restoration on anodised titanium bases

voluntarily grants up to 30 years of warranty on all Zirkonzahn implant abutment used and their corresponding screws. The warranty explicitly includes also the implants from other manufacturers used in combination with Zirkonzahn implant abutments. You can download

THIS PHOTO: Range of implant prosthetic components for more than 140 systems ABOVE RIGHT: All components are produced in-house with versatile and high tech CNC machinery with turning and grinding components as well as coating systems.

the warranty regulation from this page (https://zirkonzahn.com/en/cad-camsystems/implant-systems/warranty).

100% VERSATILE – WORK WITH FREEDOM IN THE ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL WORLD Cold welding? Not anymore: all abutments and screws are available also with gold plating. This increases biocompatibility, improves aesthetics and prevents cold welding as well as the unintended loosening of the screw. Titanium bases can also be anodised in different colours. All components are available both analogue and digital and can also be integrated into other design software free of charge (3shape and Exocad). This ensures a reliable and coherent workflow from implant planning to insertion into the patient mouth. You can even scan with your original Scanmarker and, if you are collaborating with a Zirkonzahn user, she/ he can proceed in the digital planning with a Zirkonzahn abutment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.zirkonzahn.com

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MARKETPLACE

ASHFORD ORTHODONTICS UK’S BIGGEST ORTHODONTIC LAB IS 20 YEARS YOUNG w THE UK’S largest orthodontic laboratory is celebrating its 20th birthday – while recruiting more staff and fitting out a huge new, state-ofthe-art premises.

Twenty years ago, Managing Director Sean Thompson started Ashford Orthodontics from his garage while working in the orthodontic and oral facial department of Sunderland Royal Hospital. After leaving the hospital, he was joined in 2005 by directors Craig Stevens, from Sunderland, and Graeme Winyard, from Durham, two experienced orthodontic and dental technicians.

“Back in the late 1990s there was a shortage in the provision of specialised orthodontic lab work which meant specialists sending work to non-specialised labs,” explained Sean “The hospital couldn’t take in external work because it wasn’t registered with the MHRA - and I saw an opportunity. I realised I had quite a rare skill and decided to set up a ‘oneman lab’ in my garage at home,” he added.

Now the company supplies clients around the world and employs 65 people from their premises in Southwick, Sunderland. Ashford is in the process of recruiting five more people while doubling the size of its facility at Southwick Industrial Estate to 24,000sq ft.

“I’m very proud we’ve come so far from starting in my garage on an evening and at weekends to the country’s largest orthodontic laboratory. What’s particularly pleasing is that so many of our team - and clients - have stayed with us. We owe huge thanks to the staff who’ve made us so successful, particularly the likes of Dave Newton, Paul Newton, Jeff Sanderson, Dan Connolly and Martin Murphy who’ve been with us since our first lab opened,” said Sean.

Ashford has commissioned Dunelm Glass to create glassware as a way of thanking many of their longstanding clients and staff.

“We’re still ambitious and we still believe there’s plenty of opportunity for further growth. We’re currently working with our long-term partner Sunderland College to bring in two new apprentices while also looking to fill three other key roles in admin, digital and production, ” said Sean.

fully-qualified team is also vastly experienced in the more traditional aspects of orthodontic manufacturing, currently securing more than 40 per cent of the NHS orthodontic laboratory provision in the UK.

prosthetics and technology while employed as senior orthodontic and maxillofacial medical technical officer at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Recognising the gap in the market, Sean launched Ashford Orthodontics in 2001. After Craig and Graeme joined to become directors, the company moved into premises in Frederick Street, Sunderland. Rapid expansion followed and Ashford quickly relocated to larger premises in Norfolk Street in Sunderland city centre.

In 2017, the company moved into a new 12,000sq ft laboratory on Southwick Industrial Estate, Sunderland, to accommodate further expansion of the business, which had grown significantly thanks to its investment into 3D digital technology. Last year Ashford acquired the former Gelders premises next door and is currently fitting out the whole site - doubling their production space in preparation for the next phase of growth.

“We understood the potential of 3D printers and scanners early on - investment was a risk as we bought 3D printers and they cost £140,000, and this was before dentists were really ready to send us scans.

But we understood the fundamental change in the way the sector was going and the opportunities offered by digital innovation.

“Dental practices take scans of people’s mouths and send them to us electronically from anywhere in the world. We then create 3D models of people’s teeth using a 3D printer and we then manufacture the appliances here in Sunderland,” explained Sean.

“We are certainly at the forefront of the digital transformation in orthodontics, with a designated 3D scanning and printing suite run by digital technologists. However, our

“So much has changed in the 20 years since we started, but quality remains at the forefront of everything we do. Neither have our fundamental core values changed since 2001 - we continue to provide the best quality product at the best possible price with exceptional customer service.”

Although the worldwide pandemic prompted a temporary slowdown as dentists across the world closed their doors, Ashford is now back in full production, with more than 15,000 retainers being sent out to clients every month.

“During the first lockdown, we were closed for three months, but everyone is back now, working in a rigidly-enforced Covid secure environment. We retained all our team and it was great to welcome them all back when it was safe to do so,” said Sean.

In summer last year, Ashford became part of the emerging and ambitious ALS group which has already acquired four of the UK’s most specialised dental and orthodontic labs, with plans to add another five to ten per year to firmly become the number one dental laboratory group in the UK. “We’re excited to be part of ALS - we’re planning something huge in the long term and it’s great to be part of its formation. All four labs - and there will be some more added very soon - are cut from the same cloth and share the same values. We’re all experts in our own fields,” said Sean.

Ashford’s extensive client base is now both national and international. Clinicians in The Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand now use Ashford Orthodontics’ digital capabilities to place orders for the company’s leading orthodontic appliances, especially with clear aligners being in huge demand globally at present.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.ashfordorthodontics.co.uk

Born in Jarrow, Sean attended school in Hebburn and worked in his brother-in-law’s dental lab before studying orthodontics at Newcastle College. He worked in private orthodontic and dental labs with his ten years of training culminating in a unique qualification from Manchester University with a post-graduate diploma in maxillofacial

www.dentaltechnician.org.uk

37

BAR HEADER MARKETPLACE

SHOFU ZIRGLOSS – ACHIEVE A HIGH GLOSS IN SECONDS HIGH-PERFORMANCE POLISHING COMPOUND PERFECTS THE SURFACES OF MONOLITHIC ZIRCONIA AND LITHIUM DISILICATE RESTORATIONS

ZirGloss high-performance polishing compound

w Only perfectly polished zirconia surfaces minimise plaque formation and protect the natural antagonists. A perfect polish is crucial to the sustainable aesthetics, durable and precise function, and high wearing comfort of metal-free monolithic restorations. ZirGloss, the new high-performance polishing compound

by Shofu Dental, is designed specifically for professionally polishing monolithic, all-ceramic zirconia and lithium disilicate restorations to a high gloss in just a few seconds.

Ratingen - Hardness is not the reason why high-strength zirconia restorations may damage antagonist teeth: It is the rough surface of inadequately polished zirconia that abrades natural antagonists to a greater extent than enamel1. This makes flawless final surface polishing so important - not only to technicians, but also to clinicians, e.g. after performing occlusal adjustments.

THE NAME SAYS IT ALL ZirGloss allows you to polish zirconia surfaces to a high gloss in a minimum of time. The compound is based on diamond and alumina particles of well-matched grits, which are embedded in a carrier paste and optimise the removal rate and the gloss level.

The carrier paste keeps the abrasive mineral particles in the layer that is in contact with the ceramic surface and controllably releases them, depending on the contact pressure applied to a goat or bison hair brush and the temperature development when polishing with a handpiece.

You can accurately polish even the finest details of the occlusal anatomy. The result is a dense, high-gloss surface with all contours, virtually eliminating the need for final firing.

to fine, the three components quickly create surfaces that are micro-fine and perfectly sealed - as if they were glazed. Nothing has ever saved you so much time.”

ZirGloss is very economical to use. Thanks to its firm consistency, the compound does not splatter when loading the brush.

ZirGloss Polishing Compound comes in 20-g jars and is now available from dental distributors. Please view or download the product brochure https://www.shofu.de/en/ produkt/zirgloss-uk

CREATE A PERFECT SURFACE IN THREE STEPS Ingo Scholten, the responsible product and project manager at Shofu, sees the use of ZirGloss as an integral part of a systematic three-step polishing process: “ZirGloss gives restorations the final touch after contouring with the proven Dura-Green DIA diamond abrasives and prepolishing with the ZiLMaster Coarse silicone polishers. This trio reduces the steps needed to create a perfect surface from four to three. Systematically increasing fineness step by step from coarse

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE SHOFU OFFICE: sales@shofu.co.uk Tel: 01732 783580 SHOFU UK: https://www.shofu.de/en/ REFERENCE 1 Stawarczyk, B, Özcan, M.: Abrasionsuntersuchungen mit verschiedenen Dentalwerkstoffen. Dental Materials Unit, University of Zurich, 2010.

MEDENTIKA® ASC - ENHANCE AESTHETIC OUTCOMES w Though just one part of the puzzle, aesthetic results are key in implant treatment if expectations among both clinicians and their patients are to be met. That’s why it’s so important for dental technicians to enhance the aesthetics of prostheses where they can.

Compatible with most major implant systems, the MEDENTiKA® ASC Flex is one of many popular brands within the Straumann Group. Contact the team for more details.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT https://www.straumann.com/medentika/ us/en/dentistry.html

The MEDENTiKA® ASC (Angulated Screw Channel) Flex abutment has been designed to support even the highest aesthetic demands.

It enables implants to be positioned most favourably by moving the screw access channel to a more palatal location. Customisable to four chimney heights, it is also suitable for a wide range of cases, ensuring versatility and convenience too.

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