Find Out How to Hire Top CAD/CAM Techs & Master the Art of Digital Dentistry Workflow
The dental industry has come a long way in recent years, especially with the eve of CAD/CAM software. It’s become easier than ever for dental technicians to provide high-quality restorations to patients with the advancements in technology and digital tools. In this blog, we talked to Jack Marrano from Absolute Dental.
Jack is the Head of the Signature Prosthetics Division at Absolute Dental and has been a major player in the dental industry for many years.
Jack and Absolute Dental Services
Absolute Dental Services is a leading provider of dental restorations in the Chapel Hill-Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. With 4 locations and 160 technicians, Absolute Dental has been providing dental services for over 25 years.
Jack runs the Signature Prosthetics Division and founded the Absolute Art Team, which specializes in full-arch and full-mouth rehabilitation cases.
Jack has been passionate about the dental industry for as long as he can remember. He has been a technician for many years and has a deep understanding of the role that design plays in the creation of dental restorations. “It was a passion that turned into obsession; we all walk that line of when passion turns into obsession but it’s once you roll over into the obsession part that it really takes off.”, he fondly recalls.
With four designers on the Absolute Art Team, Jack and his team can ensure that each case is carefully crafted to meet the patient’s needs and expectations.
On CAD/CAM Technicians
When asked about the makeup of the Absolute Dental Art Team, Jack emphasized the importance of having a team of skilled technicians. He stated that technicians need to have a passion for the industry and a desire to learn and grow in order to succeed. Jack shared that he has mentored and taught many technicians over the years, including Jay, who had never worked on an anterior case before but showed a lot of potential.
“He’s like ‘how did you know I could even do it?’ and I’m like ‘I just knew’. And now he’s not only one of our best ceramics on the team but he’s also our manager of ceramics department.” Jack shares. He believes that the key to success is finding individuals who have the desire to learn and the confidence to take on new challenges.
Standards And Best Practices
Jack also believes in hands-on training and mentorship. He stated that technicians need to have a solid understanding of the processes and techniques involved in making dental restorations, and the best way to achieve this is through hands-on experience. Jack makes it a point that that he is always there to help and support his team, and he provides ongoing training and mentorship to ensure that they are up to date with the latest technologies and techniques.
He also mentions the importance of team culture. “You could present to me the most talented technician that’s out there; somebody who absolutely blows my mind and due to a poor attitude, negative attitude, I absolutely would not hire them.”, he states.
Technicians spend a huge amount of time at work so Jack emphasizes that your lab should be a place where people want to spend their time in. “It’s important to keep the people that you’ve invested all that time training and make sure that their needs are fulfilled.” He continues.
Digital Dentistry for Labs
Jack also discussed the role of digital technologies in the dental industry. He explained that digital technologies, such as the AI Digital Workflow, are transforming the way dental restorations are made. With digital technologies, technicians can take a great impression and produce a great scan, which makes the process faster and more accurate. Jack stated that with 10 years of knowledge, nothing changes, but the transfer of information is much easier with digital technologies.
3D Modeling & CAD/CAM Customization
The use of CAD/CAM technologies has revolutionized the dental industry. With these tools, dental technicians can produce high-quality 3D printed restorations in less time and with greater accuracy. This not only benefits the patient, but it also benefits the technician, as they are able to work more efficiently and effectively.
One of the biggest advantages of using CAD/CAM technologies is that they allow technicians to design and manufacture dental restorations in a digital environment. This effectively eliminates room for errors and allows technicians to create restorations that are perfectly customized to the patient’s needs.
The digital environment also allows technicians to collaborate with other members of the dental team, such as dentists and lab technicians, to ensure that each case is completed to the highest standards.
Another advantage of CAD/CAM technologies is that they allow technicians to work more quickly and accurately. With digital tools, technicians can produce high-quality restorations in less time, which saves both time and money. Additionally, digital tools are able to produce restorations with greater accuracy, which means that patients are more likely to be satisfied with the results.
To wrap up, Jack emphasized the importance of having a passion for the dental industry and a desire to learn to succeed as a technician. “When CAD/CAM came in they said ‘oh all the technicians are going to lose their jobs.’ They said the technology was going to be the great equilibrator, it was going to put everybody on an equal plane.’ Of course, it didn’t.”
If anything, digital technology has allowed technicians to improve their work and expand their specializations. Jack highlighted the role of digital in transforming the dental industry and how Absolute Dental has been utilizing these technologies to provide high-quality dental restorations to strive for excellence and continuously improve their skills and knowledge.
To get more in-depth with the conversation, listen to the full webinar here. At Evident, you can find all your digital dentistry needs: digital designs, software, equipment and step by step support. We make sure that we provide digital solutions that fit your business so you’re free to scale it the way you want.
