Fact or Fiction: DOL Classification of Dental Laboratory Technicians

By NADL Executive Director Bennett Napier, CAE This general timeline of activities, covering key moments in the last ten years, is intended to provide clarity on the classification system of occupations used by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), including dental laboratory technicians. For background, the O*Net system classifies occupations based on the following criteria:…

Scannability of Soft Tissue Casts

INTRODUCTION Making the emergence profile around implants cleansable is a highly desirable characteristic for a successful implant restoration. With an increased demand for esthetic implant restorations, especially in the anterior, effective management of the soft tissue and the emergence profile is critical. In addition to being esthetic, proper contouring of the peri-implant soft tissue helps…

All-Ceramic Single-Tooth Restorations for Treating Damaged Dental Enamel

Long-term results in patients with and without amelogenesis imperfect Teeth that have been affected by extensive wear or a genetic disorder can be successfully restored with adhesively bonded all-ceramic restorations. The following article summarizes the outcomes of a series of complex clinical cases. Two different groups of patients require the rehabilitation of impaired full dentitions:…

The Industrial Revolution

Klaus Schwab, economist and Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation, authored a best-selling book entitled, The Fourth Industrial Revolution. In it, he explains that the fourth revolution is different from any previous revolution in scale, scope and complexity. This technological revolution impacts all economies, governments and…

3D Printed Night Guards with KeySplint Soft Resin; The Game Changer for Labs, Clinicians and Patients

Our industry has seen many advancements in technology and materials that bring efficiency to production methods and improve the level of patient care, but rarely does material development and cutting-edge hardware/software meet perfectly at the intersection of patient needs and the unique demands the industry is facing to truly be a transformative force. In this…

NADL, NBC and FDLT Celebrate June as Dental Technician and CDT Appreciation Month

The National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL), National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology (NBC), and the Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology (FDLT) celebrate June as Dental Technician and Certified Dental Technician (CDT) Appreciation Month. Dental technicians bring significant experience and subject matter knowledge related to dental materials, technology, shade verification and restorative dentistry.…

Palate (Palatal) Expanders: Types, Treatment Indicators & More

What is a Palate Expander? Palate (palatal) expanders are orthodontic appliances that create more space in a child’s mouth by widening the palate (roof of the mouth) over time. The goal of palatal expansion is to widen narrow palates in children and correctly align the upper teeth and jaw. This treatment can only be completed before the…

UDI & Surgical Guides

With the focus on Covid related business impacts and the delayed implementation, that some of the FDA’s Unique Device Identifier(UDI) program’s labeling requirements have become effective in the latter part of 2020 has not received as much attention as it otherwise may have. One question that has recently arisen relates to the application of UDI…

Safety and Infection Protection Guidance for Dental Laboratories and their Dental Office Clients

Q&A with Mary Borg-Bartlett and Gary D. Morgan, CDT, ASQ CQA of SafeLink Consulting, Inc. Safety of workers and patients is not an easy task in these difficult times. Dental labs must consider not only the regulatory side of protecting workers but also the practical side of how to manufacture under constraints being placed on…

OSHA and COVID-19

Eliminating hazards from COVID-19 remains a top priority for OSHA. As workplaces reopen, OSHA will continue to ensure safe and healthy conditions for America’s working men and women and has released the following: https://www.osha.gov/memos/2020-05-19/updatedinterim-enforcement-response-plan-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19. In geographic areas where community spread of COVID-19 has significantly decreased, OSHA will return to the inspection planning policy that OSHA…