17 Tips For Taking a Good Impression
Management
Manufacturers offer impression-taking tips to share with your dentist-clients. Read More
7 Cost-Cutting Tips
Management
How One Owner Saves $227,500 Per Year...and Other Cost-Cutting Tips Read More
Tony Stern
How to Make the Most of Your Precious Metal Scrap
Management
With the precious metals market being uncharacteristically unpredictable, Star Refining President Tony Stern discusses market fluctuations, the global economy and when the time is right to sell your s... Read More
25 Tips to Maximize Your Scrap Return
Management
Are you getting the most from your precious metal scrap? Or are valuable dollars literally slipping through your fingers? Refiners share their hints for maximizing your scrap returns and elaborate on ... Read More
Discount Nation
Management
A reaction against the hagglers who do it because they don’t have fair trade in mind. Read More
Top 5 Strategies For Capitalizing On Downtime
Management
From reinvigorating marketing to enhancing employees’ skills, laboratory owners share strategies for staying productive when workloads slow down. If business is slow, don’t make the mistake of thi... Read More
Every Penny Counts: 32 Cost-Cutting Tips
Management
Given today’s economic climate, laboratory owners may be looking for ways to cut costs at all levels of the business. As part of LMT’s exclusive Recession Busters coverage, manufacturers share their b... Read More
Laboratory Owners Speak Out On Employee Policies
Management
LMT’s survey—based on responses from 176 owners and managers—addresses Daichman’s inquiry. **Continuing Education Reimbursement** How many times has this happened to you? You just paid for a pr... Read More
Cash-Strapped? Try Bartering
Management
In the face of the ongoing credit crunch and sluggish cash flows, some small businesses are turning to bartering—the age-old exchange of goods and services—but with a modern twist. Here’s how it w... Read More
Focus On Client Relations and Education Leads Laboratory’s Growth
Management
PDA Dental Laboratory has experienced a 500% growth in five years; Owner Troy Gasser shares his strategies for success. After 20 years in the industry, laboratory owner Troy Gasser still can’t bui... Read More
George Obst
10 Tips For Reducing Expenses, Improving Cash Flow, and Boosting Sales
Management
We’re in scary economic times and there’s no doubt fewer patients are opting for expensive oral restorations, like cosmetic options and implants. While patients continue to take care of their oral hea... Read More
Perception is Reality in Client Experience
Management
Strategies for enhancing customer interaction ... Read More
David Nunnally
Down is the New Up
Management
Automation is going to change the laboratory industry in many ways, and some of these changes are already underway. ... Read More
Rella Christensen
You Can’t Hug the Past
Management
As the dental industry moves toward increasing automation, the shift may be uncomfortable with painful adjustments for technicians and dentists alike. But those who don’t get comfortable with automate... Read More
Wall Street and You: Three Tips to Help You Survive and Thrive in This Economic Crisis
Management
LMT contributing writer Mark Murphy offers advice for lab owners who need a boost in a difficult economic climate. Read More
Five Surefire Ways to Boost Your Bottom Line
Management
Over one-third of respondents to LMT’s 2008 Fee Survey say their profitability has increased in the last two years. Here are the top five strategies they’re using to boost their bottom lines: Read More
Lean Manufacturing: the Key to Streamlining Operations
Management
Lean Manufacturing is a management philosophy based on the successful production system developed nearly 60 years ago by the Toyota Motor Corp. Read More
Sneak Peek at LMT's 2008 Fee Survey Confirms Denture Market is Thriving
Management
The specialty once considered to be the least glamorous is thriving. According to initial results of LMT’s 2008 Fee Survey, 58% of our denture lab respondents report an increase in profitability in the past two years, largely due to increased sales, Read More
Bill Mrazek
The Ceramic Dynamic
Management
Bill Mrazek provides a comprehensive look at the explosion of new materials, their applications and how you can make the best decisions Read More
Exit Planning: Which Way Out?
Management
LMT offers advice on how to enhance the value of your laboratory in the eyes of a buyer, strategies for the solo and small laboratory owner, and real-life stories of lab owners who have strategically planned their transitions out of their labs... Read More
Transition is Paramount For Small Lab Owners
Management
“What could my lab possibly be worth—I AM the lab,” says a respondent to LMT’s Exit Planning survey. Read More
A Sleepy Market Wakes Up: Tapping Into Oral Appliance Therapy
Management
As obstructive sleep apnea becomes a more commonly diagnosed disorder, the demand for oral appliance therapy is on the rise, creating a niche market for laboratories. LMT takes a look at this blossoming field. Read More
Trading in For a Newer Model
Management
Two U.S. laboratory owners re-think their business models to incorporate separate businesses dedicated to offshore outsourcing. Read More
Removables Market Update: Still Thriving
Management
The removables market continues to thrive thanks to a growing demand from an aging population, increasing consumer awareness of esthetic dentistry, and product and technological developments. Two of the market’s key growth areas are implant-retained Read More
Labs Go Lean
Management
Laboratory owners who have implemented Lean Manufacturing principles reveal how they're eliminating waste, streamlining workflow, reducing turnaround times and ultimately becoming more competitive. Read More
Renovation Rewind
Management
Hindsight is 20/20: Laboratory owners who have designed new facilities share the things they would do differently if they were building again. Read More
The J-1 Visa: How to Sponsor An International Technician in Your Lab
Management
LMT explains the application process for obtaining a J-1 visa, which allows overseas technicians to train in U.S. laboratories for up to 18 months. Read More
Exit Planning Strategies: Thinking About Selling Your Laboratory?
Management
Experts say you should be thinking about how you'll retire from the moment you open your doors; at the very least, you should begin formulating your plan 10 to 15 years in advance of your expected retirement date. Read More
Make Sure Quality Goes Out the Door...Not Out the Window
Management
Are you confident that every case that goes out the door is representative of your technical standards? Owners share strategies to assure that all restorations leaving their labs are their best work. Read More
Mergers and Acquisitions: is Our Cottage Industry Going Corporate?
Management
In the past two years, three private equity firms have invested in dental laboratories and group laboratories have made a considerable number of acquisitions, with some of them being the largest purchases in our industry's history. How are these move Read More
Industry Leaders Speak Out On Speaking Up
Management
Strategies for enhancing your public speaking skills and creating powerful presentations. Read More
Implants: Now a Standard of Care
Management
Thanks to advances in CAD/CAM technology, immediate-loading implants and internal connection designs, implants are becoming the restorative dentist's first choice in tooth replacement. Read More
Globalization and Automation: Hot Topics at CDLA Meeting
Management
Globalization and automation: hot topics at CDLA meeting Read More
Cumulative Trauma Disorders: Prevention is the Best Medicine
Management
Thirty-four percent of all workday injuries and illnesses are related to cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). A claims and loss control expert details how to reduce or avoid CTD claims by minimizing your technicians' risk factors. Read More
Removables: Full-speed Ahead
Management
Forget what you've heard about a bleak future for the removables market. Laboratory owners say the market is thriving and the future is bright... Read More
R&E Tax Credit: Turn Your Research and Experimentation Efforts Into Dollars
Management
Experimenting with new products? Adding new equipment? Learn how to turn your research and experimentation efforts into dollars for your laboratory; this is especially good news for million-dollar-plus labs. Read More
Disclosure, Registration and Regulations: What You Need to Know
Management
An overview of disclosure, FDA registration and regulations that every laboratory owner needs to know. Read More
Second in Command: For Managers Only
Management
What does it take to be a successful laboratory manager? Technicians who have transitioned into management positions share their real-world perspectives on how to make it. Read More
How to Spot the Future Managers in Your Laboratory
Management
It's a wisdom shared by all experienced lab owners: managerial skills don't always go hand-in-hand with technical skills. Knowing that, how can you identify the right people for department management positions? Read More
John Maguire
Precious Metal Market Milestones: What's Behind the Rising Prices?
Management
John Maguire of Maguire and Strickland Refining discusses what's behind rising gold, silver, platinum and palladium prices. Read More
The Top 5 Trends That Are Shaping Our Industry
Management
Five industry leaders - George Benson of Americus, Dave Brown of National Dentex, Paolo Kalaw of Dental Technologies, Inc., George Obst of Dental Services Group and Fred Walke of MicroDental - join LMT for a lively round-table discussion that centers Read More
Business Management Quality Management: An Inside Look
Management
Implementing a quality management system can offer a wealth of benefits to your laboratory: streamline your operations, cut costs, help train staff, increase customer satisfaction and safety, and help you comply with FDA regulations. Read More
Mary Borg
The Top 3 OSHA Violations in Laboratories
Management
OSHA requires you to provide a safe workplace for your technicians, but sorting through its regulations can be daunting. SafeLink's Mary Borg cuts through the red tape and details which three OSHA regulations are most violated... Read More
Dental Laboratory Industry Piques FDA Interest
Management
In light of the dramatic rise in imports from overseas laboratories in the past several years, the FDA has become concerned that these low-cost offshore restorations might not contain FDA-approved materials that are legally required to ensure patient Read More
Offshore Outsourcing: Shopping in a Global Market
Management
In our price-competitive, technician-deprived industry, offshore outsourcing is becoming an increasingly viable business strategy. Read More
Professional Employer Organization: An Offsite Human Resource Department For Your Laboratory
Management
By outsourcing the human resources functions of their businesses to professional employer organizations (PEO), lab owners gain a valuable partner with personnel management expertise... Read More
Super-charge Employee Morale
Management
A laboratory with high morale is like a well-oiled machine. Here’s how to get your employees fired up about their jobs— and about your laboratory. Read More
Federal Employment Laws: How They Apply to You
Management
There are more than 180 federal employment laws designed to protect the rights of the employee that are administered and enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Read More
Navigating the Murky Waters of the New Federal Overtime Regulations
Management
If you’re confused about the new overtime regulations, you’re not alone. No one can seem to agree on exactly how many people are affected by the new rules that took effect on August 23. The Department... Read More
The Legalization of Denturism: a Fight Led By Few
Management
Denturism is now legal in six states: Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Oregon and Washington—and denturists say more legislation is right around the corner. Read on to learn how they did it and if your state may be next. Read More
Offshore Competition: a Shanghai Lab's Perspective
Management
One of the Chinese laboratories that is marketing to the U.S. is DentUSA, a full service, 300-plus-technician laboratory in Shanghai. Read More
Fleming Behrend, CDT, MDT
The Writing On the (Great) Wall
Management
The writing on the (Great) wall. Laboratory owner Flemming Behrend, CDT, MDT, Fellow ICOI, shares his firsthand perspective... Read More
Offshore Competition: How It's Affecting Our Industry
Management
Spurred by the tight economy, chronic shortage of technicians, an ever-increasing need to stay competitive in a price-driven market and the communication ease of the Internet, more and more laboratory owners are considering overseas outsourcing as an Read More
Outsourcing: How Did We Get Here?
Management
The first wave of out-sourcing began two decades ago with jobs for making shoes, cheap electronics, and toys departing to developing countries. It caused a huge blow to the U.S. manufacturing sector... Read More
The Training Crisis: How It's Affecting Our Industry
Management
In the face of a perpetual lack of newcomers to the field and a wealth of technologically advanced products, laboratory owners face a training challenge on two fronts: they need to educate their technicians and their dentist-clients. Read More
The Consistency Quest
Management
Whether your laboratory is high-end, low-end or somewhere in between, your clients expect consistency on each and every case they receive from your laboratory. Read More
How to Build a Successful Partnership
Management
An effective business partnership can help your laboratory flourish. Together, you have a larger pool of talent and resources. But when a partnership sours, the results can be devastating. Laboratory business partners share what makes their alliances Read More
11 Retention Strategies That Work
Management
When it comes to holding on to your technicians, money isn’t everything. Employees want challenge, growth opportunities and to truly feel like valued members of your team—not just another cog in the wheel. Read More
Cover Your Assets: Structure Your Business to Limit Your Liability
Management
If your laboratory is set up as a sole proprietorship or general partnership, you are personally liable for its debts. LMT offers an overview of the various business structures that can protect your assets. Read More
Prior to the Pitch: How to Secure a Bank Loan
Management
Considering a commercial bank loan to take your business to the next level? LMT offers advice for the financing novice and also explores alternative financing options. Read More
Alternative Financing Options
Management
If a bank isn’t willing to take a risk on your growing laboratory or you simply want to conserve your “borrowing power,” you may want to consider one of these financing alternatives: Read More
Selling Your Lab to Your Employees
Management
When it comes to selling your laboratory, you may have a ready market right under your nose: your employees. Read More
Selling Your Lab to a Family Member
Management
Only one-third of family businesses pass from the first generation to the second and a mere 12% succeed into the third generation. Read More
Exit Plans
Management
If you don't know where you're going, how will you get there? An exit plan is not just about the day you'll leave the laboratory, it's about setting long-term goals so the future doesn't sneak up on you. Read More
Selling Your Business to a Laboratory Group
Management
Are you the owner of a successful laboratory who’s not quite ready to retire, but looking to relinquish some of your management responsibilities and put your succession plan into action? If so—and you and your laboratory meet certain criteria—you may Read More
The Art of the Appointment
Management
By asking their dentist-clients to make an appointment for each case, owners and managers are using pre-scheduling systems to solve one of the most chronic production problems in the laboratory—fluctuating workflow. Read More
Deadbeats: How to Handle Delinquent Accounts
Management
Statistically, 18% of customers are considered “slow” payers and 2% have no intention of ever paying. Chasing deadbeats can be time-consuming and even uncomfortable. However, by taking a proactive, preventive approach and staying on top of delinquent Read More
Mark Jackson
Collection Letters: One Lab's Approach
Management
Mark Jackson, owner of Precision Ceramics, Montclair, California on writing effective collection letters Read More
The Generation X Gap
Management
Generation X is the term used to describe Americans born between 1964 and 1981—but they’ve also been referred to as disloyal and demanding, especially by their baby-boomer managers. Generation gaps aren’t new... Read More
Cross Contamination: the Risk and the Reality
Management
Despite OSHA regulations and recommendations from numerous industry groups, laboratories still report that many of their clients aren’t disinfecting impressions and incoming cases. Should you be concerned? Read More
The OSHA Top 10
Management
Find out which 10 OSHA regulations laboratories violate most often and how to be sure you’re in compliance. Read More
Safety Spotlight: Ergonomics
Management
Poor ergonomics-not fitting the job to the worker-can earn you a citation under OSHA's General Duty clause. Read More
Two Labs in One: Laboratories Ride the Wave of High-end Dentistry
Management
There's a surge of interest in high-end dentistry and progressive laboratory owners are riding the crest of the wave. Read More
Let's Get Personnel: a Guide to Creating An Employee Policy Manual
Management
Whether you have five technicians or 50, employees need to know what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. Read More
Managing Change
Management
Change is a natural process and one of the few constants in life, but it’s also something many people resist. Failure to successfully implement change can be devastating to a laboratory: technicians become preoccupied, productivity drops, gossip and Read More
Risky Business: Violence in the Workplace
Management
If you’re like most small business owners, you probably think the chance of your laboratory being the site of a violent act is pretty slim. Read More
How to Encourage Your Employees’ Service Ethic
Management
How to encourage your employees' service ethic... Read More
The Piecework Payoff
Management
Piecework, once a dirty word in our industry, gets a second look from laboratory owners now convinced that pay-by-the-unit compensation offers them greater control... Read More
Burnout: Are Your Technicians Feeling Tested, Bested, Toasted and Roasted?
Management
Are your technicians stressed, having difficultly concentrating or withdrawing? They may be on the verge of job burnout. Learn how to spot the warning signs and help your technicians survive and thrive when caseloads and overtime are high. Read More
The Dollars and Sense of Pick-Up and Delivery
Management
It is still standard practice in our industry to provide case pick-up and delivery as a free service for local dentist-clients. However, many laboratory owners don't track their... Read More
Lab 2 Lab: Why Outsourcing is Win-win
Management
The shortage of skilled technicians and the abundance of new restorative systems are driving the demand for outsourcing. Subcontracting enables laboratory owners to test the market and see how a product fits into their workflow before they buy. Read More
Reforming the Remake Artist
Management
If you don't charge for remakes or at least have some acceptable guidelines in place, your laboratory’s bottom line could suffer. Monitoring, prevention and communication are key to minimizing remakes. Read More
Financial Planning For Employees
Management
With traditional pension plans on the wane, 401(k) plans on the rise and an uncertain future for Social Security and Medicare, workers are increasingly responsible for their own financial futures... Read More
Kids With Working Parents
Management
At D&S Dental Laboratory in Wisconsin, President Dick Pilsner, CDT, has extended the idea of a family-friendly work environment to include an on-site daycare center for employees' children. Read More
Companies That (day) Care
Management
Businesses that help integrate the outside personal life of the worker with his or her inside organizational life are aligned companies... Read More
Sherman Borkan, CDT, CM
How to Write a Business Plan
Management
Sherman Borkan, CDT, CM, outlines key details you should consider including in your business plan. Read More
How to Put a Price Tag On Your Business
Management
LMT explains the valuation process and various methods used by professional appraisers. Also included: strategies for adding value to your laboratory if you are putting it on the market. Read More
By the Numbers: How to Use Them & Improve Them
Management
For those who are intimidated by accounting terminology and financial reports, LMT tells you what to look for, how to understand the reports and explains how to take a systematic approach to running a financially successful laboratory. Read More
Your Balance Sheet: Why It's Important
Management
The balance sheet—comprised of assets, liabilities and the owner’s equity—provides a snapshot of the financial condition of your laboratory at any given time. Read More
A Unique Partnership—Laboratories With Dentists On Staff
Management
Reduced remakes. Technical expertise. Improved communication. Three things almost any laboratory owner would like to have more of, but how? A few progressive laboratory owners tell you—hire a dentist. Read More