Welcome to The BRIDGE, an online network from LMT dedicated exclusively for members of the Dental Laboratory community.
- August 2012
From the Series: Publisher's Page
The Sky is Falling . . . Not
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Aug 2012We hear that things "out there" could be a lot better: many laboratories are hurting, business is spotty, dentists are slow and, worst of all, we see that price competition has gotten downright ugly. Times are tough. It seems like this is "pay-attention-and-think-as-clearly-as-you-can time": time...
About Milling
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Hanging On and Holding Tight
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Sep 2012During the "boom" years of the late 1990s-2008, lab fees made significant gains; in a number of cases, they caught up with or even exceeded the Consumer Price Index. It's not like the lab community has ever measured its fees against cost of living increases but, for the sake of observation, when LMT...
About Economy
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Business Boosters Inside LMT
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Feb 2012Many of LMT's articles stem from things we experience here. When the editorial team cooked up the theme for this month's issue, for example, you might say we were all "steamed up." We, too, have business problems that need to be solved. In fact, the last quarter of 2011 was a whopper that tested...
From the Series: Publisher's Page
The Reinvention Convention
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Mar 2012Instead of merely staying the course, laboratory owners are more engaged than ever in finding new ways to, as Steve Jobs coined it: "Think Different." Better yet, you are doing it—which is exactly what needs to happen! I'm freshly back from LAB DAY Chicago thoroughly impressed with the level of...
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Among LAB DAY® Vendors, Competitive Fervor Intensifies
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Apr 2012For me, one of the greatest highs of our LAB DAY shows is returning home afterwards, brim-full of new ideas, juiced with the energy and creative strategies I pick up from you—our participants and clinicians—when I hear your presentations or we meet on the show floor. One thing I noticed...
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Exhausting, But Oh So Enriching
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · May 2012Every now and then, LMT has the opportunity to shine a light on those who go the extra mile to bring sunshine into someone else's life. In this issue, we get to do it three times. Click the links below to read about Technicians on a Mission—three groups of people in different sections of our country—who...
Featuring Terry Fohey, CDT
- March 2012
From the Series: Publisher's Page
American Greed: Rethinking the 'Boom' in Boomers
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Jan 2012In sheer numbers alone, the blame lies squarely with us—with our generation—and with the generation immediately before and after us.
Marta Lizza likes thisFrom the Series: Publisher's Page
Everything is New Under the Sun
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Sep 2011I had the great privilege of being just the right age in the late 1960s . . . but this new digital world is so phenomenal, it trumps the 60s ten-fold.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
The Educated Patient
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Oct 2011I took off my "somewhat dentally educated" hat and did what any self-respecting fully educated member of the dental industry would do: I called My Cousin Vinni.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
The Way to Go
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · May 2011"The best way to avoid additional hardship and emotional distress for your family is to prepare for the "what ifs.""
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Take It—It's Yours!
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Mar 2011Through the awesome inter-connectivity capabilities of the Internet, LMT built a system that keeps you abreast of what’s happening in our industry any time, anywhere.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Whistle While You Work
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Jun 2011"…this crazy world of business is being turned upside down. The work environment we boomers inherited in the late 60s is being discarded by the youngest generation of workers."
From the Series: Publisher's Page
A Pat On the Back
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Jan 2011I have always admired how self-assured he is. It's a quality we find inviting and comforting as in,"He'll know the answer, let's go ask him what we should we do."
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Exits and Entrances: Keeping An Eye On Our Numbers
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Feb 2011There's nothing more reassuring or energizing than being able to keep abreast of our market's fluctuations and know where you stand.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
This We Know
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Aug 2011There's more crossover in the dental field than ever before and this makes us somewhat unique. What continues to remain blurry is who does what with whom...
From the Series: Publisher's Page
The Family Circle Circa 2011
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Apr 2011Like me, I'm sure you have become painfully aware of how dependent we now are on engineering expertise. It's not just for streamlining our company operations; it permeates all facets of our lives...
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Time to Grow
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Sep 2010"Work for us is often fun. We think it's contagious. We like to think it is, anyway...It keeps all of us vibrant and growing."
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Time=Money=Competitive Edge
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Dec 2009...it's a system to streamline processes, reduce waste and improve everyone's work life.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
One Upping the Corn Maze
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Nov 2010...we have amazing tools to create personal engagement in less time than ever.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Home-Grown, Over-the-Shoulder Excellence
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · May 2010Most of us haven't had "formal" training, yet as small business owners, we define the very foundation of our economy.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Dental Technology is the Place to Be
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Mar 2010It wasn't the first time dentists registered at LAB DAY®. But it struck me—this time—that these guys know dental technology is the place to be. The way I expressed it when I addressed the Cal-Lab Meeting two days before our show is that "we're a cottage industry looking out our window...
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Micro-Managers R Us
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Jun 2010So I asked her what a better way to teach her would be. Her reply was fast and clear: "Tell me what needs to be done and then stay out of my way."
From the Series: Publisher's Page
New Year, New Building
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Jan 2010"But we took a cue—and learned from you—the importance of taking pride in—and the value of customizing—our work space."
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Make Me [a] Smile, Justin Time
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Feb 2010Hello future. You're Justin Time! Just in Time to continue delivering smiles to the world. Just in Time to help fill the void when many of us retire. What would we ever have done without you? To recap: Justin came to America from France.* In the mid-1980s "he" announced, at the annual meeting of...
From the Series: Publisher's Page
To Get the Right Product You Have to Ask the Right Questions
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Aug 2010"For me, selling well is based on meeting a client's needs, not self-servingly trying to "sell up" when it isn't called for."
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Color My World Transparent Green
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Apr 2010We're a part of nature and as we destroy nature we destroy a part of ourselves. —Yvon Chouinard, founder, Patagonia
Featuring David Lesh
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Scrambling Through Thick and Thin Or, Marketing When Times Are Tough
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Sep 2009Make sure you fill a market need, know how to find the clients in that target market, become their trusted advisor and make sure your work lives up to the standards they expect.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
What's Your Marketing Score?
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Oct 2009If a doctor is hooked by the promise of consistency on your promo piece but the value of the claim isn't backed up until the last page, the "consistency" assertion is reduced to a hollow buzzword.
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Ready For Double Digits
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · Nov 2009These last nine years have witnessed many losses within our small laboratory community, and I'm grateful to have this page in LMT on which I can express my gratitude for those who've touched our lives
From the Series: Publisher's Page
Ya Gotta Love This Stuff
Judy Fishman · Publisher's Page · The Way I See It · May 2009Technology is awesome. It has turned the world around, affecting every facet of our lives, making our work more efficient and, happily for everyone, more consistent.













