10 Questions: Core3dcentres' Emily Bradley on education and finding the right outsourcing partner

01. Core3dcentres bills itself as a “facilitator of digital relationships” for the dental industry. What do you think Core3dcentres’ role is in the dental lab marketplace?

I think Core3dcentres’ Global Mission Statement says it best-“We believe in excellence in dentistry and patient care. By personalizing digital technology, we provide a complete production solution, making the benefits available to everyone, resulting in a partnership for success.”

Too often, we lose sight of who we ultimately benefit by striving to be the best we can: the patients. We are not, however, naive to the dramatic changes in the industry-laboratories need partners during this digital evolution, knowledgeable ones. Core3dcentres certainly has the best-in-class machines and we work with the top materials, but the biggest asset I see day in and day out is the people. That’s why we launched the aCADemy: We want to share our knowledge and experience.

02. What’s the biggest challenge in terms of digital relationships that you see in the lab industry?

Too often, we get wrapped up in the day-to-day minutia of work. We look to technology to solve our problems or to instantaneously grow our businesses. But ultimately, this is a relationship business and we need to pick up a phone or get out of our seat and interact with our customers and partners. So many dental technology companies are so focused on the product that they miss out on how it benefits the lab and the patient. Education is a way in which we can learn how to maximize the benefits of technology and continue to improve upon the products and services we ultimately produce.

03. How do you think lab owners can increasingly learn to adapt to an always-changing market?

I don’t think going digital changes this; it is with whom you partner and if you remain active in your continuing education. Be willing to share your knowledge. Laboratory technicians are experts in techniques and materials, so continue to experiment and learn; don’t sit still, share your knowledge. We are all in this together.

04. How does the Core3daCADemy fit into Core3d’s mission?

Core3daCADemy is the mouthpiece for bridging and advancing dental technology. The aCADemy is one of the “How” portions of Core3dcentres’ mission, when we say “by personalizing digital technology ... ” and “making the benefits available to everyone, ...” This is where Core3daCADemy lives within our company.

05. What will lab technicians gain from attending a Core3daCADemy course?

They will learn how to be more efficient with their digital designs, by receiving hands-on instruction focused on ways to increase production while learning how to design more esthetic and better functioning restorations. Which ultimately, creates a better result for patients.

06. The aCADemy curriculum focuses a lot on CAD work. What do you think is the biggest thing labs need to know when it comes to CAD?

It is my experience that people can put too much faith in their computers. The fact is a computer’s intelligence is artificial. This technology does not replace the years of experience that a dental technician has gained. CAD is simply a tool in the hand of an artist and it only knows how to do what it’s told. The aCADemy curriculum provides the training and experience needed to maximize the benefits of this tool, resulting in an improved final outcome for the patient.

07. What kind of lab do you think would be helped by the aCADemy?

I believe there is a spot for every lab, from the ones that have already gone digital to those just on the cusp of starting their digital journey. We have students that have been digital for years and are able to pick up even the smallest trick or suggestion which improves their lab’s work flow. For those just starting it can seem like a scary, daunting move, and the aCADemy can be the place where they can get a sense of the benefits and opportunities associated with going digital. We know what works and what doesn’t and have made the mistakes, which our lab partners can learn from.

08. Once a lab goes through the steps of Core3daCADemy, what’s next? How do you help them put what they’ve learned into practice?

Core3daCADemy has a number of tools to help its graduates. We are in the process of offering bi-monthly Core3daCADemy courses at the Center for Advanced Professional Education (home of LVI) where we are building a curriculum for technicians at every stage of the digital evolution. We’ve also made the aCADemy available to those who are not able to make the trip to Vegas or larger labs that want a customized, in-lab program. Also, we are starting our monthly webinar series in which we will be delivering the most current, up-to-date information by providing information and education from some of our partners who are leading the charge within the dental industry.

09. Where do you see the digital revolution taking the lab world into 2014?

Certainly I see a push for a more comprehensive, esthetic implants solution such as custom abutments. There will continue to be advances in materials with more strength, esthetics and biocompatibility. Intraoral scanning will continue to grow and will dramatically change the chairside-to-lab work flow. I also believe that communication tools are growing, and with this increase, patient privacy becomes more and more paramount.

10. How is Core3dcentres-via its aCADemy and other resources-looking to meet those changes head on? 

By staying on the leading edge through partnerships. As a company, we have the ability to try out and test technology before it actually hits the mainstream market. We feel it our responsibility to deliver that information to our customers and partners in order to help them make the best decisions, resulting in a partnership for success.

This article originally appeared in the February 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click her to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: http://bit.ly/13JeDYN