Hello, Voices of the Bench community. This is Casey Baldwin with Ivoclar. If you've been curious about fast-firing zirconia to improve efficiency but aren't convinced it can deliver predictable, high-quality results, I'd encourage you to connect with us. Our new IPS, EMAX Zirconia, offers multiple fast-fire protocols designed to help you save valuable production time while maintaining consistent outcomes. Time is money in every lab. Don't wait. Reach out today and discover how IPS EMAC Zirconia can help streamline your workflow. So Barb, an overdue congratulations are in order.
Oh my God, what did I do now, Elvis?
Didn't you all recently announce the Simply Arch studio?
Yes, we did.
That's awesome. You know that's right up my alley there.
Of course I do, yeah.
And just for anyone who hasn't seen the announcement, what is this Simply Arch thing?
All right, so Simply Arch is our dedicated full arch lab. So it's high quality, full arch cases are a big part of what we do, and we wanted a team and a dedicated workflow and a production environment built specifically around them.
So basically just no distractions.
Exactly. Just a bunch of full arch nerds doing full arch things.
Oh God, a bunch of nerds sounds terrifying.
It's never terrifying of it.
And does a new studio also mean new toys?
Yes. And of course, we recently brought in as part of the project.
Hell yeah, nice.
Yeah, and then of course came the cam decision.
Ah, here we go, the old cam decision.
You know, Elvis, we tested a couple options and of course we landed on Hyperdent.
Like Hyperdent, just as easy as that, huh?
As easy as that, pretty much. The quality off the machine was excellent. So that means also no hand finishing and the milling Sometimes we're excellent also.
You're right. That does make the decision quite easy.
But honestly, what really stood out to us was the testing and implementation process.
How so?
You could immediately tell these guys live in a world of high complex milling challenges.
That's got to build a lot of confidence.
You know what? It really did, and it really does. They weren't just showing us how the software works. They were advising us on the best way to build an entire workflow for our lab. You could tell they've done it 100 times, guys.
That's a whole new different level of expertise. Well, congratulations on the new studio, Barb.
Thank you. Hats off to my dad for the studio. So it means a lot to me. Aw.
Welcome to Voices from the Bench, a dental laboratory podcast. Send us an e-mail at info at voicesfromthebench.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Greetings and welcome to episode 436 of Voices from the Bench. My name is Elvis.
Your name is Elvis Devorek.
Yes, that is true almost.
I saw it on Facebook. I was like, who the hell is that?
When I got married almost 12 years ago, I took my wife's last name. And now that we're divorced, I'm starting the process of going back to my maiden name. It's going to be interesting.
I like it. And it's still ED. I like it.
Yeah, all my handkerchiefs, I don't have to change those. But everything else in my life I have to change.
Yep. Well, congratulations. I like that.
Yeah, I appreciate that. Appreciate that. What's gonna happen though? right after I changed my name, we're actually coming up again to the yearly race for the future.
That's right. And you know what? I realized yesterday they're going to do a virtual race this year. And I signed up for that.
Are you not going to be at the race?
No, I'm not traveling, but I'm going to do it and I'm going to raise money. I'm just going to do it virtually. And I think that's a great choice for somebody like me.
That is a great choice. Well, believe it or not, this is the 12th race. Wow. So this will be your 11th because I think you missed one year, right?
I missed one year. Yep.
Yeah.
Pretty awesome.
For those that don't know, it all started as a triathlon that people from our industry would participate in and raise money that goes right back into our industry in the form of grants and scholarships so others can expand, increase, and broaden their knowledge and expertise.
Nice.
So it's always been a triathlon, but lately we've moved it to more of a race that has just running, just swimming, makes it a little easier for those that don't want to do it all, i.e. myself. So this year we're going back to Fort Worth, Texas on September 27th. Now, Barb, you said you signed up for the virtual. I haven't even signed up for this race yet.
Well, your name's already on their marketing, so you must have done something.
Is it really?
I saw it yesterday.
Oh, shoot. Okay, well, I guess I'm locked in now.
Yeah, you are. Yes, you are.
But even though there's a virtual version, it's actually a good time to make plans to come out and do the race or just come out and cheer us on from the finish line. I mean, Barb's not even going to bother to do that. It's a ton of fun. We have a big dinner the night before and we all do it for a great cause. So head over to dentallabfoundation.org to see the details and sign up for the race. But be prepared to be reminded and encouraged to donate from us on every episode until the race.
And that's so true. We do have a habit of asking for donations, but it goes to a great cause and thank you to all that do, including myself and Elvis.
Apparently I already signed up.
Yeah.
But this week I got to have a great conversation talking about the Ivoclar Academy. Now Ivoclar has always been more than just a vendor. They've always provided our industry with top-notch materials, equipment, and of course, education. When we found out how many in-person sessions they were doing a year, We of course wanted to know more about it. seems like ever since COVID, webinars have been acceptable, but nothing beats a dedicated hands-on course.
True to that.
I was joined by two of Ivoclar's instructors, Elise Hifko and Martin Schmid. They both come on to talk about their history getting into the lab space and their journeys to Ivoclar. We also talk about what the Academy has to offer and how Martin is teaching everyone about the new Ceramart and Elise teaches everyone how to take their program mill to the next level.
Nice.
So join us as we chat with Elise Hifko and Martin Schmid. Voices from the bench, the interview. So I am incredibly super excited today because our good friends at Ivoclar, we were talking to Ken on the podcast and he talked about an exciting academy that was starting with Ivoclar with some great courses. And of course we had to line up a conversation with some of the people behind that. Joining us today is Elise Hifko. How are you?
I'm doing good. How are you?
I'm doing fantastic. We've actually met. You taught me something at Ivoclar one time, didn't you?
Yes.
Yeah, you taught me about the scanner that you no longer have, right?
That is correct, yes.
I remember. And also joining us is Martin Schmid.
Hi, everyone.
How are you, sir?
Excellent, excellent. It's great to be here. Thanks, Elvis.
Excellent. I was waiting for you to correct me with your last name.
No, that was perfect. That was perfect.
Well, what we'd like to do is kind of get a background story on everybody, kind of find out your history, how you ended up at Ivor Clark, what you do at Ivor Clark, and then we'll dive deep into the academy. Let's see, Martin, let's go first. Tell us your story.
Sure. So I started dental technology in Germany in the early 80s. And the way it works over there is you do an apprenticeship and you sign up to learn really for about three years. And it's hands-on in a laboratory. And also you go to school. And at the end, you do your CDT test. It's about a week long. A week? Yep. and really covers all parts of our technology. And then there's a one day written test. So at the end, Elvis, I always got to say you learn for your life. And that knowledge is very important. And even until today, I really enjoy the variety that the dental technology offers if it is a partial frame dentures. zirconium oxide, even castings. So I always believe, if you're not getting better every day, you stop to be good.
Yeah. Well, talk about real quick when you started, you say in the 80s. We won't talk about how young I was. Ivoclar, were they around? Were they a big part of your journey?
They were very small over in Europe. And at the end of the 80s, Ivoclar started with Williams Gold in the buffalo.
Oh, that's right. Yeah.
So yeah, they were much, much smaller than they are now. So yeah, they really grew over the last 30 years incredible, incredibly.
Yeah, so what, did you work in labs, own a lab in Germany? What was that?
No, I worked at a commercial lab in Germany where I trained. And it's always good after you do your apprenticeship that you get more learning under your belt because there's so much that you can capture in the hands-on part. And I really enjoyed it. I always enjoyed going to training classes, learning about layering porcelain. And so, yeah, that was part of my career teaching and learning as well.
Yeah, and then what brought you to the States? Was it Ivocar?
No, adventure.
Adventure.
Yeah, we, my wife and me, we traveled extensively for almost a year and then we said, wow, this is so that we wanted to come back and a German dental company was looking for a technician here on the east coast and that's where all began.
Wow, what company was that? Can you say?
Sure, it was Bago.
Oh, Bago, yeah, sure. So then you came over here and you were working for Bago. When did you start working for Ivocar?
About roughly 10 years ago.
10 years, and what was your role there? Were you teaching?
Yep, yeah, troubleshooting, teaching, research, development.
I love it, and now you're part of the academy.
Uh-huh.
That's super cool. Elise.
Yes, so. Yeah.
Give us your story.
So my story, I kind of fell into dentistry. I love it. best fall I've ever made. I started in a lab while I was still in high school and from there I started to learn all the technology and learned this great thing called 3Shape. ended up falling in love with the software. And I realized that I actually had more of a passion for figuring out how it worked than actually using it.
Oh, that's great. Yeah.
So I found a company called Veland in Michigan, where I was able to get a job with them and started supporting the software, troubleshooting, helping customers gain more knowledge with the software. And from there, Ivaclar purchased Veland. So they acquired me with that purchase.
Nice. So wait a minute, real quick. Veland was more than just the mill.
Yes.
Back before Ivaclar bought it? Because that's how I know it. My first lab, we had a couple of those things. Those things were workhorses. I mean, they were amazing mills.
Yes. So our Veland location in Michigan, we had the Veland mills. And we also were three shaped resellers and a milling center.
Oh, I didn't realize that. Is that where you're from? Michigan.
Yes, it is.
Yeah. So when Ivaclar purchased them, you were part of the package.
Yes. So back in 2014, Ivaclar purchased Vieland and I was on the support team. And then in 2018, Ivaclar moved some of us from Michigan to Buffalo.
How'd that go?
It's Buffalo.
Do you miss Michigan?
I do, but my family's all in Michigan, so of course my heart is still there.
Yeah, you probably get back quite often.
Yes.
So when you went from Vieland to Ivaclar, I mean, it must have expanded the product line and the equipment and everything you had to learn.
Absolutely, because at the same time that we relocated to Buffalo is the same year that we launched the programmels.
Oh, really? Interesting. That was a couple of years after buying the Velen brand.
Yes.
Because they don't do the Velens anymore, do they?
No, we stopped supporting the Velens back in June.
Just recently.
Just recently, yes.
Oh, are you sad about that? Is it like a chapter closing?
It is. It's always interesting when phasing out technology.
Yeah.
But it makes way for new technology. So it's also exciting at the same time.
Please tell me there's still VLINs out there running.
Absolutely.
Are there really? I love it. I could see it. I mean, ours we put through a lot and it started going out, but wow, I can only imagine how many of those things are still running.
Yeah, there's still quite a few of them out there. They definitely are a workhorse.
Yeah. So talk about either one of you, how this idea of the academy came about.
I think, as you know, I was always big into education. And I personally enjoy the hands-on classes where you go, you're away from the lab and you're in a different environment and you can really focus on learning. And I think this is still The expertise that we offer, if it is like a one day or two day class, hands on, to me, that's always the best experience. No phone calls, nothing. You can just focus and learn.
I agree. COVID brought in a lot of webinars and they just don't work. It's really hard to stay focused when you're not isolated. Hands-on, if you don't have it, kind of just takes that element out, right? It's really hard to learn it, so all the academy classes are in person.
Most of them are some we do online, but our academy. classes that go over, let's say, one and a half or two days, they're always hands-on and in person. Yep.
Yeah. What type of classes are there? Ivaclar has got so much stuff. I can't imagine you could cover everything.
I think, you know, from my point of view, and Elise is in a different kind of department, but from a technical point of view, especially at this point, we offer very interesting classes for Seram Art, where we show technicians on how to create a life-like restoration, like a large All-on-X case with pink tissue and natural aesthetically looking teeth. So this is our newest line of stain and glaze. And on top of that, we have a new zirconia that also is beautiful and very efficient also from working with it. So topping this off, we always look for new features and techniques. We have some infiltration liquids as well that people can use during the class to see how to block out a duck or stump or titanium base. So all this is really nicely done in the hands-on class that we offer in Mississauga, in Canada, in Los Angeles, and in Buffalo.
Oh, you offer them in three different locations.
Yes, absolutely.
Oh, wow.
Really to make sure that we don't miss areas people may not want to travel so far. that was one of our goals to be able to cover east and west coast plus one central spot in Canada.
Yeah. So you teach you, Martin, the SRAM art, right?
Yep.
Is that the only course you teach?
At this point, it is, but we also offer classes where we lay a porcelain, but as you know, we are moving on with technology. So really, most people are asking, how can I get a restoration done in a good way, very efficiently and aesthetically pleasing? And I gotta say with Saram Art and the new Zirconia, It's very, very easy and very predictable as well.
Talk about your course. What do you do? I mean, people come in, is it mostly presentation then hands-on or is it straight hands-on or just walk us through the course?
So in the beginning, we or I like to warm up people to give them a brief overview on what they will learn because I think there are some expectations And just to make sure we're on the same page, in brief, meaning maximum 30 minutes, 40 minutes, as a technician, I'm bored if I'm sitting there and somebody shows me two and a half hours of pictures, and then the hands-on part suffers. So brief overview, and then really we take all the tools out, our brushes, the restorations, We got a nice bridge with tissue and so it's white and pink aesthetics. And then within a couple of applications and firings, you can see the aha effect where people say, wow, this is really cool. And recently I was teaching a class in Vancouver with roughly 20 people and it was amazing to see how easy it is to use the material. If you know the proper steps.
I think we were told there's 50 colors.
Yep, yep.
How do you even begin to grasp what colors you need when there's that many? I'm not a ceramist, I'll be the first to admit that, and I kind of get overwhelmed with choices, I guess.
No, you gotta break it down. You gotta make it easy for them to digest, so usually we differentiate between the pink tissue and also the white aesthetic, everything that goes onto the teeth. And there you have a variety that you can decide. But between you and me, even when it comes to the pink, in the beginning we were teaching like several colors or shades of pink. Now I'm basically using one and I break this down. And even with one, you can get such a nice outcome. It's amazing.
That's awesome.
Just here, Elvis, if you like to join one of these classes, let me know.
Oh, you don't want me in there. I'll make it look bad. I'm not, I don't have that skill. I wish I did.
You know, you say that, but in our hallway, we have one gentleman who basically has not much experience as a dental technician. And he joined one of our sessions and not only was he impressed, we were impressed as well.
Really.
Absolutely, absolutely. So it is something I would say that is a game changer. We had so many good compliments even from people who were using our competitors' material, they said, you know, you guys brought it up to a different level.
I've heard that. I know Barb's not here, but she speaks very highly of it. She loves it.
Yep.
I have to echo what Martin said is I'm not a stain and glaze person and it's not my specialty at all, but I find the Ceram Art is so easy to use.
Oh, you've done it.
And if I can make something look good, I have confidence in anybody.
Wow, maybe I can, who knows? Did you take the course or did you just play around with it?
I was able to take a course at one of our trainings over at our headquarters in Shawn, Lichtenstein.
Oh geez, wow, yeah. Well tell me, I mean, as a non-ceramist, The concept, was it easy to grasp.
Yes, it was very easy to grasp. The colors go on very smooth and clean. It was very easy to understand.
All right, maybe you guys will make a ceramist out of me. Don't tell Barb, but I don't know.
No, it's really, I think if you see the concept it's basically you apply the stains and they stay where you apply them so that is a beauty and then you can create effects with a brush with an instrument that that you can see right away and they will not change during the firing so yeah that's awesome it really is even without baking you will say man this looks awesome so Yeah, you seize what you get.
Yeah, I remember starting in this industry and I'd go up to a ceramist and see their little tray and it had oranges and blues and yellows, just like colors that I'm like, how does it become white? But now it just makes sense and it's got to be easy to train new technicians coming into this industry and just improve if efficiencies is just huge.
And like you said, I think we have so many opportunities to train people who don't have much experience. And it has to be easy. And so within these classes that we teach, I think we can, within a couple of hours, we can really teach somebody to transfer white zirconium oxide into a real aesthetic restoration.
Yeah, and this ceram art, it works on everything, right? I mean, you can put it on Emacs and-.
Yep, yep, basically everything.
Nice. Well, Elise, what do you teach? Because I mean, if you're not a ceramist, you're not teaching ceram art.
So I teach our digital courses.
Oh, nice.
We have two new digital courses for our programmable cam software.
Programming cam. So just the mills?
Yep. So the mills software, the programmable cam, we have two different modules. The first one is called Beyond the Basics. So once you get your training on the mill when it's installed, of course there's a lot going on that day. It's very difficult to retain all the information that you were given. 100%. Beyond the Basics gives you a chance to get out of the lab and focus on just the CAM software, where we go into the whys and the hows of the program mill software. So why are you clicking here? Why are you putting a dot here? Just fully understanding how the software works and how to fully utilize it.
The program mill, I mean, most people consider CAM is just you put it in the machine and let it do its work. I mean, is there a lot more to it than that?
There is more to it when it comes to understanding how the software functions along with how the mill functions. So when you understand the full workflow, you are guaranteed to have more success with your output from the mill. And it all starts from the basics with design. We have a big area of the course where we talk about just because you can design it doesn't mean you can mill it. exactly. So how does that work? Where are your limitations and what does that mean? So it's a very good course for anybody just getting in.
Yeah, what's the most common thing people are like designing that the mills can't handle?
Sharp angles, especially when designing dentures, having that frenulum be too sharp where you can't get in there with a 1 millimeter tool, it'll go into that area and It's too sharp and the tool will get stuck in and has potential to break.
Oh, wow. Yeah.
I also like to add to it.
Yeah.
When it comes to larger restorations, like big bridges from side to side, we like to call them all on X. Yeah. It's always interesting to see what our CAM offers in regards to connectors, support structures, anything you can design and make the restoration be better supported during the sintering. And when you see what other companies offer, you say, man, we're so lucky to have all these tools. And some people are really handicapped because they are very, very limited with their tools. And I got to say, I really appreciate the options that we have in our camp.
Is that because, I mean, you're talking like screw chambers kind of milling those areas?
When you get a large restoration, you want to support the restoration during the sintering because, during that heat treatment, the material shrinks. And if it is not supported, it may shrink in areas you don't want it to shrink. So we have some design tools that really support this. And basically, it's a no-brainer. And where other people really struggle with heating, cooling, supporting, it's, from my point of view, it's a very, very easy workflow in our programmable chem software.
Well, you teach them that in the course, don't you, Elise?
Yes, we teach all of that in the course. Proper nesting, proper centering, frames, even just from proper maintenance of the mill. It's a full end-to-end course for any new user or anybody who would like a refresher of the mill and the software. It really is a great course where you learn so much about the mill that you might not have known before.
Yeah, but there's a couple of different program mills versions. Does someone need to have a certain one for this course to be relevant or does it work on all of them?
It works on all of them because our CAM software is the same for each version of the mill.
Oh, okay.
So it can be translated to whichever program mill, whether it's a program mill dry, all the way to the new program mill sevens.
All the program mills, can you do Ivotion in them?
Yes.
Yeah, I bet you that's a huge touch. topic.
Yes, it is. Yeah, because we also have a great Ivotion course in our Ivoclar Academy that's actually ran by Johnny Jackson.
Johnny Exocad. Yeah. Yes.
Yeah. That's a great I motion course within the Academy with him as well.
I bet. I bet doing that course and then going to your course, I bet you can do some amazing dentures.
Yes. The more exciting course, though, is the second module, which is called Unleashing the Power. So that one is also for the program LCAM, but it's the next level up. So once you understand your CAM software and you stand the mill, what more can you do with it? So that's where the second course comes in, where we teach our customers how to manipulate the strategies and be able to do more with their mill than what they could ever have thought of before.
So wait a minute. So you have two different courses, one for after the basics. And then you have one after that.
Yes.
Why is there, I just had no idea there was so much you could do on the CAM side to improve. What am I missing here?
So there is so much you can do within the CAM software and it's all based on your workflow and what do you want to be able to do? Some people don't want to go outside of the box and just be able to mill their crowns and bridges at a click of a mouse and have the software do everything.
That's what I always thought it was there for to do it for me. Make what I designed.
And now we have we have auto nesting in our newest version of Cam 2026. So we've even made that automation even easier for anybody who is looking for that workflow.
Yeah.
But then you always have, you know, anyone who wants to unlock more. I want to be able to do more. I want to mill this unique restoration. How can I do it? It's the Cam software is set up for more of a point and click. However, you can unlock more things at no charge. It's all within the software right at your fingertips. It's just learning how to do it and how to utilize it.
Well, give us some examples. What are we unlocking?
So for example, without giving too much away on my course.
I understand. You got to keep it a teaser.
There is a lot of cases nowadays that have a flat screw channel and you would like to be able to use a flat tool within that screw channel to make sure that the screw seats properly. We don't have a set strategy within our software to utilize that flat tool however, we do have a flat tool in our portfolio, and we do have strategies for screw channels. So you can learn how to add that flat tool into the strategy so you can mill your flat screw channels.
Interesting. Yeah, because I know that's a big thing with All On X. I mean, it's now straight to MUA and getting those screws to seat is a huge issue. I mean.
Yes.
But also little things, Elvis, like you got a big bridge, 6, 7 units, and you got to connect it. So at one point also, we can set and say, after the bridge is completely milled, you can cut your connector 50, 60%. So when the technician now has to remove the bridge from the disc or from the puck, it's so nice and easy to remove it. And these are the little features that you learn.
Are you talking about the little things that hold it into the puck for nesting? You can make it so the mill makes it so it's just a little flip rather than a Sorry, sound effect mode. Yeah, that's awesome, 'cause I mean, you can have a technician there for a while cutting things out of a puck, but you have to unlock that. That's part of the power you have to unleash, right?
So it's not an unlocking, like you're paying for anything extra, it's just learning the software and... realizing how to use those functions and features.
I'm super fascinated by this because I don't think any other mill does this. I mean, they give you the mill, you get your 20-minute training, and then it's good luck. But to have two courses about what is available in this thing is just fascinating to me.
And they're hands-on. We do the course where it is a combination of lecture and then hands-on and then lecture and then hands-on. So it's very interactive and you leave with with knowledge that you can immediately go back to the lab and implement right away.
Yeah. Has anyone shown up to these things?
Absolutely.
No way that don't have the, sorry. that don't have the mill.
Yes, actually.
And then they buy one on their way out.
We did have somebody attend that was still trying to figure out which mill was best for their lab. And they came to the beyond the basics. And from there they were sold. They were ready to purchase right away.
The newest model. I mean, I know it. I mean, we reread an ad or an ad was produced for us. I'm trying to remember. It's like less air and a bigger screen and a heftier spindle, I think. I mean.
Yes. Yeah, it's got some great improvements to it. My favorite, I know it sounds weird, but my favorite improvement is the water pump. It's so quiet and I brag about it often because it's such a quiet water pump and it's more robust. Everything about it is really great.
Yeah, what can you mill in this? Everything? Titanium and...
Yes, you can mill everything, all of our indications. And we also added the new desk holder as well. So you can now mill...
That's right. We talked to them in Chicago. That's out now, Yes. That's awesome. Doing in-house abutments.
Yeah, it's really great. It unlocks a lot of great options for your lab.
Yeah. So every time someone gets one, is it pretty common for them to get another one? I can only imagine.
We are seeing that more often, especially with, even though the mill, it is a hybrid mill and has a seamless integration going from wet to dry, we are still seeing a lot of customers buying one just for wet milling and then one for dry milling.
Yeah, I think it's because we were all burned about 15 years ago.
Yeah, when they promised that and it never quite worked.
It's good practice, I guess.
But that's where if you come to the Beyond the Basics, you can learn more about that workflow and how to get it to where that going back and forth from wet to dry is really very nice and very little user operation.
So what are some of the other courses? It's not just YouTube teaching, right?
As much as I'd love to say yes. We have a lot of courses. Like I mentioned, we do have Johnny Jackson's.
Yeah, totally.
Ivotion course.
Yeah, we have so many courses also for the clinical world. Probably more than we have for technicians, but everything is available on the website and even the clinical ones are hands-on one or two days long. And we also visit in-house laboratories on request. So there's quite a bit that we offer behind the scene.
Like you would come in and teach at a lab? That's an option.
Yeah, but for sure we like to get people into our academy lab because then the learning is kind of open, quiet. They can see all the technology, they can use the furnaces and little details like a sintering furnace can make such a big difference. We have seen furnaces from Asia that are big and can take a lot of volume. but the quality is not always what we like to see. So once they see what we can do in an academy lab, they look differently, on the workflow.
Yeah, I'm sure you go to a lab to teach and then they put them in these ovens that are, 30 years old.
Right, and probably have never seen any calibrations. That's one part. And for our Ceram art courses also now we are offering and we're having some giveaways, some brushes, and I heard they are working on some pellets, some really nice pellets. So I think for a technician to have something to take back to the lab, that is important also because you're only as good as your tools are. And so I think that's exciting and hopefully people see the value.
Be honest with me, Martin. I mean, again, not a ceramist. Does a brush really make the big difference? I mean, should I just go to Hobby Lobby and buy a set of brushes? Is it really going to make a difference?
I would say definitely it makes a difference. And talking about an inexpensive brush that we have, We used to use it for infiltration. It's just a basic synthetic brush for a couple of bucks. And this brush is so good for glazing, you would say, get out. Is this really true? And sometimes these little details help technicians to be successful and more efficient. And I think this is what we share also during our Academy classes, the tools, the tips, the tricks, the firing programs, adjusting something. So, yeah, that's what I personally enjoyed becoming a technician and learning from the peers. This is what we still keep up and like to keep the level of teaching. at a really higher segment here.
We have all of our courses listed online on our Ivocar website under the Academy page. You can see everything that is in-house. You can even see our on-demand webinars all right there. on our website.
Are you looking at it right now?
I am.
Yeah, let's talk about a few of these other ones. Like, I mean, if you can speak in a little bit more detail, but you know, this precision in practice, I mean, obviously it's for dentist, but is that for them to start fabricating an office or?
So that one is given by Dr. Tom Hill and it is more for the clinician side of just getting into CAD/CAM and how to properly prep and kind of just getting into the CAD/CAM industry for your clinic.
Sure. As a lab, we used to be, no, doctors are getting into it. They're going to start doing it. But it is what it is, and we've learned to pivot around it and use it to our advantage. And I think it's good if we teach them how to do it right.
Yeah, one of the great things about that course is it also goes into the material science of all the different materials that the dentists are using so they can understand a little bit more about what they're putting into the patient's mouth.
Yeah, and not relying on us to tell them.
Yes.
What about some of these other ones? You got mastering porcelain veneers.
Let me take over for a second here. Over the last couple of years, more and more people talked about preplers, veneers, emax veneers and what is better, what is aesthetically better or more pleasant or pleasing. So some of the courses here also talk about the prepless veneers, versa, prepped veneer where we can use regular emax, lithium disilicate, the bonding also, there's always a big discussion You know, can we bond zirconium? We've talked about it a few times on this podcast. Yeah. And, you know, in the past, you know, we weren't really fully on board. And now with, you know, the new technology, the new bonding materials, the new zirconium oxides, things have shifted and changed. So also here, the Academy classes being adjusted to really offer classes also that help both the clinician and the technician to master those situations.
Yeah, you got to teach them how to do it right so we can do it right.
Correct.
Are you teaching zirconia veneers?
We do.
Yeah, that's a new thing. It seems to be catching on.
Yeah.
And I know with your new zirconia, I know that's one of the applications it can be used for.
That is correct. That is absolutely correct.
Yeah, I talked to Tobias about that. I see someone else teaching a ceram art course. How come it's not you? not do them all.
No, you can't. You know, the field is so large that we have to distribute our forces a little bit.
Very good. And then I see Kent doing one. Same thing. Wow, more ceram art. Wow, you guys are really pushing the ceram art this time.
Yeah, It's really a nice, nice material. And I think we haven't really discovered all the options yet. So I think we have to spread the word and we have to get it into the hands of people to really experience the beauty of that material.
Yeah. I can only imagine as time goes on how many great little nuances we're going to find out when all the technicians start playing with it.
Absolutely. Yeah. So true.
And there's a couple free courses I see. Are these the webinars? Yeah, these are the webinars.
Yeah. These are some that we recorded and more like technical tips also.
Yeah.
And more will come soon.
How do people sign up? I mean, it's just the website, click the button, sign up, make plans.
Either or, old-fashioned way, you can grab the phone and call us, and we have one dedicated person that takes all the information for the classes. For the ones that are digitally inclined, you can also sign up from our website and take it from there.
I love it. I'm excited for this. I think there's some great opportunities, especially with the mills. I'm pretty excited about that because I didn't know you could do so much with a mill. I was more of an open box, plug it in, load mill. I think that's a lot for people to learn more about.
Yeah, it's a great course and we've had wonderful feedback on it as well. So I encourage everybody who has a program mill to come to the Beyond the Basics and then come to Unleashing the Power.
And even if you don't have the mill, go.
Exactly.
Because you'll want to get one after.
Yes, you will. And of course, we make the course fun and interactive. So it's a good time.
I bet. And how often are these courses given? They look like you're doing every one a couple months.
Yeah, we've been trying to do one a month, but they're each in different locations. So as Martin had said earlier, they're in our Amherst, Santa Fe Springs, which is near LA, California, and then Mississauga, Canada. So we hold the courses throughout the year at all three locations.
And gives everyone a chance, no matter where you are in the country to go check this out. So ivaclard.com, click on the Academy and you'll find them all. Elise, Martin, thank you so much. Thanks for coming on and talking about this.
Thanks for having us. That's very great to be here and to talk about our Academy classes.
Yeah, thank you.
Thanks for having us.
Absolutely. And I guess what, we'll see you both in Chicago.
For sure. For sure.
Absolutely.
Awesome. Thank you so much. Have a great weekend.
Thank you. You too.
Bye.
Bye.
A huge thanks to Elise and Martin for joining Elvis on the podcast to talk to him about something I actually know more about. I'm really sorry. I think I was having to work or I had an emergency. My apology. I would have been more than happy to explain to Elvis that it takes a little more to be a good ceramist. I do agree, however, that nothing, beats hands-on training. And Elvis and I appreciate Ivoclar for offering these amazing courses in so many different locations. I do know of a few doctors that I might just send the veneer link to as a friendly reminder, of course.
Yeah, some of them need that course.
Yes, guys. So head over to Ivoclar.com and click on the Academy tab to learn more about it.
Awesome. All right, everybody. That's all we got for you.
And we'll talk to you next time. Welcome to August. Bye. See ya. Being lazy, selling pajamas. Good. Same here.
The views and opinions expressed on the Voices from the Bench podcast are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the host or Voices from the Bench LLC.