Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Elvis Dahl: Team Mistake
29 Plays20 days ago
"There’s NO Drama in Dental Labs… Right?" In this episode of Dental Fuel, lab expert Elvis Dahl opens up about the wild world of dental labs—where putting out fires 🔥 isn’t just part of the job, it’s part of the fun. Whether it’s navigating team dynamics or solving last-minute challenges, Elvis reflects on what he misses most about the chaos of everyday lab life. Don’t miss this!
Episode Summary:
Join us for an engaging discussion with Elvis Dahl and Tanya Sue Maestas as we dive into the intricacies of teamwork and dynamics within dental labs and clinical settings. Elvis shares his humorous yet insightful perspective on the challenges and joys experienced in a lab environment, while Tanya contrasts these with her clinical experiences, providing a holistic view of the dental industry.
In this episode, you'll discover how both realms, despite their differences, share common struggles such as team dynamics, personal drama, and the constant endeavor to provide quality work. Elvis elaborates on the "putting out fires" culture in labs, while both guests discuss the elements that make labs either functional or dysfunctional. The conversation also touches upon financial considerations when choosing a lab and the importance of human connections in maintaining consistent and reliable service.
Key Takeaways:
- Team dynamics in dental labs and clinics are filled with similar challenges, including personal dramas and differing professional opinions.
- Each technician in a lab desires to contribute uniquely to the work, leading to variations in approaches and results.
- Financial constraints and rural settings influence the choice of dental labs, impacting the consistency and quality of dental work.
- There is often a resistance from clinicians to seek assistance from lab technicians, possibly due to ego or self-reliance.
- Effective communication and establishing strong relationships with lab technicians can enhance creativity, efficiency, and problem-solving in clinical settings.
Connect with Elvis Dahl: @voices_from_the_bench
Connect with Ignitedds and Dr. David Rice: @ignitedds Free Intro Call
Connect with Tanya Sue Maestas: @tsmaestas.dds
Learn more about Ignite Coaching : https://ignitedds.com
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Dental Fuel Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Dental Fuel, the podcast that focuses on what no one else is talking about. Mistakes. The dental world is full of before and afters and no one is talking about the middle. Dental Fuel brings you the unspoken in-between. Dental Fuel is brought to you by Ignite DDS Coaching, empowering dentists to build self-determined futures.
00:00:20
Speaker
Together, we're shaping the next generation of leaders in dentistry.
Importance of Teamwork in Dentistry
00:00:24
Speaker
Working as a team is important in a clinical setting, but also in a dental lab. Elvis shares his humorous and insightful perspective on challenges and joys he has experienced in a lab environment. Let's tune in.
00:00:38
Speaker
I'm curious to know a little bit about teamwork and building a team in a lab and maybe some teams that you have seen be a little bit dysfunctional or functional, both in a lab setting and in a clinical setting.
Challenges in Dental Lab Environments
00:00:53
Speaker
There's no such thing as dysfunction in a lab. Are you kidding me? Yeah, it's just harmonious and everything works fantastic. Rainbows, unicorns, we dance all day. Oh, yeah. Wow. You know, we have as much drama as you have clinically. You know, we all share those exact same problems, you know.
00:01:16
Speaker
drama and issues and people's personal lives getting mixed in we we see it on we work just as much as close as you do in the clinical office, you know, I mean, I would say the the biggest thing is with technicians is we all we all want to touch it. We all want to put our whatever on it. We all want to I don't care if it comes out from the last technician, it comes to me and the thing is beautiful. I'm probably still going to go and just be like, yeah, well, you know, just needed that, you know, and it really helped you.
Lab Technicians' Unique Perspectives and Challenges
00:01:54
Speaker
Yeah. I just, I just have to touch it digitally and model less. We're getting a little bit farther away from that, which is probably a good thing. Um,
00:02:05
Speaker
Every technician has an opinion. you know I always used to say you could have three scans from the same patient, go to three different labs, you'll get three different crowns. They'll be similar, but they'll all be slightly different. Because if we all have an opinion on what's right. um I would say that's probably the the the most unique thing with labs compared to you know just any other business and our personnel issues.
00:02:33
Speaker
Clinically, what do I see? Same thing. Yeah, yeah I would say, I mean, we're we're not that different really from what I'm hearing is we have similar problems issues. We have a similar opinions. You get 10 dentists in a room, you're going to get the same things. well Absolutely. The only difference is is we're usually in the basement in the dark and you guys are, and you have to talk to the public. We don't have to talk to the public. We don't put our hands in people's mouths.
00:02:58
Speaker
Yeah. Y'all are kind of like a radiologist kind of hidden in the dark gargoyles. Yep. I worked 13 years in a basement at a lab. Wow. Yeah. How did, how does, um, like I'm assuming it had fluorescent lighting. Is that, does that impact or
Decision-Making in Choosing Dental Labs
00:03:16
Speaker
effect? We had color correcting lighting and then on the bench, there's special bulbs that you get for proper lighting and the ceramics have their own thing, you know.
00:03:26
Speaker
Okay. Um, are there things that you miss doing working on the bench? Yeah. I miss the people, I honestly do. I mean, drama aside, it was fun to really work with people. um I miss the, this is gonna sound crazy, but every lab is basically putting out fires all day long, right? I mean, every business is, but labs especially. Any lab that tells you they don't, they're lying. and um And that was my job, putting out those fires. And when I stopped doing that, it was hard.
00:04:00
Speaker
for me to like, I have to find work compared to work being thrown at me when I was in the lab. I mean, people were walking up to me all day with the case pans and this problem and this and this, this person needs a call and I need you to handle this. And I didn't even have to plan my day, but now I have to, you know, it's different. different Yeah, just different. Yeah. Sometimes those fires just add a little bit of spice to her life.
00:04:26
Speaker
i I was good at it, I guess. What about you, clinic as a clinician, do you take finances as choosing a lab?
00:04:37
Speaker
That's a great question. And now you're interviewing me. The tables, the bench has turned. It has. So I'm in a different, a little bit different kind of setting. And and so I'm in a public health setting, okay yeah you know, to, you know, I don't have a whole lot of oversight on the actual bill. So, you know, I could probably choose any lab that I'd like, but to help keep costs down. Absolutely. I try and see, um,
00:05:01
Speaker
you know, different labs that are at least close together. And I try and stick to those labs and they're good. and And it's hard because being in a rural area, we don't have anybody close by. Like I would love for somebody to come by, you know, chair side and and help me out and give me their opinion. But it's just, it doesn't happen out here because we're just a little bit too far. I'm really not that far from, from the main city, but no one wants to travel out here, which is kind of challenging, but interesting. Yeah.
Factors Beyond Cost in Lab Selection
00:05:26
Speaker
You'll be surprised how many clinicians don't want my help.
00:05:31
Speaker
Hmm. It's really surprising to me. Like they'll send work. They have an issue and like, let me know, when can I be there? When's the patient? And they're just like, no, it's okay. We got this. I'm like, okay. Why do you think that is? I don't know. I don't know if they're worried of of an ego. If they're worried that they know what they're doing wrong.
00:05:54
Speaker
Or they just don't care. And let me tell you, there's people in the world that are like, you know, of course mean don't get me wrong. There's, there's dental offices out there that need inexpensive lab work. Cause they're dealing with a Medicare, Medicaid, you know, low income population. I get it. You know, um, but I don't think money should be your only choice on choosing a lab. And it's not always quality of work either. Right. Right. Yeah. Like I mentioned, sometimes it's communication.
00:06:24
Speaker
Sometimes it's turnaround time. Sometimes it's, you know, willingness to help someone you can treatment plan with. You know, there's a lot of labs using, I mean, there's a lot of clinicians out there using the big labs like Glidewell and stuff. um You call over there, you never know who you're talking to. Right. Yeah. And that, if that fits your office, more power to you.
00:06:48
Speaker
Yeah, you know, we use Glidewell for a few things, but there are a few things that I absolutely just won't use them for sure ah because the consistency,
Enhancing Clinician-Lab Technician Collaboration
00:06:55
Speaker
right? They're just, it's hard to have that consistency. And if I can get ahold of a similar lab tech, man, I just tried to latch onto them.
00:07:02
Speaker
And you know you have periods of consistency and things are great and it's it's seamless and it's nice. ah But there are other periods where it just doesn't doesn't work out that way. um But you know going going back to having somebody come out chair side, in El Paso, we do have somebody who is a registered dental assistant as well. He has his own lab and he'll he'll go into the clinic and he'll help. And from what I and understand, people really welcome that.
00:07:24
Speaker
And I would love to welcome that, you know, I'm always me and I'm here to learn. I feel like just dentistry is just so big. And, uh, you know, you all see a different end of what dentistry is from the other side. And so anything that in in my opinion, anything that you all can impart to make things better, I think is just so huge and so rewarding. And, and, and vice versa, right? I have learned so much in my last year and a half with Derby being chair side. It's unbelievable.
00:07:52
Speaker
what I've been able to pick up. And then I share it. I hope our conversation with Elvis Dahl has allowed you to appreciate your lab technician a little bit more. Tune in next week where Elvis bestows some expert advice.
Conclusion and Invitation to Ignite DDS Coaching
00:08:05
Speaker
Ready to take the next step in your journey? Book an intro call with Ignite DDS Coaching today and level up your future in dentistry.