5 minute read
5 things I cannot work without! By Chelsea Morley
5 THINGS I CANNOT WORK WITHOUT!
By Chelsea Morley I Co-owner TetraCAM Milling Services Co-owner GHOST Dental
Dentistry is always changing. Big deal, no secret there right? Yes, we are all aware that the digital era has become a part of pretty much every aspect of our everyday roles as Dental
Technicians. What’s your point? I can hear you think… I’m just explaining in advance why my ‘5 things I cannot work without’ article is probably a little bit different from the ones of my predecessors’ list. As the owner of a fully digital milling centre dedicated to serving dental technicians, there’s no Lecron in sight.
Here we go…
SOFTWARE
No surprise there then. Software is without a doubt the most used utensils in my kit as a digital Dental Technician. Personally, 3shape is my tool of choice. This is possibly because I was first trained using it, but after a few years’ experience with the alternatives namely ExoCAD, Dental Wings and InLab from Sirona, I always find myself returning to 3shape. My number one contact for support in this area has always been Alex Mensikov, he’s a legend. After the design stage, nesting STL files into the material blanks is next. The software used on our milling machines is Millbox from Sum3D. The easy navigation of both these software systems makes them my personal favourites and our working life much easier.
DIGITAL FILING SYSTEM
Milling centres receive a mammoth amount of STL files each month! An organised filing system is vital for us. We don’t use any fancy software to do this, just the good old file button on Windows 11 is used to create a system. It’s cheap and cheerful… but it works. We organise by the client laboratory name, the date the orders were sent, then material choice. All our STLs are coded to protect the patient confidentiality and are disposed of safely. The filing system makes the files accessible to us almost instantly in the case of a query, repeat orders and for invoicing purposes.
This is my personal favourite member of this list. In our Office, we have what is known as the ‘Magic Board’. Each month we use this board to write the goals for the month ahead, a sort of wish-list, if you like. These goals are not always monetary targets, these sometimes are as simple as ‘receive a glowing google review’ or ‘maintain all current clients through great customer service’. Once the goals are decided, there they stay - for the whole team to see. When the goals are met, they are ticked off- the whole team gets to see. I find this not only encourages team motivation, but also provides a communal sense of achievement when we hit those targets collectively. We call it the Magic Board, because everything we write on it, tends to happen When we hit a biggie, we celebrate in style.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The use of social media in Dentistry has exploded! The number of Dental Professionals using social media for a multitude of reasons is massive. The uses include communication, show casing work, discussing treatment plan options, networking, team building and advertising. Many dental students are using social media platforms to vlog their journey through university and grow a following, which can turn into a readymade audience once qualified. Perfect to build an online portfolio and in turn advertise work. My personal platform of choice is, I cannot stress this enough… INSTAGRAM. A huge 80% of the new enquiries about placing orders to both of my companies comes through Instagram. We have no need for pricey exhibitions or paid advertisements. Social media is completely free and accessible to the whole planet.
If you don’t know, get to know.
Obviously, communication is key in our job. The single most effective form of communication for Dental Technicians, in my opinion is Whatsapp. We all know the frustration of a missing shade from the prescription, then spending 20 minutes on the phone asking the receptionist to find out for you. You can use it to set up chat groups with key people for immediate answers to burning questions, without the wait. Your client can answer you between patient visits, or whilst their creations are firing. It works well for us when our clients want to inform us of a deadline or requesting a rapid turnaround. Zero time wasted. Oh, most importantly Whataspp is encrypted, so we can have complete confidence in keeping the patients’ confidentiality promise.
Before I go… I like to be different, so I’m going to throw one more in…
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Since the start of my journey through Dental Technology, from being a university student to setting up dental companies two years ago, I have noticed the unbelievable community spirit in the world of Dental Technology. We are a weird and wonderful bunch and it is very true, we all know each other, or are a ‘friend of a friend’.
I feel so privileged to have had occasions where Dental Technicians have sent messages of support, praise or have approached us for advice. During my student days, various Laboratories allowed me to shadow and ask my never-ending questions, no matter how busy their workload. There are people who I talk to regularly online who I have never met in person, who offer advice and constructive criticism.
People who were strangers, are now friends. Laboratory owners who have advised me how to run a business, to milling centre owners who have offered backup on the rough days, I just wanted to use this little opportunity to tell you that you have all influenced this journey in one way or another, through Dental Technology so far. You know who you are!
