Dental News - NADL honors David L. Brown with Vision Award

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NADL honors David L. Brown with Vision Award

Vision Award winner David L Brown with presenter, NADL President Jeff Stronk. (DTI/ Photo NADL)
National Association of Dental Laboratories

National Association of Dental Laboratories

Tue. 15 February 2011

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LAS VEGAS: The National Association of Dental Laboratories recently presented awards to several individuals, and David L. Brown was honored with the Vision Award. Brown served as a director of National Dentex since 1998 when he was also appointed president. He became CEO of National Dentex in 2000. Brown joined National Dentex in 1984 as vice president-finance and chief financial officer and was appointed treasurer in 1991.

He is a past chairman of the Dental Trade Alliance and is a former member of its board of directors. Brown is a former director of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation and of the National Association of Dental Laboratories and is a former member of the board of fellows of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

On Dec. 15, 2009, the board of directors of National Dentex Corporation approved a management succession plan for National Dentex. Under the management succession plan, Brown resigned his position as president but continued his CEO role for another year. He retired from National Dentex on Sept. 30, 2010.

Brown was respected by all in the industry for his down-to-earth style, high level of integrity and passion for the people that make dental laboratory technology.

NADL 2011 Laboratory Member of the Year presented to Georgia Dental Laboratory

Gary Killgo, CDT, and Don Killgo, CDT, worked in private practices and commercial labs before establishing Georgia Dental Laboratory.

Gary and Don were introduced to dental technology by their father, Lamar, who started in the business in 1939 and was among the first dental technicians in the country to become a CDT. In 1981, Gary and Don Killgo realized their vision of a company that would be an industry leader — offering the highest quality dental prosthetics available — when they opened Georgia Dental Laboratory.

After starting with just Don and Gary for the first year, then hiring one technician for the next two to three years, Georgia Dental now employs 51 people. Of these 51, 37 are technicians with a support staff of 14. Nine of the technicians are certified by the National Board of Certification. Two of these CDTs have three or more certifications, and two have been certified for more than 30 years. Thirty-six of the 51 employees have been with the company for five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 or more years.

Continuing education is an essential way the lab keeps pace with the latest technology. A multi-media classroom is utilized to keep abreast of new materials, techniques and equipment. There is also an extensive library of training materials, books, videos and periodicals available to the staff. By being among the first labs to become certified under the DAMAS system, Georgia Dental sets an example to other labs to strive for excellence.

NADL Excellence in Education Award presented to Beth Collington

Beth Collington, divisional sales training and education manager for Zahn Dental Laboratory Division, has been in the industry the last 17 years, starting with the DENTSPLY International Ceramco Division in an inside sales position.

Two companies shaped her career path: DENTSPLY, Ceramco and Zahn Dental (a Henry Schein company). During her career, she has held a number of positions including but not limited to field territory manager and district sales manager.

Collington helps newer members of the team learn the industry, the products and how to apply them in an ever-growing and changing industry. She values education and works closely with lab partners and sister divisions such as DENTSPLY Caulk to bring together laboratory customers with dentists to offer quality educational programs, which provide learning opportunities to help sustain and grow dental practices.

NADL 2011 Supplier Member of the Year presented to Nobilium/CMP Industries

In 2010, Devon Howe, president and CEO, purchased the business from the former shareholders. As a result of this change of ownership, the president and CEO offered ownership to a small group of employees. These employees are now employee/partners and are involved in strategic and operational decision-making.

A second major development at Nobilium/CMP, which has created increased customer value, is the company has adopted a new technical training program for employees. This aim of the training is to educate employees about dental technology and specifically about the products the company sells, so they have a better understanding of their role in the quality control process and to better serve customers.

Nobilium Ticonium has a rich history that dates back to 1893 when the company was founded as Consolidated Car Heating Company. It made heaters for the rapidly developing passenger rail-car business. Two of the original founders included James Roosevelt (father of Franklin D. Roosevelt) and George Westinghouse (a famous inventor and entrepreneur). The company evolved into a specialty metals company — making “projectiles” for World War I and II. Engineers formulated a high-strength alloy that was ideal for dentistry and was called ticonium. The product became so popular the company gradually shifted away from other endeavors and became a 100 percent dental company.

NADL Hall of Fame Award presented to Pat Segnere, CDT

After 36 years of service in the industry, Pat Segnere, CDT, retired from Ivoclar Vivadent at the end of December 2010.

He joined the company in 1974 as a field sales manager for Williams Gold Refining (which became Ivoclar Vivadent North America in 1987), and he has been the vice president of sales for the technical products team since 1987.

Segnere is a 35-year CDT in crown and bridge. During his tenure, he served as the supplier representative on the NADL board of directors and was instrumental in advocating for technician certification with allied dental organizations and through participation in Dental Laboratory Summits hosted by Dr. Gordon Christensen.

“Pat has been completely dedicated to our customers and our company for every day of his 36 years with us. He is a ‘Customer VP,’ always focused on customer satisfaction and success,” said Robert Ganley, CEO, Ivoclar Vivadent, AG. “It has been my great pleasure to share 30 of those years with Pat as his colleague and friend.”

NADL Educator of the Year presented to Dana Cohen, CDT

Dana Cohen started in dental laboratory technology in 1973 and is a 30-year CDT in complete dentures.

For the first 20 years of his career, he worked as a dental technician and as a dental laboratory owner. From 1993 to the present, he has served as either a professor or department chairperson of the dental laboratory technology program at Los Angeles City College.

In January 2010, Cohen was featured as one of the “Who’s Hot” people in dental laboratory technology.

In 1999, he collaborated with Dr. Edward McLaren and Joseph Weisz, CDT, in putting together the LACC/UCLA Esthetic Dental Design Program. In this program, students enroll at Los Angeles City College for credit but attend courses with McLaren at UCLA. This type of program was a first in the state of California. It was renamed the Master Ceramist Program in 2005.

In early 2005, because of participation in the Dental Lab Summit Group, Cohen invited John Ness, CDT, to LACC to discuss the PTC (productivity training corporation) training and verification system as part of the LACC course offerings. Later that year, after presenting the PTC system to the Dental Technology Advisory Committee and the LACC Senior Administration, the Dental Technology Program adopted and purchased the PTC TVS 2000 system in complete dentures, crown and bridge waxing and ceramics. LACC became the first public school in the United States to use this system.

NADL Harry Hagman CDT Award presented to Uri Yarovesky, CDT

Uri Yarovesky, a ceramist and owner and president of Opus One Laboratories in Agoura Hills, Calif., is a graduate of LACC in dental technology.

He has been a pioneer in the development of new applications for laboratory processed composite resins for both Ivoclar Liechtenstein and Ivoclar Canada. Yarovesky has helped to improve and refine the methods of layering color in ceramics and composites, and was one of the developers of the “concept inlay/onlay” technique.

He led an intensive research and development effort that successfully conceived the patented “Encore Bridge” and the “Mosaic” posterior characterization guide. He has also developed the Enamelette™ Porcelain Veneer technique and Musette™ composite gingival tissue replication.

In 2008, Yarovesky launched Hilla Technologies, a dental products company that has created a new product called Hilla Digital Transfers (patent pending). Yarovesky has lectured extensively both in the United States and internationally.

2011 CDT of the Year presented to Robert Kreyer, CDT

Robert Kreyer is a third-generation dental technician and received his technical training from the U.S. Army Medical Field Service School and education as a member of various prosthodontic study groups at the University of California San Francisco and University of Southern California.

He is a member of the American Prosthodontic Society and past chair of the American College of Prosthodontists Dental Technician Alliance. He is a past trustee of the Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology.

Kreyer is a continuing education provider for the Dental Board of California and National Board of Certification in Dental Technology. He is a BPS technical instructor for Ivoclar Vivadent and has written numerous articles on removable prosthodontics. In November 2010, Kreyer took the position as the director of removable prosthodontics for Microdental/DTI in Dublin, Calif.

His experience as a dental technician in removable prosthodontics started in 1969, working with his father and grandfather who were dental technicians as well. Kreyer received his education and training in the U.S. Army at the Medical Field Service School in Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.

In 1975, he opened his own dental laboratory business, Kreyer Dental Prosthetics, that is currently located in Larkspur, Calif.

In 2002, Kreyer became certified in complete dentures from the NBC. His father and grandfather always wanted to become CDTs but because they worked as in-house dental technicians for an advertising dentist, they were not allowed to take the examination. Because the NBC would not accept them as potential CDTs, Rob himself was reluctant for more than 20 years to become a CDT but finally did.

 

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