Get to know the friendly faces Laboratory’s Lab Experts panel, bringing expertise, skill and experience from every corner of the profession.
Craig Mark Broughton, clinical dental technician and managing director of CMB Dental Laboratory Ltd
My journey into dental technology started by chance in 2010 when I made the decision to step off my adult nursing degree for a year. A friend of mine came to me with an opportunity to work with him in a dental laboratory – I knew nothing about this profession but needed a job. I had to learn quickly, but I absolutely loved it. I found that it combined my love of art and attention to detail with my interest in anatomy and physiology… a perfect fit!
After graduating as a dental technician, I couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to do more. It wasn’t until I received an invite from one of our practices to go and assist a dentist with a try-in that the penny dropped. I realised that there was so much more to be gained from seeing a patient face-to-face, an aspect from my nursing degree that I missed. It was clear that clinical dental technology was the next logical step for me to take.
‘Incredible profession’
Throughout this journey, it had become a goal of mine to open my own lab. In September 2019 I realised that goal and opened CMB Dental Laboratory Ltd. I also run a denture clinic from Church Street Dental Practice, Guisborough, on an associate basis two days per week and I am currently exploring opportunities to branch out into other local practices.
My time away from clinic and the lab is spent doing things I love with my family. Music has played a big part in my life and my other passion, drumming, is great for clearing the mind and refocusing. I hope to use this opportunity to bridge that gap between dentists and CDTs.
I will be bringing insights from the world of clinical dental technology, hints and tips in the form of case studies, and articles from myself and others. In addition, I hope to inspire current CDTs, students and those thinking about embarking on the journey into this incredible profession.
Ashley Byrne, associate director of Byrnes Dental Laboratory, part of the Corus group
I love writing about improving our industry and team building and have written articles for nearly all of the dental publications. It’s a great time to be a dental technician, and that makes writing articles easier than ever.
Digital has always been really important to me and it’s no longer the future – it’s here and it’s here to stay. I also love talking about team motivation and building a great team of people. Watching your team grow in both technician and personal skills is probably the most rewarding thing anyone can do. Our industry is rapidly changing and, as the business of running a lab comes more to the forefront of what we do on a daily basis, I’d like to focus on areas around this topic.
From running a lab to motivating a team, networking, and scaling a business, these are all areas I know lab owners crave information on. I’d like to share my ideas and experiences and help other lab owners and technicians to achieve their goals in dental technology.
At home, I’m a keen cook and BBQ-er and I love entertaining. I also have pygmy goats and chickens, and a paddock with a bunch of small tractors and diggers. No kids, just a very tolerant wife who I also work with. We live for the day and love a good English beer! This is a truly magnificent industry and I’m thrilled to be part of a magazine that matches the wonderful modern world of dental technology…
Exciting times ahead!
Massimo Cicatiello, dental technician specialised in orthodontics and owner of orthodontic laboratory, Napoli Ortodonzia
I am vice president and past president of GTO, a small association of orthodontist technicians. I was also secretary of the National Association of Italian Orthodontists Technicians from 2015 to 2016, president from 2019 to 2022, and currently vice president until 2024. The area of dental technology I am most interested in is functional interceptive orthodontics. In recent years, with digital dentistry, I have become very passionate about digital orthodontics with appliance design.
Outside of work, my hobbies include reading – I am passionate about history and staying up to date with politics. I like to follow football (Napoli fan), basketball and Moto GP. I also really like walking and playing beach volleyball.
My priority is to humbly contribute to this magazine. I hope to be able to bring my experience as a dental technician with my passion of orthodontics and my associative experience. Sharing means professional and human growth. I will try to be the spokesperson of the Italian orthodontic technique and I will be happy to share with you the activities of my Ortec association. Growing together is a treasure for all of us.
Matt Everatt, Laboratory‘s editor-in-chief and director of S4S Dental Laboratory
I have worked in dental technology from the age of 17 (now 30 years!). I worked predominantly in orthodontics and maxillofacial technology before forming S4S in 2005. Also, I have written for numerous dental journals over the years on various subjects. Usually I would have said that orthodontics and sleep apnoea are the areas of dental technology I most enjoy, which is still a big part of my day-to-day professional life.
But now I would perhaps say I am enjoying more of the business side of dentistry. By that, I mean looking at how labs can be more efficient with systems and the processes in place. I am involved in several businesses in and out of dentistry and have worked alongside some business owners as a coach or in an advisory capacity.
I still have a relatively young family, two boys at school and a daughter at university. Spending time with my family is so important to me; family time is always a time I cherish. I have an amazing and very supportive wife who is my biggest encourager and confident. I will often run ideas by her before discussing with anyone else. She keeps me grounded. I also love most sports, particularly football. I gave up playing football last year and now enjoy watching my newly promoted Sheffield United!
More recently, I have started my journey into motorsport. I am currently in the process of obtaining my racing licence, which I am very excited about. Dental technology is in a very positive place at the moment and we should take this time to continue to develop ourselves and improve workings conditions, pay and our position within the dental team. I love motivating people and encouraging others to thrive and grow. I hope to continue writing articles about business, leadership, motivation, mental health and wellbeing.
Nina Frketin, dental technician, Mango Dental Technologies
My name is Nina, I’m part of Mango Dental in Sedgefield, and I specialise in prosthetic and full arch implant work. My main aim is to make the most natural looking prosthetics as possible. I first got into dental technology because I wanted to do art, and I think dental technology is a perfect blend of art and science. The areas I am most interested in are prosthetics and full arches because nobody really likes dentures that much. And I want to make my life complicated!
Outside of work, I enjoy creating aquarelle paintings of teeth, and I also love horse riding. I often struggle to put a boundary between work and home, so I don’t really get to unwind. This is not just a job, for me. It’s my passion. Everything that I do is connected to my job.
I would like to bring a fresh insight to this magazine. I hope that I’ve managed to convince younger dental technicians to get more involved and write articles, and I’d also like to bring in technicians from other parts of the world to write articles and share their different techniques. In the future of dental technology, I think handcrafted cases will be very rare and digital will take over.
Anna Munro, dental technician, Southend University Hospital
I qualified as a dental technician in 2022. Before this, I worked as a dental nurse until I had my ‘epiphany’! I decided one day that I didn’t enjoy my job and wanted to do something new, but I knew I wanted to stay in dentistry. I started thinking of the things I do enjoy and suddenly thought of dental technology. So, I called the laboratory manager and asked her what you need to do to become a dental technician. She’s not got rid of me since!
I’m currently on the Cardiff Metropolitan University MSc course while also working in the orthodontic laboratory at Southend Hospital. I have worked in the department since 2008. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, travelling, walking and cooking. I have almost 25 years’ experience in the dental industry, and I believe it’s imperative that we share our knowledge. I also have the advantage of seeing things from a clinical viewpoint.
Looking to the future of dental technology, I think a lot of jobs will be replaced by AI, but I believe there will always be a niche market for skilled technicians.
Eleanor Pittard, managing director and co-owner of Hive Dental Laboratory
I gained my BSc in management with entrepreneurship and MSc in digital marketing from Southampton University and moved straight into business development and marketing. After working in product sales, I made the move to dentistry in order to spend more time with customers. I moved swiftly through the ranks, achieving the position of assistant practice manager of a prestigious implant referral practice in less than three years.
I have helped to grow an award-winning private dental implant practice and an award-winning dental laboratory, both of which, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, are still going strong. In addition, I have passed multiple CQC inspections and am now the co-owner of The Hive Dental Laboratory and The Hive Dental Clinic. I am also currently a judge for the Private Dentistry Awards held by FMC. Through Laboratory, I hope to provide insight into the business of the laboratory industry, sharing tips and encouraging conversation on the business side of things.
Outside of work, I enjoy digital design and experiencing new cultures alongside Emily.
Emily Pittard, clinical dental technician, clinical director and co-owner of Hive Dental Laboratory
I am a fully qualified clinical dental technician, dental technician and dental nurse. I have worked in a variety of dental practices in London, gaining experience in both NHS and private dentistry. Then I moved down to Dorset and continue to advance my knowledge and skills. As a clinician, I have extensive experience working alongside specialist dentists with complex restorative cases and independently with all types of denture cases.
I have also co-designed a new implant technique which allows safe and predictable immediate loading of implants with a strong base. I have a solid understanding of implants and have restored more than 400 implant-retained locator patients.
Qualifying from the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) as a clinical dental technician, I am now a member of the British Academy of Clinical Dental Technicians (BACDT) and on the board of the College of General Dentistry (CDT and DT faculty). I am also an education associate for the GDC. Through Laboratory, I am hoping to bridge the gap between technicians and clinicians and help to create a more unified patient journey and encourage better collaboration in the process.
Outside of work, I love home improvement and experiencing new cultures through travel.
Kash Qureshi, clinical dental technician and managing director of Bremadent Dental Laboratory
I am a clinical dental technician and managing director of Bremadent Dental Laboratory and the Swissedent Denture Clinic. I started as an apprentice in 2005 at Bremadent at 16 years old, and by 2009 I qualified as a dental technician from Lambeth College. In 2014 I qualified as a clinical dental technician from the University of Central Lancashire – the General Dental Council (GDC) said I was the youngest clinical dental technician in the UK on the register!
In Walthamstow in my generation, there was a lot of crime, robberies, drugs, stabbings and shootings. Some of my friends ended up in prison or deceased. I wanted out of that lifestyle as I wanted to live.
When I saw the job advert for a plaster model maker and found out what it involved, I thought it was something I could do as I was good at art and design and technology, and I liked science. This job involved problem solving, creativity, and prospects of future development and a professional career – plus I was earning and learning at the same time.
Outside of work, I go to the gym at least four times a week and I enjoy listening to audiobooks. If you have seen my Instagram, you will also know that I love music – I made two albums when I was younger. I also love to spend time with my family and going on holidays.
I believe the future of dental technology will be digitalised and we will become more powerful once we have shown the mainstream public what we can do.
Daniel Shaw, maxillofacial prosthetist and laboratory manager, Chesterfield Royal Hospital
As well as presenting at several conferences with the Orthodontic Technicians Association (OTA) and the Institute of Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists (IMPT), I have written articles for industry magazines with technical walkthroughs and case studies. I have also contributed to research papers, such as the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. When I first started my career, I was initially interested in orthodontics, but now I am more interested maxillofacial technology and healthcare science.
Away from work, I am blessed to be a husband and proud daddy – a happy family is crucial. I am also a drummer in the Sheffield Christian worship band, Outcry. We play modern Christian music for any type of event.
The sphere of healthcare science is huge, and as I continue to build upon the knowledge of techniques and materials that I have, I hope to pass this on to the reader. I thoroughly enjoy my job. The industry of science and technology is ever evolving, which keeps us interested and motivated to provide the best we can for our patients.
Briana Slack, dental technician, S4S Dental Laboratory
My name is Briana, I am 26 years old, and I was born in Jamaica but moved to the UK with my family when I was five years old. I am now a qualified dental technician and I carried out my studies at Sheffield College.
My introduction to dental technology came just after the first COVID-19 lockdown when I decided to undergo a complete career change. I professionally trained as a chef, but after nine years I wanted to pursue my ambition of working within the dental field. During this time, I researched various courses in different parts of the country.
I had never heard of dental technology before, but after finding out what it was, I decided it was the perfect. I had plenty of manual dexterity from my years as a pastry chef and it was an interesting part of the dental field that I was keen to explore.
In my free time, I love to play netball, go for walks in the beautiful Peak District, and go out for meals. There are so many restaurants in Sheffield, and I won’t stop until I have tried them all!
As a member of the editorial board, I would love to bring a different perspective to the magazine as someone who has previously worked in a different field. I would also love to see more and more young people studying dental technology in the UK, with the aim of bringing more attention to how rewarding this field of work can be.
Lola Welch, prosthetic technician, Ceramic Designs Laboratory
My name is Lola Welch, and I am a senior prosthetic implant technician at Ceramic Designs Laboratory in Hove, UK. I graduated from the Medical University of Warsaw in 2004 and moved to the UK the same year. I spent 12 years working as an in-house dental technician at Dawood and Tanner referral practice in London where I’ve learned all aspects of implant-supported dentistry.
In 2016, I joined Ceramic Designs Laboratory based in the implant centre where I’m responsible for the full workflow of All-on-X restorations, starting from implant planning, through to conversion and the final restoration. My biggest passion is digital dentistry and recreating natural composite gums. I love sharing my work on Instagram: @all_about_the_gums.
My husband Mark is also a trained dental technician. However, he left the bench and is currently working for a 3D printer manufacturer. He’s been an expert in the dental 3D printing field for a few years now and if you have a 3D printer in your lab, it is quite likely you already know Mark! We have a young daughter and we are living on beautiful Shoreham Beach in West Sussex.
I’m super excited to be part of the Laboratory team. I hope to show that our profession can be rewarding and exciting. I believe in sharing knowledge and supporting each other. Life is short, let’s all be kind!
Do you have a case, an article or some advice you would like to share in Laboratory? Contact [email protected].
