Posted in Posts
The future lab: Ashley Byrne discusses what he believes lies ahead for dental labs in 2030 and how they will need to stay relevant. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard the phrase ‘the lab of the future’. It usually pops up alongside a slide showing some glossy 3D printer that claims to…
Posted in Posts
This shift to automation in dental labs is inevitable, says Ashley Byrne. But does it threaten the future of dental technicians, or is it an opportunity we should embrace? As the dental technology landscape evolves at breakneck speed, one question I have noticed starting to appear is, ‘is full automation in the dental lab a dream…
Posted in Posts
In an effort to bridge the knowledge gap between labs and dentists, Ashley Byrne shares what labs wish every dentist understood. Ask any dental technician and they’ll tell you – digital dentistry is revolutionising the way we work. Yet, despite its widespread adoption, a disconnect remains between dental labs and dentists when it comes to…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne shares why investing in a support team is not just beneficial for your lab, but essential for the future of the industry As dental laboratory owners, we are deeply embedded in manufacturing. Our industry, often described as a cottage industry, thrives on the skill and precision of highly trained technicians. However, with the…
Posted in Posts
How do we keep up with the changing industry and who can we trust? Ashley Byrne shares his tips for staying ahead. The digitisation of dental technology has rapidly transformed our industry. For many dental technicians, digital workflows are now the norm, and it’s hard to imagine running a lab without them. However, not every…
Posted in Posts
Following a challenging year for dental technology, Ashley Byrne discusses why dental technicians have reasons to be hopeful in 2025. This year has been challenging for dental labs. A general election, a new government and a tough budget have left many employers frustrated with the current economic climate. Patient demand has been unpredictable, and many labs…
Posted in Posts
‘Quiet times are inevitable, but they don’t have to be your downfall’: Ashley Byrne discusses the dangers of a quiet lab. For many of us, 2024 has been a challenging year. Sales have been flat, the dental industry isn’t seeing the growth it once did, and the latest government budget seems to have done little…
Posted in Posts
General Dental Council (GDC) CEO Tom Whiting recently visited Byrnes Dental Lab to learn more about dental technology – Ashley Byrne shares how it went. Earlier this year, at a General Dental Council (GDC) stakeholders’ meeting, I presented on the pressing issues facing dental technology, such as a shrinking workforce, outdated educational offerings and a…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne shares how to digitalise your lab as pain-free as possible, and why making the transition is critical to survival. I regularly write about digital workflows, and in my laboratory, crown and bridge and implant workflows now involve at least one digital stage in 100% of cases. From IOS (intraoral scanning) to model printing,…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne shares why change in the dental lab is both essential and uncomfortable, and his tips for making the process as smooth as possible. Change is essential. I firmly believe that if your company isn’t changing and evolving, it’s effectively stagnating and ultimately dying. Companies that remain dynamic and continuously evolve are often the…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne the reasons behind his ‘risky’ decision to close his model room, and why he would encourage others labs to do the same. It’s been two years since I lost my experienced model worker who returned to the EU. In that time, I’ve employed several people to run the model room, but finding someone…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne discusses some of the changes and challenges that come along with advances in dental technology, and how the industry can adapt to this new era. I recently attended the LMT event in Chicago. My takeaway was that the industry is evolving faster than I anticipated. I’ve always maintained that our industry is changing…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne compares the current denture process with the printed digital one and asks if 2024 is the time to revolutionise dentures. I’ve written about digital dentures before and they remain a little controversial for many. But a new time is coming and, in all honesty, I can confidently see the end of flasking and…
Posted in Posts
Carving a new era: Ashley Byrne explains why he is never looking back after adopting digital diagnostic set-ups. I remember doing a lecture more than 10 years ago on the digital wax-up and I was heckled from the audience. ‘You are single headedly killing our industry – digital will be the death of the dental…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne discusses the trials and tribulations of 2023, and why he believes 2024 will be ‘the year of the dental technician’. As we all breathe a huge sigh of relief that this year is coming to an end, it’s a good time to reflect on what 2024 will bring to the party. From our…
Posted in Posts
‘Opening new career paths in our industry is vital’: This month, Ashley Byrne discusses the importance of investing in education and professional development in a dental lab. Professional development has always been one of the most important factors in running my lab. From day one, we have invested heavily in education and team development. We’ve…
Posted in Posts
Ashley Byrne reveals some hard truths about the real meaning of trust and the ‘incalculable’ benefits of having a team who feels trusted. ‘I trust my team’, is so often said. But how many employers actually trust their team completely? When we say, ‘I trust my team’, what do we actually mean? More importantly, what…
Posted in Posts
All dental labs are at risk of cash flow problems and debt. Here, Ashley Byrne discusses the best method for dealing with debt recovery without destroying customer relationships. Richard Branson famously quoted, ‘Never take your eyes off the cash flow because it’s the life blood of the businesses’, and he couldn’t be more true. Companies…
Posted in Posts
With labs at the cutting edge of dentistry and undergoing enormous changes, Ashley Byrne discusses the value of outside influence and looking beyond the lab industry. We all focus strongly on making false teeth and making the best false teeth we can. We look at other labs, we look at social media of other techs…
