Limited Time Registration Bonuses

$500 OFF

Voxel Online Gift Card  

Gift code is included with a purchase of technology hardware and be used to purchase 3D printer resins, printer or scanner accessories, and thermoforming plastic products.

*Can be used in addition to other promotions offered by Voxel.

$500 VALUE

uLab 100 STL Credit

uLab will give OrthoLab registrants a one-time 100 STL credit to their account.

2 WEEKS

Unlimited use of CADflow

CADflow will grant a 2 week free trial to OrthoLab registrants. Account can be activated with a new email address with CADflow and a billing credit card (nothing is charged). Unlimited test cases and all products are available to test.

All Courses Include:

• On-Demand Video Lessons

• Downloadable Supporting Handouts

• Real Time Online Q&A

• LIVE Virtual Office Hours

Bonus Team Registration

Get a separate account login for your practice team member to help you implement the workflows.

OrthoLab Innovations & Evolution

Upon course completion, participants will be able to:

• Comprehend the Key Advantages of Digital Workflow: Understand how transitioning to a digital orthodontic practice improves cleanliness, organization, and clinical predictability while enhancing the efficiency of digital storage and reproducibility.
• Master Essential Digital Techniques: Gain insights into the learning curve and practical steps in mastering digital orthodontic techniques, supported by personal experiences and tips to streamline the process.
• Identify Effective Strategies to Save Time: Learn proven strategies to optimize workflow, save time, and circumvent common challenges encountered in the shift to digital methods based on real-world experiences spanning over nine years.
• Evaluate Digital Equipment Options: Acquire knowledge to assess and prioritize features of digital scanners and 3D printer ecosystems, considering data storage, ease of use, office size, and patient flow to make informed choices.
• Understand Key Printer Ecosystem Considerations: Explore the pros and cons of different 3D printer types (SLA Laser, DLP, LCD), associated software/hardware requirements, resin options, maintenance needs, and cost-effectiveness to support seamless integration into practice.

Overview of OrthoLab Innovations Course Content: 

In the Beginning... There was Equipment

• Motivations for Digital Workflow
  Explore why transitioning to a digital orthodontic workflow eliminates traditional impressions, enhances patient experience, and improves efficiency, driven by Dr. Layman's journey.
• Overcoming Digital Transition Barriers
  Learn from past challenges, such as failed prints, scanner selection, and learning curves, to avoid pitfalls and streamline your office’s shift to digital processes.
• Choosing the Right Intraoral Scanner
  Evaluate key scanner attributes—speed, resolution, data storage costs, and ease of use—to select a device that fits your practice’s needs and budget.
• Understanding Digital Workflow Basics
  Grasp the concept of converting physical oral structures into digital bits for manipulation and back into precise appliances, setting the foundation for digital orthodontics.

Digital Lab Field Manual

• Selecting the Right 3D Printer
  Understand key attributes like technology types (DLP, LCD, SLA), resin compatibility, printable area size, and print speed to choose a printer that fits your office’s digital orthodontic needs.
• Understanding Printer Technologies
  Learn how DLP, LCD, and laser printers differ in light delivery, speed, resolution, and maintenance, enabling informed decisions for splint, aligner, and model production.
• Evaluating Resins and Materials
  Explore model resins and splint materials and their properties to ensure compatibility with your printer and suitability for retainers, splints, and patient presentations.
• Setting Up a Digital Lab
  Plan counter space, electrical needs (GFI plugs, surge protection), storage for resins/IPA, and optional air connections to create an efficient in-house lab workflow.

Course 2: OrthoLab Evolution  
Step-by-Step Workflow Blueprints and How-to Guides for Implementation of Models, Retainers, Splints, and Aligners

Upon course completion, participants will be able to:

• Master Digital Retainer Production: Learn the complete process of digital retainer production, including best practices for patient scanning, STL file creation, efficient 3D printing techniques, and packaging strategies to enhance patient experience and brand identity.
• Streamline Digital Splint Creation: Understand how to accurately capture occlusion, leverage advanced design software for splint production, and implement efficient 3D printing workflows to optimize material use and production speed.
• Transition to Digital Aligner Production: Acquire the skills to capture precise patient scans for aligner design, utilize advanced digital software to handle simple to complex cases, and implement labor-efficient workflows from printing to final packaging.
• Implement Effective STL File Management: Develop robust practices for exporting, storing, and processing STL files in cloud-based systems to support scalable production workflows tailored to office demand.
• Optimize Delivery and Patient Communication: Enhance delivery appointment workflows for retainers, splints, and aligners by understanding key patient instruction techniques, ensuring seamless product transitions, and boosting compliance through well-organized packaging and presentation.

Overview of OrthoLab Evolution Course Content:

Printing 3D Models

• Mastering STL File Acquisition
  Learn the importance of obtaining high-quality STL files from scanning companies to ensure accurate digital impressions for precise orthodontic models.
• Optimizing Print Preparation
  Understand the critical steps in setting up 3D models correctly before printing to minimize errors and streamline the production process.
• Achieving Ideal Layer Height
  Explore the technical role of layer height, with 100 microns as the optimal setting, to produce high-resolution, professional-grade orthodontic models.
• Ensuring Final Product Excellence
  Discover the importance of 3D model processing to transform digital designs into high-quality, usable orthodontic models that meet professional standards.

Retainer Creation

• Importance of Quality Retainers
  Understand the critical role high-quality retainers play in ensuring patient satisfaction and the long-term success of orthodontic treatments.
• Benefits of Digital Workflow
  Explore how digital workflows enhance efficiency, precision, and customization in orthodontic treatment planning and retainer production.
• Customization and Thermoforming
  Learn the significance of tailored appliances and the thermoforming process for creating precise, comfortable retainers that meet individual patient needs.
• Standards and Packaging
  Discover the value of retainer time standards for workflow optimization and custom packaging for branding, organization, and improved patient experience.

Splints

• Transforming Patient Care Digitally
  Discover how digital workflows revolutionize orthodontic treatment, improving outcomes for teeth, joints, and muscles while enhancing patient satisfaction and trust.
• Cost-Effective Digital Printing
  Learn how digital printing, costing $3-$6 per model or splint, leverages STL files to streamline processes, boosting practice efficiency and affordability.
• AI-Enhanced Workflow Precision
  Understand the role of AI software in optimizing file management and print preparation, ensuring precise, efficient production of dental appliances.
• Improving Efficiency and Fit
  Explore how digital workflows reduce appointment times and prevent resin contamination, ensuring high-quality, well-fitting appliances for better patient experiences.

Aligners

• Digital Treatment Planning
  Utilize advanced orthodontic software to stage precise tooth movements, capturing patient records (STL scans, x-rays, photos) and exporting STL files for 3D printing, ensuring predictable outcomes.

• Material Selection for Aligners
  Choose thermoforming sheets based on durability, flexibility, color stability, and force deflection to ensure effective tooth movement and patient comfort, typically using 0.7 mm or 0.62 mm thicknesses.

• Model Preparation and Thermoforming
  Prepare 3D-printed models by cleaning, curing, and adding digital block-outs to address undercuts, followed by thermoforming aligners over the models for accurate fit.

• Finishing and Delivery
  Trim, polish, and clean thermoformed aligners to ensure smooth edges and patient comfort, then package with custom branding for delivery, enhancing efficiency and patient satisfaction.

Managing Consumables and Print Failures 

• Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) Management
  Safely handle IPA by recognizing its flammable vapor risks, monitoring saturation levels for resin residue, and disposing of it through biomedical waste facilities to avoid environmental or regulatory issues.

• Pre-Print Checklist Protocols
  Implement a structured pre-print checklist to ensure the resin is well-mixed, the resin tank membrane is intact, and no debris is present. This will minimize print failures and ensure consistent quality.

• Post-Print Quality Checks
  Perform post-print checks to confirm the printed object’s integrity, inspect the build plate and resin tank for residual material, and maintain proper resin levels to optimize future print performance.

• Post-Print Failure Troubleshooting
  Use a failure checklist to diagnose issues like objects sticking to the resin tank, delamination, or support structure failures, addressing causes such as membrane defects or improper build platform zeroing to refine the workflow.

Continuing Education

This training activity is designated for 3 CE for Self-Directed Learning with the subject code 370 Orthodontics.

Course 3: OrthoLab Refinement
Fine-tuning for scale, efficiency

and maximum profitability

Upon course completion, participants will be able to:

• Analyze the Economics of In-House Aligner Production: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the cost factors involved in producing aligners in-house, enabling informed financial decisions that align with maximizing profitability.

• Implement Scaling Strategies for Appliance Production: Learn how to scale in-office production effectively, maximize labor efficiency, optimize printer use, and save on materials to reduce overall aligner fees for the practice.

• Leverage Digital Workflows for Enhanced Communication: Understand how to create Visualized Treatment Objectives using digital workflows to elevate orthodontic treatment plans into 3D visual tools that improve collaboration with referring dentists and boost patient conversion rates.

• Adopt Innovative Direct Print Aligner Systems: Explore the development and implementation of direct print aligner technologies, learning the necessary software and processes for integrating this efficient system into your practice to save time and reduce waste.

• Promote Sustainability through Advanced Techniques: Master environmentally conscious production methods that eliminate printed model waste and promote more sustainable practices within your office, contributing to cost savings and environmental stewardship.

Overview of OrthoLab Refinement Course Content:

Economics of In-House Production of Aligners

• Precise Cost Calculation
  Learn to calculate per-unit costs by dividing total expenses by models produced, enabling effective pricing strategies and profitability management.
• Labor Cost Analysis
  Understand how to determine labor costs per item by dividing production time by hourly wages, ensuring accurate pricing and cost control.
• Optimizing Time and Workflow
  Explore strategies to enhance time efficiency and streamline workflows, boosting productivity and maintaining high-quality output in production.
• Balancing Pricing and Demand
  Master product pricing by factoring in costs and labor, alongside demand forecasting, to ensure profitability and efficient resource use.

Indirect Bonding Protocols in a Digital Workflow

• Benefits of Indirect Bonding
  Discover how indirect bonding reduces chair time from 17 minutes to 4.2 minutes, enhances bracket placement precision, and improves workflow efficiency compared to direct bonding.

• Digital Workflow for Tray Creation
  Learn the step-by-step process of capturing patient records (STL files, x-rays), setting up brackets in software like uLab, and generating custom trays for accurate bonding.

• Optimizing Bracket Placement
  Understand how to use digital tools to preset bracket heights, align with panoramic x-rays, and delegate tasks for precise, customizable positioning tailored to patient needs.

• Segmentation and Composite Strategies
  Explore tray segmentation options (sextants, quadrants, full arch) based on patient anatomy and isolation needs, and select viscous composites to ensure strong, void-free bonding.

Using Digital Workflows to Create Visualized Treatment Objectives

• Enhancing Interdisciplinary Communication
  Learn how 3D Treatment Letters improve collaboration with restorative and general dentists by clearly visualizing treatment plans, reducing miscommunication.
• Visualizing Treatment Outcomes
  Understand the power of 3D models to show anticipated results, aligning orthodontists, dentists, and patients on aesthetic and functional goals.
• Boosting Case Acceptance
  Discover how sharing precise 3D visualizations with patients and dentists fosters trust, clarity, and a 93% case acceptance rate for complex treatments.
• Streamlining Planning with Digital Tools
  Master setting up cases digitally before consultations to enhance efficiency, educate younger dentists, and deliver stable, predictable restorative outcomes.

Direct Print Aligners, The Future is Smarter Plastic

• Direct Print Workflow Efficiency
  Master the streamlined process of creating aligners from STL files to patient delivery, eliminating physical models to save time, reduce costs, and minimize waste compared to thermoforming.

• Material Science Advantages
  Understand the mechanical properties of direct print aligners, including high tensile strength, active memory for shape recovery, and customizable thickness, enabling precise and reliable tooth movement.

• Customizable Tooth Movement
  Learn how direct print aligners use pressure points, ridges, and variable thickness to reduce attachments, enhance patient comfort, and achieve complex movements like torque and rotation.

• Economic and Environmental Benefits
  Explore the cost savings of ~$5 per tray over thermoforming, scalability for in-house production, and reduced waste (8.68g vs. 30.4g per tray), promoting eco-friendly orthodontic practices.

Continuing Education

This training activity is designated for 4 CE for Self-Directed Learning with the subject code 370 Orthodontics.

Background, Education, and Military Service

Raised in a small Virginia farm town, Dr. Bill worked during high school as a farmhand, loaded dog feed, mowed church lawns, and pumped gas. He used his wages to help pay for his braces — an experience that set him on the path to becoming an orthodontist.

After graduating from The Citadel with a Bachelor of Science in biology, cum laude, Dr. Bill served as a paratrooper with the Army’s 82nd Airborne. While in dental school at the Medical University of South Carolina, he was elected and served four years as class president while earning his Doctorate of Dental Medicine.

As an orthodontic resident at Vanderbilt University, he was part of the cleft palate and craniofacial anomalies team and received extensive training in the dental treatments of obstructive sleep apnea. Dr. Bill was also chosen by his classmates and faculty to serve as chief resident.

Dr. Bill has also completed his Masters of Business Administration at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where he received the Ben Franklin Award. One’s peers vote on the Ben Franklin Award as the student is recognized for their leadership contributions to the class.

Service and Personal Life

Dr. Bill works with the University of Florida orthodontic residents to help further their education. By giving them insight into practice management for a patient-centric office, he helps improve the quality of care provided in the industry.

Dr. Bill has lived and worked in Clearwater since opening Straighten Up Orthodontics in 2005. His wife Andrea is a third-generation Floridian and a graduate of Clearwater High School. They have a son finishing his last year at Tulane University as a finance major and is starting to forge ahead with his life's goals.

Dr. Bill has also been involved as president of our local Rotary club and currently serves as program chair for the Florida Academy of Dental Practice Administrators, product development advisor for many companies in the 3D orthodontic ecosystem, and Alumni student support for the Wharton School Executive MBA students.