A new Hello to all!

Scooter · 06-15-2009, 12:37 PM

Hello to all hope I can figure out what to do and not to do on the site. I’ve been enjoying a few of the back and forth I’ve seen in the past few days. It’s always great to be able to share concerns and thoughts with those whom understand, because most of us know our industry is fairly unique and not many know the efforts that we apply to our trade every day. As well as have so many to turn to for help in the daily trials and tribulations of techniques and solutions on all factors that perplex our day in day out operations (Okay that really sounded long winded). I’m new to NC, live in Flat Rock at the moment but moving to Charlotte soon. Have a vast background in the C&B side of dentistry for 25 plus years. Have had a lab from 3 man up to 12 for those past years and am now back to a one man lab and not sure if I’m going to rebuild in Charlotte or stay small. Look forward to the camaraderie in the future that the forums may offer and thanks for having me.

Scott

Scott Foster CDT
S Foster Dental Arts
Flat Rock, NC 28731
Foster783921@bellsouth.net

DMC · 06-15-2009, 06:27 PM

Howdy! from VA

Scott H. (My dad calls me scooter. I'll be scooter #2

)

TheLabGuy · 06-15-2009, 06:44 PM

Welcome Scott.......
Did you sell your previous lab? Why did you move, just curious is all..........

Scooter · 06-16-2009, 09:03 AM

Good morning I didn’t get your post till this morning I guess a large majority is on the west coast time us east coasters are early to bed and early to rise compared to you westies. No I didn’t sell the lab per say I was in Houston TX and got an offer on the building that we were in that was just too hard to pass up. Big jump on retirement as well as following a major restructure of the lab, which just seem to line up the stars telling me what to do. Stayed in long enough to find all my staff jobs and pair my accounts with other labs. As well my parents are getting to that age where one of us was going to need to move closer to them so that’s what put me in NC. Just like the Beverly Hillbillies a loaded up the truck and moved to NC. Charlotte is because I’m single and have a better life in the bigger cities, yet still only 1 ½ away from the folks (close but not to close). As well as I hoped to become more involved with “Sirona” I’m an “inlab” lab and really want to get much, much more involved with CAD CAM technology . Sorry DMC, But I am really curious about what you’re doing and where you think things are going. I’ve not read enough post to quite understand your prospective. I’ve seen some really nice work on a couple of the latest post “kudos” to the talents and hard work. I’ve joined the AACD and recently started my new venture Photography; this is like starting a new career. I bought the whole kit and caboodle from “Photo med” Cannon 40D, multiple flash systems, lenses, and mirrors. Wow put your work on a RAW image and look again, it just about made me cry. So back down the road of I’ll never be completely happy with my work just always a work in progress. I’ve done a mailer to a very target group of AACD guys around the Charlotte area about 85 dentist and only gotten 3 calls out of them do any of you know what I should expect, Is this good or not? In Texas I always just worked from word of mouth, it’s gone out twice and will go again at least once more.
Scott

JohnWilson · 06-16-2009, 09:35 AM

Welcome Scott,

Rebuilding from scratch has to be a nightmare. Especially in this economy I imagine it will be a slow grind.

AACD doctors are a double edge sword. On one hand they are some of the cleanest preps, most detailed requests, have a solid understanding of occlusion and are consistent in their work. On the negative side most cosmetic driven practices are down right now, getting your foot in the door to new clients is always harder when they are slow. Price often then becomes more of a factor which is horrid when your going after high end work. I suggest you set a niche for yourself. If you want to do CAD CAM then be exclusively CAD CAM.

As a one man show you have much more freedom than when you had the huge overhead choking you. You can pick and choose who you work for once you are established and you can choose to do less volume with high end units. Getting your name and ability out to the guys that can 1, afford you, and 2, can give you what you need to give then a high end unit is the hard part. Word of mouth in that niche market spreads when an exceptional ceramist comes to town.

I would like to hear more about your transition to learning photography, I know how paramount it is to high end work, it has been one of my hew years resolutions that sadly I have not kept.

Again welcome to the site.

Travis · 06-16-2009, 10:48 PM

Glad you found the site Scott.

I worry about digital impressions and the small labs failing because of the costs of this equipment.

Scooter · 06-17-2009, 08:26 AM

I agree I don’t think it will be any time soon that the end ceramics will be dominated out; Speaking more anterior and or large cases. But single simples, I believe is real, real close to being gone. Once the equipments in place, the competition will kick in lowering prices and probably even knock out most of the China work.

Scott

ericsept09 · 09-07-2009, 11:14 AM

Hi,

I am also new here. Myself Eric Blake from us. I just love to post on forum and share my feeling and experience. Hope you will enjoy with me. Thanks to all.

----------
cambridge dentist

kcdt · 09-07-2009, 03:16 PM

Welcome.
As one who relocated and started again from scratch... knock on doors and persevere. Study clubs or mentoring to groups looking for your skill set are another good way to go. I've spoken to WAY more folks than I work for, so it can be a numbers game. But the upside is that satisfied customers will start up the word of mouth that made you successful in the past.

06-15-2009, 12:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
Scooter Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New to Flat Rock NC soon to be in Charlotte NC Posts: 34 Rep Power: 0	A new Hello to all! Hello to all hope I can figure out what to do and not to do on the site. I’ve been enjoying a few of the back and forth I’ve seen in the past few days. It’s always great to be able to share concerns and thoughts with those whom understand, because most of us know our industry is fairly unique and not many know the efforts that we apply to our trade every day. As well as have so many to turn to for help in the daily trials and tribulations of techniques and solutions on all factors that perplex our day in day out operations (Okay that really sounded long winded). I’m new to NC, live in Flat Rock at the moment but moving to Charlotte soon. Have a vast background in the C&B side of dentistry for 25 plus years. Have had a lab from 3 man up to 12 for those past years and am now back to a one man lab and not sure if I’m going to rebuild in Charlotte or stay small. Look forward to the camaraderie in the future that the forums may offer and thanks for having me. Scott Scott Foster CDT S Foster Dental Arts Flat Rock, NC 28731 Foster783921@bellsouth.net

06-15-2009, 06:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
DMC banned Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 508 Rep Power: 2	Howdy! from VA Scott H. (My dad calls me scooter. I'll be scooter #2)

06-15-2009, 06:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
TheLabGuy Just a Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1075 Rep Power: 4	Welcome Scott....... Did you sell your previous lab? Why did you move, just curious is all.......... __________________ Semper Fi, Rob Teachout, CDT Patriot Dental Lab http://www.patriotdentallab.com

06-16-2009, 09:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
Scooter Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New to Flat Rock NC soon to be in Charlotte NC Posts: 34 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for getting back Good morning I didn’t get your post till this morning I guess a large majority is on the west coast time us east coasters are early to bed and early to rise compared to you westies. No I didn’t sell the lab per say I was in Houston TX and got an offer on the building that we were in that was just too hard to pass up. Big jump on retirement as well as following a major restructure of the lab, which just seem to line up the stars telling me what to do. Stayed in long enough to find all my staff jobs and pair my accounts with other labs. As well my parents are getting to that age where one of us was going to need to move closer to them so that’s what put me in NC. Just like the Beverly Hillbillies a loaded up the truck and moved to NC. Charlotte is because I’m single and have a better life in the bigger cities, yet still only 1 ½ away from the folks (close but not to close). As well as I hoped to become more involved with “Sirona” I’m an “inlab” lab and really want to get much, much more involved with CAD CAM technology . Sorry DMC, But I am really curious about what you’re doing and where you think things are going. I’ve not read enough post to quite understand your prospective. I’ve seen some really nice work on a couple of the latest post “kudos” to the talents and hard work. I’ve joined the AACD and recently started my new venture Photography; this is like starting a new career. I bought the whole kit and caboodle from “Photo med” Cannon 40D, multiple flash systems, lenses, and mirrors. Wow put your work on a RAW image and look again, it just about made me cry. So back down the road of I’ll never be completely happy with my work just always a work in progress. I’ve done a mailer to a very target group of AACD guys around the Charlotte area about 85 dentist and only gotten 3 calls out of them do any of you know what I should expect, Is this good or not? In Texas I always just worked from word of mouth, it’s gone out twice and will go again at least once more. Scott

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06-16-2009, 09:35 AM	#5 (permalink)
JohnWilson Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 315 Rep Power: 3	Welcome Scott, Rebuilding from scratch has to be a nightmare. Especially in this economy I imagine it will be a slow grind. AACD doctors are a double edge sword. On one hand they are some of the cleanest preps, most detailed requests, have a solid understanding of occlusion and are consistent in their work. On the negative side most cosmetic driven practices are down right now, getting your foot in the door to new clients is always harder when they are slow. Price often then becomes more of a factor which is horrid when your going after high end work. I suggest you set a niche for yourself. If you want to do CAD CAM then be exclusively CAD CAM. As a one man show you have much more freedom than when you had the huge overhead choking you. You can pick and choose who you work for once you are established and you can choose to do less volume with high end units. Getting your name and ability out to the guys that can 1, afford you, and 2, can give you what you need to give then a high end unit is the hard part. Word of mouth in that niche market spreads when an exceptional ceramist comes to town. I would like to hear more about your transition to learning photography, I know how paramount it is to high end work, it has been one of my hew years resolutions that sadly I have not kept. Again welcome to the site.

06-16-2009, 10:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
Travis Buell Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: PA Age: 34 Posts: 1854 Rep Power: 4	Glad you found the site Scott. I worry about digital impressions and the small labs failing because of the costs of this equipment.

06-17-2009, 08:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
Scooter Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New to Flat Rock NC soon to be in Charlotte NC Posts: 34 Rep Power: 0	I agree I don’t think it will be any time soon that the end ceramics will be dominated out; Speaking more anterior and or large cases. But single simples, I believe is real, real close to being gone. Once the equipments in place, the competition will kick in lowering prices and probably even knock out most of the China work. Scott

09-07-2009, 11:14 AM	#8 (permalink)
ericsept09 Banned Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: California Posts: 1 Rep Power: 0	Hi, I am also new here. Myself Eric Blake from us. I just love to post on forum and share my feeling and experience. Hope you will enjoy with me. Thanks to all. ---------- cambridge dentist

09-07-2009, 03:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
kcdt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 511 Rep Power: 2	Welcome. As one who relocated and started again from scratch... knock on doors and persevere. Study clubs or mentoring to groups looking for your skill set are another good way to go. I've spoken to WAY more folks than I work for, so it can be a numbers game. But the upside is that satisfied customers will start up the word of mouth that made you successful in the past.