Ouch Dave,
First comes tough love...where you been hiding? Some of us been here almost ten years and documented our digital journey right here on this website. Heck, I remember when most of these members went out on a limb and got their first scanner, first milling machine, etc... You're wondering about the saddle, and I'm curious if the horse hasn't already left the stable without you brother. Seriously, you need to have a 'meet the Jesus' meeting with yourself and ask yourself if you even want to pursue this any further, does the old dog want to be taught new tricks?
I'm going to assume you finally realize your back is up against the wall, you don't have much choice at this point to not do anything because the ship is definitely taking on water and you're about to ring the bell to abandon ship. Now lets say you've had that 'meeting' and said, alright, I'm going to fight tooth and nail for my lab. Teach this old dog some new tricks right now folks!!! Being digital isn't going to save your six at this point, take a look around brother, most labs that are still in business are digital labs. Therefore, do you have yourself a niche? Do you do something better than anybody out there?...I doubt it, because if so, you probably wouldn't be here. So the real question comes down to what do you do now?????
Obviously, you need to get up to speed digitally (whether that's just get a scanner, find a local lab buddy who does digital that you can learn from, Luke mentioned Argens new lease program, tons of options out there). Then how do you get the work...you still need the work. Whens the last time you went to a dental study group, a dentist meeting, or went out and beat on their doors and introduced yourself? Do you even have a sales pamphlet, with what services you offer, what you can offer to a new Dentist? If you REALLY want to bounce back man, we will help you along the way. Most of us here are seeing the best March in our lifetime. And we haven't even scratched the surface on the marketing and sales strategy that we all share amongst ourselves, and the digital knowledge passed back and forth. I truly think if you flipped the script per say, and gave 110% to change your lab right here, right now, today....you absolutely could, and it's a great time to do it. You have to think like that too, you have to walk into your lab tomorrow morning like it's the first day of your lab, it's brand new, everything you do is going to be different. But it begs the question, after 42 years, are you even willing to make this radical change?
