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William matwijec

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Hi I am 63 years old and have been a technician since 1978. I work alone in a clinic and we start around 10 units a day. I do some private work too but gave up trying to get my own work. Seems like all most dentists are interested in is low prices. I’m tired and just trying to get through until I can retire. Probably in 5 years. I do get paid well and treated very well. Feel burnt out. Any advice. Mostly just complaining and looking to see if others feel the same. Also would switching to digital make my workflow easier.?
 
CatamountRob

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It depends, if you switch everything to digital and outsource it’ll probably make your life easier. If you are only outsourcing part of it you may find yourself trying to juggle all the different workflows. I get IO scans for some cases, scan models for others and do some stuff analog and it can be a challenge.
 
JKraver

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Hi I am 63 years old and have been a technician since 1978. I work alone in a clinic and we start around 10 units a day. I do some private work too but gave up trying to get my own work. Seems like all most dentists are interested in is low prices. I’m tired and just trying to get through until I can retire. Probably in 5 years. I do get paid well and treated very well. Feel burnt out. Any advice. Mostly just complaining and looking to see if others feel the same. Also would switching to digital make my workflow easier.?
I have been doing it for 10 years, some days/weeks you just don't feel like doing all the job requires. I imagine you are fixed? You do 10 units a day, model work, wax, cast/press?, and finish? That is pretty incredible. Even staggered over 2 weeks that is quite a lot for one person. I do traditional dentures, receive IO scans, design and finish crowns. I am busier than a fly in a cattle holding pen. Somedays I am super productive some days I am not. This job is taxing it takes it from your soul.
 
bigj1972

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Hi I am 63 years old and have been a technician since 1978. I work alone in a clinic and we start around 10 units a day. I do some private work too but gave up trying to get my own work. Seems like all most dentists are interested in is low prices. I’m tired and just trying to get through until I can retire. Probably in 5 years. I do get paid well and treated very well. Feel burnt out. Any advice. Mostly just complaining and looking to see if others feel the same. Also would switching to digital make my workflow easier.?
Posted in removable.
Your just feeling your experience.
 
JKraver

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Posted in removable.
Your just feeling your experience.
Bro, Vacation is tomorrow I am dying. 😪

Also 10 dentures a day start to finish, is damn fast. I thought I was fast able to do a Upper/Lower start to finish in a day. Dude blows me out of the water.
 
Doris A

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It depends, if you switch everything to digital and outsource it’ll probably make your life easier. If you are only outsourcing part of it you may find yourself trying to juggle all the different workflows. I get IO scans for some cases, scan models for others and do some stuff analog and it can be a challenge.
What are you doing on here?!?!? You're supposed to be fishing!!!
 
Doris A

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Hi I am 63 years old and have been a technician since 1978. I work alone in a clinic and we start around 10 units a day. I do some private work too but gave up trying to get my own work. Seems like all most dentists are interested in is low prices. I’m tired and just trying to get through until I can retire. Probably in 5 years. I do get paid well and treated very well. Feel burnt out. Any advice. Mostly just complaining and looking to see if others feel the same. Also would switching to digital make my workflow easier.?
I'm the same age as you, I get where you're coming from. I plan on retiring in 4-5 years as well. Take a vacation, it'll help. So will going digital.
 
Flipperlady

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I've been burned out on the people side of dentistry for about 5 years now. I think most artistic types aren't exactly people persons although you have to be to have a lab or deal with the different characters that make up dentistry. I go back and forth, when I get sick of it I go do something else, then go back when I want. You only have one life, seize the day ! :)
 
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William matwijec

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Thanks. Kind of just venting. My typical day is pour 10 sets of models, process units, finish 6 to ten, and set up maybe 16 units. I pour process everything, which I hate but only way to do so fast. I get to see my finished product and deal with the patients which is both rewarding and frustrating. Since the pandemic the clinics work has exploded. I also get paid extremely well and get a months vacation. Really need to just need to separate my work from home. Really just needed to hear from other techs. Thanks
 
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Doing that much, you should be tired! I'm also in house denture tech but I pressure pack. I'm set up to produce 5 units a day, either setups or places and I thought I was busy! Those are on top of relines, repairs, adjustments, etc. Does this mean I have to quit bitching? BTW i'm 65.
 
Car 54

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63 and I need a vacation too, as I'm sick and tired of waking up sick and tired 😊

 
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Doris A

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There's a commonality to this thread.....we're all getting old!!!!
It's a good thing that digital dentures are getting better because it won't be long and there won't be any denture techs left who know how to set up and finish a denture!
 
TheLabGuy

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The daily grind gets to all of us...doesn't matter what job you have really. Although, if I was in your situation i'd definitely make a case to hire someone...at least to do the processing/finishing/polishing to help you out. You do enough to make a case for another person. That should should give you a breather and make it a little more enjoyable once you get that person trained up to your standards. Hang in there, makes that cold one that much smoother.
 
npdynamite

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It sounds like you are in a position where you may want to hire someone good at digital things with good attention to detail and a good eye to train on your process and help take things digital. Going digital could certainly help but trying to keep up that much work solo while learning the digital process could be tough
 
Doris A

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Ive got ~30 more years.... on my sentence.
You're just a baby! Get out and enjoy your life, don't be tied to the bench every waking hour!
 
zero_zero

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I'd say just retire and enjoy life while you can.... I used to run a small 8 person C&B lab pulling very long hours, even I had close to 8 wks vacation I felt getting burned out. Closed it down last April and moved to my favorite holiday destination, took a year off to try to figure out this retirement thing. I got bored, getting drunk daily at the beach gets old real quick, specially for someone programmed for a fast paced lifestyle. Nowadays I barely work, (4-5 hours a day, max) only in a support role for my dental practice... making my own schedule, if I don't feel like finishing a case, patient comes in another time.
 
sndmn2

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I hear ya. I got my first lab job Jan of "78". Turning 65 this year. I don't actually mind doing the work. But as a one man lab I'm pretty sick of all the other crap that goes with it. Going to retire in a couple years and go work part time somewhere. I have no kids close by and no grand kids to play with and my wife certainly doesn't want me under her feet all day.
 
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43 here. That’s an impressive work load.
 

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