INTERVIEW WITH GARETH GRIMES. INTERVIEW BY MATT EVERATT Leave a comment

Hi Gareth, thanks for joining me today and great to see you are enjoying your new role heading the Digital Team at DMG. I have known Gareth for many years and he has been a great contact for our laboratory over the years and I am certain you are doing a fantastic job in bringing Labs and Clinics together.

YOUR ROLE AT DMG. IN A FEW SENTENCES, GIVE ME A WHISTLE-STOP TOUR OF YOUR ROLE AT DMG?

I’ve previously done some collaborations with DMG so I was fully aware of the great products they manufacture and had heard about their digital solutions, which were interesting to me. I joined in August last year and my main responsibility was to look after the key accounts within the dental industry but when I looked into the digital side of things, I was hooked. I then inherited the position of Digital Team Manager as well.

DMG SEEM TO HAVE GOT THE RIGHT PERSON, I HAVE HAD FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE OF YOU IN YOUR PREVIOUS ROLE WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN A CONDUIT BETWEEN LAB AND CLINIC, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU AND DMG ARE HOPING TO ACHIEVE?

Yes, it is. I have always had the opinion that the key to a successful partnership between dental labs and dental practices is making sure everything runs smoothly and is kept as simple as possible. I believe that the best approach to achieve this is through strong communication and relationships, which is something I have always worked to promote to my customers in previous roles. One of the things that attracted me to DMG was the ethos of relationship building they had taken throughout the design of the digital workflow and software DentaMile. The system promotes networking opportunities for DentaMile users, which is a really exciting benefit for dental labs.

DENTAMILE SOFTWARE SOUNDS GREAT, I HAVE HAD A BRIEF LOOK ON THE DMG WEBSITE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING FOR MOST LABS, FROM THE SMALLEST 1-PERSON LAB TO LARGER CORPORATES. CAN YOU EXPLAIN A BIT MORE ABOUT IT?

DentaMile is our fully encrypted, innovative cloud-based software with a range of user licenses to suit different needs, enabling the dental practice to design the appliance themselves for the lab to print, or just send the scan file for design and print to be carried out by the lab. This means there is the perfect solution for everyone depending on how involved they want to be in the process. From the lab side, this gives great networking opportunities as they can offer licenses to their dental partners and grow their business through printing.
The workflows within DentaMile have been created to make the entire design, fabrication, and processing procedure easier, slicker, and faster – giving users confidence that the appliance will be created without any hold backs.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT AND VERY INNOVATIVE, IS THE SOFTWARE EXCLUSIVE TO DMG?

Yes it is, it has been created in-house. We have a dedicated team in Hamburg at DMG Headquarters who are constantly implementing new ideas to help users get the best from it. What I love most is that they are open to ideas and really take on comments from our current users in order to improve the software and make it as efficient, practical, and beneficial as possible.

HOW DOES IT DIFFER TO OTHER OPTIONS?

The DentaMile software is the key differentiator in our workflow. It is fully encrypted making it secure and compliant, and it is also cloud-based so everything can be easily accessed by authorised users wherever you are (allowing design to be carried out away from the lab if required, which is great for home working).
It is open to all intraoral scanning devices and it is fun to use, almost child’s play so to speak – which is great when is comes to dental practices who want to design appliances and then delegate the printing to the lab. Alternatively, it can work the other way around, the dental practice can send the STL file securely over to the lab for design, then it can be sent back and printed chair side for same day dentistry> This is what many patients now want and I think it is where we are heading. DentaMile can help keep labs in the loop with this.

WHAT SORT OF DEVICES CAN BE DESIGNED USING THE SOFTWARE?

We have smooth and efficient workflows for the production of splints and bleaching trays but with the use of other software alongside it, such as Netfabb, models, implant guides, special trays, gingival masks and casts can also be designed and printed. Over the next 12 months there will be some big introductions coming, but I can’t say much more on that for now… watch this space!
As you can imagine with my background, I was sold on the bleaching tray workflow. The quality of the print and the softness and clarity of the resin is pretty impressive and the costs associated make it a no brainer!

ARE THERE ANY AUTOMATION ASPECTS THAT SPEED UP THE DESIGN PROCESS?

Our system is not automated but it only requires a very short learning curve, everything else is prompted and fully explained. All the parameters are pre-programmed with our Luxaprint resins and the whole workflow carries RFID-detection of material.
We provide excellent training and ongoing support free of charge, which is carried out by our in-house Technical Support Manager, who is an experienced ex-dental technician.

I GUESS DMG OFFER MATERIALS AND PRINTERS TO SUPPORT THE CAD/CAM DESIGNS?

We do have our own range of printers, with a range of capabilities depending on volume but also an entire system including coordinated post-processing.
Along with our Luxaprint resins and DentaMile software, an efficient validated workflow is now possible for digital production, providing same day dentistry.

IS THERE A LAB TO LAB OPTION? SAY FOR CASES WHERE A LAB MAY SUB OUT THEIR IMPLANT WORK BUT DO THE REST IN HOUSE?

Of course, the whole idea behind DentaMile is to create a network of printing facilities to support the whole dental population, obviously there is an option to lock users into labs and keep them hidden from the DentaMile network.

TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE START-UP COSTS, DO LABS NEED POWERFUL PCS/MACS, IS THERE A NEED FOR FAST BROADBAND?

Because DentaMile is cloud-based it just requires a good Wifi connection or LAN and Google Chrome. Costs are super competitive, the full production license is £1135 + VAT a year and to simple give your customer a license allowing them to securely send the case that would be £68 + VAT, which is kept at a low cost to enable labs to add a margin on for their own profit.

HAVE YOU GOT ANY DIGITAL EXAMPLES OF THE TYPE OF CASES THAT CAN BE COMPLETED ON DENTAMILE?

See the images in the article.

SO, IF I WANTED TO START UP TODAY, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO AND WOULD YOU HELP LABS SEEK CUSTOMERS WANTING THESE LAB SERVICES?

By contacting the Cheshire based head office on 01656 789 401 or emailing me on gareth@dmg-dental.co.uk
Yes, we already have a number of labs using our complete workflow and part of that agreement is the help merge current and new customers on to the DentaMile platform and provide the training. This is something we feel strongly about because we want to make the whole process fast and simple.
Visit DMG live on site in Hall 10.1, G020/H029 at IDS in Cologne from 14-18th March 2023 or virtually via IDS connect.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *