From Brenda's Bench

TSBDE Rules & Regulation Changes For Dental Laboratories, Effective Feb. 17, 2009

2009-03-29T17:51:00.002-05:00

For updated Rules & Regulations (there are 3) regarding any dental laboratory doing business in the state of Texas, click HERE. These Rules are in a PDF document and you will need Adobe Reader to open the file. They are effective as of February 17, 2009.

For Those Interested In DLAT Membership

2009-03-29T17:45:00.002-05:00

This link is for any Technician who desires to become a DLAT member for $40.00. Click HERE to download a Membership Form, fill out the "Technician Membership" portion of the form, and send your check in to the DLAT Executive Office (address at bottom of form).

GHDLA--Houston Study Group

2009-02-10T11:00:00.004-06:00

For all of the Dental Technicians in the Houston and surrounding area, the next meeting of the GHDLA (Houston Study Group) is all day Saturday, March 28, 2009. Post cards are being mailed out this next week with pre-registration instructions to everyone on the mailing list. On Site Registration starts at 7:15 am at the Marriott Hobby Airport location. Clinics start promptly at 8:00 am. For more information, please contact Phyllis Smith, Secretary at 281-482-0038.

DLAT Board Meeting Schedule

2009-02-09T17:49:00.005-06:00

The next DLAT Board Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Apr. 5, 2009 around 9:00 am in conjunction with the DFW Regional Conference and Expo held at the Omni Mandalay in Las Colinas, (Irving) TX. Check the Clinic listing in the program for exact room location. This Board Meeting will be open to anyone interested. Look here, or to the DLAT website ( www.dlat.org) and click on "events schedule" for any updates.

Board Meeting Comments from Feb. 6, 2009

2009-02-09T17:09:00.003-06:00

This year marks (hopefully) the start of our turn toward attracting younger technicians, and re-instating the use of Committees in DLAT. My desire is to start, and moderate, new dialog for changes in our approach to this very important organization. My desire is NOT to be a "one woman band" in trying to do things differently. I am a firm believer in surrounding yourself with folks that do things BETTER than you do, so that the progress made, is always in a forward motion. I truly hope this Board of Directors can share a vision for growth that can be carried into next year, and the next.

2009-01-10T08:42:00.003-06:00

Left to Right; Rick Barton, CDT; Gary Morgan, CDT, Chairman; Brady Bradley, CDT
2009 Dental Laboratory Certification Council Members

DLAT Houston Conference and Expo

2008-11-20T09:00:00.005-06:00

Today I'm headed for the DLAT Houston meeting at the Marriott North Greenspoint. It will take place Fri. Nov. 21 through Sun. Nov. 23, 2008. If you were unable to pre-register, come on anyway! We're happy to take on-site registrations.

I'm looking forward to the Board Meeting this afternoon, and continuing a positive and new direction for the Lab Assn. for 2009. I will be posting meeting notices and updates here, so check back often.

The 2009 DLAT officers are:
Felix Silva CDT-Garland TX, Past-President;
Brenda Triplett CDT-Pasadena TX, President;
Leo Cortes CDT-San Antonio TX, President-Elect;
Larry Mercadel CDT-Austin TX, First Vice President;
Ernest Cardenas CDT-San Antonio TX, Second Vice President;
Elyese Anderson CDT-Austin TX, Secretary-Treasurer;
Keith Wilson-Carrollton TX, Affiliate/Technician Liaison;
Larry Mercadel CDT-Austin TX, Legal and Legislative Chairman;
Gary Box CDT-Plano TX, Director;
Wendy Wagner CDT-San Angelo TX, Director;
Milton Pokladnik CDT,ret-Dallas TX, Executive Director

Along with the meeting activities, I will, most definitely, be rooting for my Texas Tech Red Raiders to beat up on OU Saturday night! Guns Up! That would be a GREAT birthday present (which is actually Sunday Nov. 23).

Have a great weekend

A Visit With River City Study Group

2008-11-08T16:10:00.010-06:00

Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 I found myself traveling to San Antonio to spend the day with the good dental technician folks from River City Study Group. Richard Gamble, Leo Cortes, Diana Gaston, and Ernie Cardenas welcomed me and made me feel right at home. The guys and gals of River City do a fantastic job coordinating their bi-annual meeting. The meeting is held at the Omni Hotel near I-10 and Wurzbach, and from the check in, to lunch, to exhibitors, to prize drawings, to clinicians, they handle everything smoothly and professionally. They are a "stand up" group of folks and I had a great time. I chose to go to River City's meeting because our DLAT Houston Conference and Expo scheduled for Sept. 19-21, 2008 had to be postponed due to Hurricane Ike (that's a story all to itself, for another day). I had never attended River City and had heard very good things about the group. The speakers they had for this meeting included Chris Miller from Dentsply Ceramco with a great presentation on the Cercon system, Ed Flocken sponsored by Sirona with a look at why you should consider offering some type of CAD CAM product in your lab, Tom Moore and Jason Stubbs with a great overview on how to legally outsource internationally if you operate a dental laboratory in Texas, Dentsply Raintree Essix on their many uses for mouthguard and splint material, and finally Leo Cortes with an Infection Control (Regulatory Compliance) update. Some of the exhibitors included Dentsply Ceramco, Dentsply Raintree Essix, Sirona, Argen Corp., H & H Lighting just to name a few. If you are interested in coming to River City for their next meeting, it will be held Saturday, June 13, 2009 at the same Omni hotel location. The cost for attending is $70.00 pre-registration and $100.00 at the door. Contact Richard Gamble or Diana Gaston at (210) 479-8767 to get youself on their mailing list. BUT don't forget the rescheduled DLAT Houston Conference is Nov. 21-23, 2008 at Marriott North Greenspoint. For more information you can go to our website at www.dlat.org or email me for further info.