Robert Vartanian, Trident VP Sales & Marketing and Anna Luke, Trident Marketing Coordinator

A Series of Firsts

Reinventing itself daily, Trident Dental Laboratories is crafting ways to serve all dentists through unique partnerships in education, marketing and laboratory services. Trident is often first to market with promotional materials, business development ideas and one-of-a-kind laboratory services.

By thinking long-term, venturing into untested territory and dedicating itself to its dentists without regard to profit, Trident has set itself apart from other dental laboratories. In doing so, it has also positioned itself to meet the rapidly changing psychological and technological demands of all dentists. With industry-transforming television shows such as Extreme Makeover and The Swan, dentistry is no longer just a business of functionality. Esthetics, an increase in patient self-esteem, and spa-like experiences are now expected from patients all across the country. Trident has been a pioneer in this evolution by bringing doctors up to speed with the newest, most effective case acceptance strategies, products and technologies.

Any company that excels through innovation takes many risks. If successful, new ground is broken and the bar is raised, forcing competitors to follow. If unsuccessful, the failed risk is still helpful by becoming a stepping-stone to greater focus, harder work, and ultimately a more well-rounded business. Laurence K. Fishman, CEO & President of Trident Dental Laboratories, views every risk as an opportunity. “In my experience, hard work brings true success,” Fishman said. “No business can have everything it wants all at the same time. Growth personally and professionally is a process––it must be to truly learn from each experience.”

It is a well-known fact that Trident is the first lab to offer a Signature Lifetime Guarantee on its products. Until it introduced this policy, no other lab had ever uttered the word “guarantee,” or, for that matter, “lifetime” by itself or next to each other. Fortunately for Trident and its clients, the risk of this guarantee is minimized with the use of superior products and services. The Lifetime Guarantee eases the mind of the dentist and ultimately the patient. Trident’s flexibility makes sense because, after all, dentistry is an art form––and sometimes art needs a second draft.

Another first to Trident is its new, quarterly-published Unique Products catalog. This 12-page book is designed to highlight some of the most unique products in the dental market space. The best aspect of this project is that Trident dedicated its own resources to discover what doctors need and want for their practices. Trident realizes dentists are, in many cases, too busy to discover these products on their own. Their time is just too valuable. Plus, many of these items have not been fully marketed and are “flying under the radar,” so to speak. What other dental laboratory invests its own money promoting another company’s product just to serve its clients?

Free temporary restorations? Over one year ago, Trident became the first lab to offer this awesome benefit for its clients and their patients. In making this offer, Trident also made the entire process easy––simply submit the Tri-Temps invoice with the final restorative case, and the entire amount of the Tri-Temps bill is credited.

Education breeds success

While it may not be a new idea for dental labs to provide dentists with marketing or promotional materials, Trident’s award-winning practice resources are some of the best. Whether it’s Trident’s well-designed practice development kits, which include models, standees, posters, brochures and other interactive materials for patients; or the reusable Case Analysis Chart/Treatment Option Chart (a dry-erase board) for dentists; these professionally produced materials save dentists valuable time and a small fortune. Trident Dental Laboratories understands that a nurturing doctor-patient relationship is the key to case acceptance. By providing a well-rounded experience at the dental office, the patient feels important, included, and more aware. This leads to a greater willingness to comply with treatment options.

An additional example of Trident’s dedication to the dental office is its understanding of the everyday challenges of treatment plan acceptance. Trident has invested its resources to develop a unique, interactive Extreme Smile Makeover Kit. This kit includes a host of tools to assist the entire dental office in convincing patients to take their smiles from ordinary to extraordinary. The patients “see it” in the standee poster as they enter the practice; they “read it” in the handbook on the coffee table; they “interact” in a Rate Your Smile Quiz that’s handed to them when they arrive, and they “hear it” in a four-minute video while seated in the dental chair. Trident includes easy-to-follow steps that demonstrate how a dental office can make the best use of each tool in the kit. When patients accept treatment with excitement, the dental profession becomes more enjoyable and the referrals from pleased clients increase the dentist’s business effortlessly.

Communication: Show and tell

After 17 years in the dental laboratory business, Trident recognizes the constant need for increased communication between the dentist and dental lab team. Current technology provides another first to the dental industry from Trident: Tri-Connect, a live, real-time connection to Trident. Through Tri-Connect, dentists will be in direct visual and audio contact with their lab team in an over-the-shoulder camera approach. Trident technicians will view the patient from the same perspective as the dentist, allowing the team concept to become a real-time reality. 

“We are using the same core technology that is to be used with Tri-Connect to establish a ‘practice consultation network’ at the University of Washington,” says Dr. Joel Berg, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at UW. “By allowing real-time live video examination across the state, and potentially across the country, we allow doctors and patients alike to provide immediate comment on intraoral examinations, radiographs, still images, or live communication including patient questions.”

With Tri-Connect, a Trident technician will be able make restorative suggestions and take directions from the dentist. Conversation and images can be recorded and documented, reducing the need for corrections and possible remakes. Imagine a technician seeing exactly what the dentists see––LIVE! This enhanced communication venue is yet another example of how Trident is reinventing the dental industry. Robert P. Vartanian, VP Sales & Marketing concludes, “Tri-Connect is the missing link in the dentist-lab relationship. It amazes me how we as a lab can perfect a crown for a patient we’ve never seen by interpreting a doctor’s interpretation of the patient’s concerns, and yet we are successful. I can only imagine the precision and efficiency that will result from the use of Tri-Connect! This technology is truly impressive.”

Furthermore, Trident assists dentists in a variety of issues pertaining to “Practice Building Strategies” in its quarterly magazine entitled Perspectives. Well-known experts from various fields contribute articles that address needs and demands all dental professionals face on a daily basis. The current Summer 2005 issue features an article entitled “Elite Dental Laboratories Take Full-Service Approach” by Sally McKenzie of McKenzie Management and “Secrets to Motivating Your Dental Patients” by Dr. Roger Levin of The Levin Group, Inc. Sally McKenzie shares that “the elite, full-service dental laboratories are offering “the whole package,” including a selection of value-added services and products, such as patient education tools, practice development kits, and educational training.” Trident produces Perspectives free of charge as a service to help dentists realize their potential. It is a high-quality, professional periodical that bears the Trident signature.

Company Values

Trident’s employment philosophy is very simple: When an employee accepts a position at Trident, he or she owns the responsibility of ensuring that the customer always has an outstanding experience. Whether in Sales & Marketing, Diagnostics, Laboratory Production, Quality Control, Shipping or Accounting; Trident’s employees are aware of the importance of exemplary customer service. Every interaction with a client is a potential “good” or “bad” rating. “Our goal is to forge a partnership with the dental community that promotes quality dentistry and happy patients,” Fishman explains. “When I see my employees embrace that goal, I feel like we’ve already met it.” With a phone pickup rate of 99.7%, a redo ratio 2% lower than the industry standard and an on-time delivery rate of 98.5%, Trident not only philosophizes its success, but can prove it as well.

Trident attributes its success to its dedication to core values of: quality, service, value, and its consistency in its commitment to excellence. This dedication starts with guaranteeing Trident’s work 100%, and taking care of its customers at all costs. Trident wants its customers to expect a quality restoration, depend on its service and receive value.

For more information on Trident Dental Laboratories’ services, please call toll-free (800) 221-4831 or visit them online at www.tridentlab.com.

Trident’s 10 Tips on How to Get Your Patients to Say “YES” to Restorative Options

• Educate and motivate your staff
• Have your patients in the right frame of mind
• Ask open-ended questions
• Use scripting for doctor and staff presentations
• Educate the patient
• Use demonstration models and other visual aids
• Address the most-frequently asked patient questions before they are asked
• Use support statements
• Ask for a commitment
• Follow-up with a phone call

About Trident Founder, CEO and President Laurence K. Fishman

Laurence K. Fishman was introduced to dentistry through his father, Dr. Fishman, a practicing dentist. As a child Laurence was curious about dentistry. He would sit in his father’s dental office and put all the crowns and models back together. As an adolescent, Laurence dreamed of one day becoming a businessman and helping others. This seemed a challenging feat to accomplish and wondered if it were possible to make his dream come true in the dental industry. At the age of 18 he began working at a 50-man dental laboratory as a driver. Having a natural affinity for lab work, he started to learn the inner-workings of a dental lab with an “over the shoulder” technique; watching technicians fabricate cases.

In 1988, he began to formulate ideas to improve logistics and efficiencies, which motivated him to open Trident Dental Laboratories at the age of 24. Now, after 17 years at the helm, Trident currently supports over 1,000 employees. Laurence’s business philosophy is that every dentist who uses Trident’s services should expect quality, depend on Trident’s service and always receive value. When asked if he could share one final thought with all his peers in the industry, Laurence said, “There isn’t a lab out there that will work with dentists as Trident does. I care so much about my clients that it is impossible for me not to work harder every day. This shows not only through the quality products Trident provides, but also equipping today’s dentist with all the necessary tools to build the dream-practice and make his or her patients’ smiles truly beautiful.”