This month, I’m checking in with Michael Suris, Jr. to ask 5 Questions with Dental Professional Labs.  Michael is President of DPL, a full service dental laboratory in Indiana.

Michael Dunn:  Tell us about Dental Professional Labs. What services do you offer?

Michael Suris:  DPL is a full service dental laboratory. We offer a full line of Crown & Bridge products, including restorative, implant and cosmetic materials and restorations. We have a removables department that does everything from baseplates and bite-rims to dentures and partials with precision attachments. We offer digital services that include restorations that can be done the same day or next day.

MD:  How was DPL started?

MS:  DPL was started in 1969 by Mike Suris (my father) and his business partner, Vince.  My dad later bought out his partner and was joined by my mother, Dorothy, and
myself.  Together, along with my wife Tanja, we have grown the family business.  There
have been others that have joined us throughout the years.  Our family business is truly
an extended family.  The very first technician that my father hired is with us still and
heads up our implant department.  Our most valuable asset is our employees.  Their skills and attention to details is what has made our lab successful.

MD:  What makes DPL unique compared to similar service providers?

MS:  DPL has grown to become a leader in digital dentistry.  With over 13 years of CAD/CAM experience, and partnerships with major manufacturers in the dental industry, we are able to provide services and options to doctors that very few other labs can provide. We are constantly upgrading systems and trying to educate our technicians as well as our clients.

MD:  What trends do you think will have the biggest impact on the dental industry in the next 5 – 10 years?

MS:  The biggest trend is definitely going to be digital dentistry.  We have seen the start
of the trend already.  Besides the benefits of digital x-rays, there are benefits in digital
impressioning also.  When you see impression material manufacturers coming out with
DI units, you can see that the writing is on the wall.

Another big trend is social networking and social media. We are in the process of updating our website as well as building a larger presence on social sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We are hoping that this gives dentists easier access to what’s available for their patients in addition to helping to educate the public about their options for dental health and esthetics.

MD:  What’s next for DPL?  What can we look forward to?

MS:  We have been around for 45 years, so we have seen many things come and go.  We will definitely continue to use the old tried and true materials and methods.  However, we will always keep at least one eye looking ahead toward the future.  As new materials
and technologies develop we will always be looking to provide our clients and their
patients with the best choices for each case.  I am sure we will be seeing less and less
of impression materials and more of digital scans.  We look forward to doing all aspects of restorative dentistry in the fastest, most reliable, esthetically pleasing ways possible.  That goes for crown and bridge, removables, implants, and orthodontics.

Thank you, Michael, for taking some time to share your answers to my 5 Questions With…  To learn more about Dental Professional Labs, or to ask some questions of your own, please contact them.  I’m sure they would love to hear from you.

And, as always, I would love to hear from you too.  Please comment below or reach out.  I welcome your feedback and recommendations for future 5 Questions With… profiles.