The Digital Lab Coordinator Academy is a comprehensive training program designed to help digital coordinators confidently manage the technology, workflows, and processes behind modern orthodontic practices. From capturing high-quality scans and navigating treatment-planning software to 3D printing, appliance fabrication, lab organization, equipment maintenance, and vendor relationships, the course covers the full digital workflow from start to finish.

Through practical training and proven strategies, the Digital Lab Coordinator Academy helps team members become a more effective extension of the orthodontist while improving efficiency, communication, quality, and resource management. Participants also learn how to maximize their technology investments, streamline day-to-day workflows, communicate across the clinic and lab, and create an action plan for continued improvement.

Module 1: The DC Defined

  • Course Overview & Introduction
  • Classifying your Digital Practice
  • Evolution of the DC
  • “Tech” vs “Coordinator”
  • The 4 Roles of a DC & Time Management

Module 2: Scanning for Gold

  • The Importance of Quality Scans
  • Scanning Hardware
  • Patient Preparation
  • Pre-Scanning Basics
  • Palates & Arches Please

Module 3: Software Symphony

  • Case Submission 101
  • Software Platform Rundown
  • In-house Treatment Planning Stages
  • Maximizing Your Investments

Module 4: DC Treatment Planning

  • Serving Up Doc’s Nights & Weekends
  • Becoming an Extension of Your Doc
  • Setting Up Cases Like a Pro
  • Maximizing Treatment Planning Efficiency

Module 5: Precision Printing

  • Printing vs. Fabricating
  • Know Your Printers
  • Setting Up Your Build
  • Your Pre-Print Checklist
  • Maximizing Your Machines

Module 6: Fabricate the Fit

  • Lab Setup & Safety
  • The 6 Steps of Quality Fabrication
  • Stop Washing Money Down the Drain
  • Keep Your Thermal Forming from Sucking
  • The 4 Keys to Workflow Efficiency

Module 7: Packaging & Shipping

  • Cleaning Your Lab Output
  • Say “Bye-bye” to Baggies with Custom Packaging
  • Work-in-Progress Tracking & Lab Organization
  • The Lab Tracker: Your Logistical Hub
  • Receiving Protocols & Multi-Location Workflows

Module 8: Maintenance & Ordering

  • Equipment Care and Maintenance Rules
  • Warranty Awareness & Repairs
  • Counting Consumables
  • The Keys to Successful Ordering
  • Stewarding Doc’s Resources Well

Module 9: Outsourcing & Vendor Relations

  • When to Outsource & Why
  • D-CODE Your Practice (Digital Report Card)
  • Leveraging Supplier Support
  • Keeping the Trains Running on Time

Module 10: Practice Communication

  • Internal Communication Platforms & Protocols
  • External Communication
  • Implementation & Change Management
  • Navigating the Clinic-Lab Divide

Module 11: Marketing Strategies

  • Spotlighting Benefits, Not Features
  • Selling with Software
  • Promoting Yourself First
  • Custom Printing Ideas

Module 12: Loading the Future

  • Highlights & Takeaways
  • Creating an Action Plan
  • Measuring Your Success
  • What Comes Next?

BONUS Module: Tech Report

  • Our Favorite Things
  • Latest Developments & Corrections
  • News & Updates