Most teenagers don’t imagine staying at their very first job forever, but Joe Hattouni found his niche when he began working at Glidewell Laboratories in the late 1980s at 19 years of age. Hattouni, a first-generation immigrant from Lebanon, came to the United States with a clear objective in mind: to work for a dental lab.

Whether it was through fate or merely a coincidence, Hattouni achieved his goal almost as soon as he landed in Southern California. Passionate about his new trade, Hattouni worked hard to learn about his surroundings in the lab. As an ambitious young man, he foresaw boundless potential at Glidewell, which allowed him to capitalize on the opportunities that a growing business and hard work afford. Nearly three decades later, Hattouni hasn’t stopped setting, pursuing and achieving his goals.

Recently, Hattouni sat down with Chairside^® magazine to discuss how he went from being an eager yet inexperienced lab technician to serving as the director of lab operations at one of the largest dental manufacturing companies in the world. Over the course of almost 30 years, Hattouni has experienced the booming technological development of Glidewell Laboratories, and along the way he has taken advantage of numerous opportunities for professional growth. Hattouni’s success serves as an inspiration to many at Glidewell and proves that opportunities are largely based on what a person decides to make of them.

CHAIRSIDE MAGAZINE: Joe, it’s so nice to have you here with us today. Can we start by having you tell us a little more about your background?

JOE HATTOUNI: I emigrated from Lebanon to America a few months shy of my 19th birthday. My brother and sister moved to the United States before me, so I obtained a green card through my family ties. When I arrived in Orange, California, I had known I wanted to get a job in the dental industry ever since a friend of mine suggested that I’d love it. He was in dental school and convinced me that it was something I should get into because he thought I’d be a perfect fit. With his advice in mind, I decided to give it a try.

By coincidence, the old Glidewell lab was in the same area that I moved to. After I submitted my application, I went through the interview process and was offered a position within the company. This was a unique and exciting experience for me because I had never had a job before. After three months of working, I decided to attend Riverside Community College and pursue a degree in dental technology so I could be better at my job. When I completed my program in 1991, I came back to Glidewell. So in total, I’ve been with the company for nearly 28 years.

CM: That’s quite a long time to be with one company and definitely something to be proud of. Thinking back to the beginning of your career, what’s one distinct memory that you have?

JH: Well, I was the first person to ever work the night shift at Glidewell. Before me, that was uncharted territory. When my shift began at 6 p.m., I arrived happy, proud and full of energy. By 8 p.m., things changed. I was waxing, and I looked up and saw that I was completely alone. On the positive side, I had a lot of work to complete before my shift was over at 3 a.m., so I continued working on my projects until then.

When my shift ended, I realized that there was one slight problem: All the doors were still left open. Because this was the first time someone had ever been on the night shift, there was a bit of confusion concerning the lockup policy. I had no idea what to do, so I waited until 5:30 a.m. for the first guy to come to work. Thinking back, the first day was a bit scary, but I quickly figured everything out after that. Afterward, I received a key to lock up; however, I often stayed so busy that I would meet the first employees coming into work every morning.

CM: So, you started out as a night-shift technician, and you’re now the director of lab operations at Glidewell Laboratories. That’s quite a significant change. What led you to that point, and what does your job entail now?

JH: Well, that comes with many years of experience, and it’s certainly not something that happened overnight. To direct lab operations at this level, you need to know every angle of the business. Fortunately, I’ve been given the opportunity to work in nearly every department, from casting to the final stages before the restoration is shipped.

During my first few years in management, I oversaw quality control. Then, I got promoted to general manager at one of the company’s satellite locations, which I did for five years, followed by an opportunity to run the Fixed department back at Glidewell. Now, as director of lab operations, I manage our primary lab and all our satellite labs, while also ensuring the implementation, quality and speediness of all aspects of production.

CM: What kind of skill set and expertise do you need to manage this many people in the lab?

Because of my experience in this industry, I speak our employees’ language, whether they are a die trimmer or the general manager of our best satellite lab.

JH: Communication and experience are the two most important factors. Because of my experience in this industry, I speak our employees’ language, whether they are a die trimmer or the general manager of our best satellite lab. Being able to understand where someone is coming from allows you to be more effective when you are trying to communicate a message.

In terms of experience, a quick half-hour assessment of the technicians working on the floor gives me a good understanding of the lab’s strengths. It’s not because I’m more talented or smarter than anyone; it’s simply because I’ve been doing it for so long. Over the years, I’ve seen so many cases, units and complicated issues that I know right away what needs to be done.

One thing that’s also helped me is being able to be so close to Jim Glidewell for the past few decades. I learned from the best. He is always accessible, which allows those running the lab to understand his vision and implement it into what we are doing. With our company growing such a large amount over time, he’s taught us all how to be adaptable, which has been incredibly important to our success.

CM: How has the company changed in terms of growth since you’ve started, and how has that affected the lab?

JH: When I first started at Glidewell in the late ’80s, we had about 135 staff members in total. Fast-forward nearly 28 years later, and our company now has 4,429 employees. Including remote locations, I’m in charge of about 1,790 people. The numbers alone tell you how much our company has grown over the years.

Another one of the most significant changes in the lab is the kind of technology and materials we use to offer better-quality dental solutions that have a higher degree of precision and greater efficiency. When I started, porcelain fused to metal was the best restorative solution that we could offer. Now, that almost seems ancient in terms of the boundaries we are exploring. From the use of CAD/CAM, to BruxZir^® Solid Zirconia, Obsidian^® Fused to Metal (Glidewell Laboratories; Newport Beach, Calif.), the Hahn™ Tapered Implant (Glidewell Direct; Irvine, Calif.) and our own software development, it’s incredible to think about how much we’ve adapted and grown as a company. It’s so exciting to see the things happening here and watching the future of dentistry happen before our very eyes.

From the use of CAD/CAM, to BruxZir^® Solid Zirconia, Obsidian^® Fused to Metal, the Hahn™ Tapered Implant and our own software development, it’s incredible to think about how much we’ve adapted and grown as a company.

CM: Why should doctors choose Glidewell? How does the company benefit the customer and patients at a greater level?

JH: Because of the technology we are using and how we’ve streamlined our lab process, we have the best turnaround. Our CAD/CAM system is so precise that doctors don’t often have to worry about adjustments. A one-hour appointment turns into a 20-minute appointment. The patients are getting their teeth at a quick and consistent rate. The devices we have allow for a speed that’s difficult to match. A traditional lab might take up to three weeks to finish a restoration, while our process takes two to five days. Doctors get excellent quality much faster, which is something that has a direct effect on patients. They will be happier because they won’t have to wear their temps for a long time.

Our quality control process is also meticulous. We don’t want our doctors to have to worry about remakes, so we’ve paid particular attention to creating a process that involves quality control at every stage, beginning as soon as the case enters the lab. If the restoration isn’t up to the standards of our expert quality control technicians, it does not leave the lab.

Another one of our biggest goals is to provide the best customer service possible. This means that our warranty is unbeatable; if something happens to the crown, we’re going to remake it free of charge. We don’t ask questions. In addition, our customer service representatives answer technical questions with precision. As a result of their extensive training, they can respond accurately and intelligently to any questions or concerns dentists may have. This helps doctors because they might be dealing with a complicated case and may solicit advice on how to resolve it based on what we’ve seen in the past. We want doctors to know that we are here as a resource if they need us.

CM: How are technicians trained and educated so they can prevent mistakes from happening?

JH: It depends on what department they work for. We try to train people in one specific area so that they can concentrate on becoming an expert in a particular part of the lab process. For instance, if it’s CAD/CAM fabrication, we have a lot of managers and supervisors on the floor training our technicians one-on-one.

Our education department also provides mandatory courses, which last up to 12 weeks. Lastly, we have a library of educational videos that Jim has personally developed. The techs use these to learn, hear and follow the process that is being taught. I would say that it is possible for a new technician to become a great designer within 10 weeks through our educational programs and the way we have structured the lab.

CM: Why do you think Glidewell Laboratories places so much emphasis on education?

JH: Education is such an important component of Jim’s philosophy. Learning helps us keep up with the latest developments that are happening as the industry changes. Without this resource, professionals in the industry can’t be expected to properly do their job. That’s why we are so open about the kind of information that we share. From technicians to outside visitors who are interested in what we’re accomplishing here, Jim feels like it’s never a waste to teach someone what we are doing. He is genuinely interested in making the field of dentistry better as a whole.

CM: Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of work? I notice that you have something on your desk that suggests you might be a hunter of sorts.

JH: That is actually a knife that Jim brought back from Alaska and gave to me as a gift. The handle is made from animal bone, while the blade is made from obsidian glass. It’s a nod to our own Obsidian lithium silicate ceramic.

While I’m not much of a hunter, I’d say that my interests and hobbies revolve mostly around whatever my three kids are doing, whether that’s sports or other extracurricular activities. All three of them play basketball, and I love being involved in helping them practice. It is something that we all enjoy doing, and it allows us time together as a family. It’s wonderful to watch your kids grow and help develop them toward success.

CM: Thank you so much for speaking with us today. It’s amazing to see how your journey at Glidewell has evolved over almost three decades.

JH: You’re welcome. These past 28 years have flown by, and I’m looking forward to all the exciting new developments that we have in store for our customers. It’s truly been an honor to watch the company grow and serve the needs of doctors who want high-quality restorations, but at an affordable price. As director of lab operations, I can say we will continue in our mission to provide these services to all of those who choose Glidewell.