Darius Raudys grew up in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania, amidst turbulent demonstrations against the political domination of the Soviet Union. Surrounded by violent upheaval, young Darius never could have imagined that his future would find him living in Southern California, where today he serves as general manager of the Implant department at Glidewell Laboratories, with more than 20 years of dental technology experience and 400 employees reporting to him. Read his unique perspective on implant dentistry and what he predicts for the future for general dentists who offer implant treatment to their patients.

CHAIRSIDE^® MAGAZINE: What was the culture like growing up in Lithuania?

DARIUS RAUDYS: The environment at that time was rigid and unstable. We didn’t have independence as a country, and we had to adapt to what Russia at the time was dictating. I remember it as a very tumultuous time, with tanks rolling down the streets and people crushed. Once Lithuania got its independence and Soviet forces withdrew from the city, the country had to restructure and restart the economy. Everyone’s life had to be rebuilt, and it was tough. It’s not a big country, and we didn’t have a lot of resources.

CM: And what brought you to the United States?

DR: In 1996, my mom and my brother, who was 10 at the time, immigrated to the U.S. I remained behind for one year on my own until I graduated from high school. Upon graduation, I decided I wanted to be either an architect or a lawyer. At that time, there were not a lot of opportunities in my country, so I decided it would be better for my future if I moved to the United States. It was obviously a great decision.

While waiting for my green card, I worked as a dishwasher, washed cars — whatever I could find to make ends meet. My mother, recognizing my love of architecture and my ability to work well with my hands, suggested I go into dental technology. She said, “They make crowns and carve things out of wax, and it might be a good profession for you.” Mom knew best! She’s the one who paid for me to go to dental technology school.

CM: I understand that you found your way to Glidewell somewhat serendipitously. Tell me about that.

DR: Upon graduation from dental technology school, I initially applied for a job at Glidewell. But during the week or so that it took for them to process my application, another lab had already hired me. It was a small boutique lab of five people, and I correctly assumed that I could learn a lot there. I knew that by working in a small lab, I’d get to do everything. It was a good place to learn. I remained there for 12 years, at which point I felt there was no room left for me to grow.

I then decided to go into real estate. So, I passed my real estate exam, received my license, and was deciding whether to pursue commercial or residential real estate when a chance encounter at — of all places — a Benihana restaurant changed the trajectory of my future. My family was seated next to Jim Glidewell and his family. Of course, being from the dental business, I knew Glidewell Laboratories, and Jim was a rock star to me. We started a conversation and I mentioned that I was considering a change in careers from the dental industry. Jim said that he’d just created a new department for implant restorations and they were looking for people. He then asked if I would like to interview there. The interview took place a few days later, and I got the job.

CM: Wow! And so began your career at Glidewell.

DR: I started as a technician, doing framing, waxing and finishing, followed by a stint in the BioTemps^® department. I observed for about three months, then returned and started working with BioTemps in our Implant department. From there, I went on to observe many different departments and I learned as much as I could. Four years in, I became a production manager, helping to run the department. When my boss was promoted, I was lucky enough to be named general manager. So, I’ve been working with implants since the beginning.

CM: How has the world of implants evolved over the past decade?

DR: Implant treatment has been around for a while, but within the past 10 years, it’s become simpler and more predictable for general dentists — especially with digital technology and the education offered here by the Glidewell International Technology Center and elsewhere, like the Misch International Implant Institute. Our DTP (Digital Treatment Planning) department creates surgical guides to assist doctors in executing a treatment plan that is both safe and prosthetically driven, which makes it even more predictable to place implants.

CM: What do you feel has led to your department’s success?

DR: Our Implant department has grown because we focus on producing these restorations with the skill and knowledge needed to help dentists get a great outcome. Originally — back when I was working at the boutique lab where I got started — the process was all analog, with everything done by hand. Now with CAD/CAM technology, our implant restorations are fabricated with a high degree of precision and delivered with confidence. We’ve come a long way, and I think we’re just scratching the surface. I see a bright future for implant dentistry.

Another reason we’ve been successful is because Glidewell is vertically integrated. We have Prismatik Dentalcraft, which is the manufacturing arm of Glidewell and makes most of the implant components we use for cases, allowing us to provide substantial savings to our customers. Other labs have to buy these same components — either from other implant manufacturers or from third-party vendors, and that adds significantly to the lab cost, which is then passed on to the doctors. We put emphasis on our fast turnaround time, efficiency and quality, and that has helped us to grow over the years. We’re able to finish these restorations within a matter of days, completely on-site, whereas so many of our competitors outsource to China or India, causing a significant delay. Another advantage we have here is that we can process a high volume of restorations every day. We offer virtually every type of implant restoration a doctor will need. Our department provides solutions for the entire restorative process, from bone grafting, to dental implants, to surgical guides, all the way to the final restoration.

CM: Surveys project that the growing popularity of implant treatment along with our aging population will lead to an increased demand for sophisticated dental treatment, including dental implants. What will this mean for your department?

DR: Our BruxZir Full-Arch Implant Prosthesis was invented to replace acrylic screw-retained hybrid dentures. This beautiful product resists stains and won’t break or wear down like acrylic, and it looks as beautiful as a piece of jewelry. We created this restoration about six years ago, and it’s still the fastest-growing restoration on the market. We expect this product — as well as other high-quality, reasonably priced restorative solutions — to continue to grow. We want to ensure that doctors can provide affordable treatment for their patients.

CM: Do you have any educational resources we should know about?

DR: We do. The Glidewell Dental Symposium offers a wealth of practical and innovative information. It’s being held on Nov. 8–9 in Orlando, Florida. Besides that, we have informative articles in Chairside magazine, as well as the CE courses on our website. We have clinicians — including Drs. Jack Hahn, Paresh Patel and Timothy Kosinski — who’ve performed thousands of implant cases, and they love to share their knowledge with the dentists who come to our courses and study clubs. We’re also working to provide more education with the use of a simplified, user-friendly protocol.

CM: When you’re not running an implant department, what do you do in your off-hours?

DR: I have a 1½-year-old son and a second son who was born very recently. Two boys! My mom still lives here, and my brother lives nearby. We try to get together as much as we can. It’s usually at my mom’s house, because she does the cooking. Lithuanian cooking — you can’t beat it! I talk to my dad, who still lives in Lithuania, weekly.

CM: And finally, where do you see yourself in five years?

DR: I see myself here! I’ve been with Glidewell for nine years and would like to retire here — it’s a great company with an incredible group of loyal customers. I’ve been fortunate enough to be supported in everything I do. I’ve been given the freedom to create and innovate. Additionally, I pride myself on identifying new talent, and I have a lot of capable people with tremendous potential who work with me. You can’t run a department by yourself, and I believe that when you surround yourself with good people, you can point them in the right direction and get out of the way, because they’ll get it done. I work with an amazing group of people that I look forward to seeing every day. I’m very lucky to be the manager of my team. The future looks to bring endless possibilities, and I, for one, can’t wait to work on whatever comes next.

CM: Thanks so much for sharing your insight into this exciting field of implant dentistry. We look forward to the new innovations Glidewell will offer in the years to come.

DR: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure speaking with you.