Meet Jerry and Danny Ulaszek of Artistic Dental Laboratories in Downtown Chicago

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry and Danny Ulaszek.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jerry and Danny. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When you visit the dentist, did you ever wonder where your dentist gets the products and materials to take proper care of your smile? Sports guards, mouth guards, veneers, crowns, removable appliances, dentures? Dentists throughout the Chicago area turn to Artistic Dental Laboratories, a full service Certified Dental Laboratory that has been making products in their downtown Chicago lab and their Bolingbrook lab since 1981. Everything is proudly made in the USA by American workers.

Here is the father (Jerry Ulaszek) and son (Danny Ulaszek) business that started in 1981. The son was born on the day the incorporation papers arrived, so you can truly say he grew with the business.

Jerry: After graduating from SIU, I worked as a laboratory technician in two dental offices. In 1981, I started Artistic Dental Laboratories with a partner. We focused the business on communication with our clients, quality restorations, and respect of the employees. Those three pillars still remain in place today. The business grew from two people to 75 employees today.

Danny: I started with Artistic Dental Laboratories full-time in 2006. At that time, 99% of what we made was by hand. I’ve always been good at taking things apart and problem solving, this was a way to do that every day. As computers and automation came into the industry, I was able to take what I had learned at the workbench and adapt it to CAD/CAM. Now using CNC mills, 3D printing and CAD it’s hard to imagine doing things any differently.

Has it been a smooth road?
Educating patients on the importance of knowing where and how their dental restorations are being made. A skilled dentist will always use a quality lab. With increased healthcare costs, some dentists cut corners by using an overseas lab; however, you can’t be assured that an overseas lab is using materials that meet FDA standards. It is important for patients to have a discussion with their doctor about where the lab they use is located and their restoration is being made to ensure their overall oral health and well-being.

Jerry: The biggest challenges I faced, and still face, is as the business grows the current systems may no longer give me the information I need to make an informed decision. We have reached an inflection point where change is happening at an increasing rate. The business is now more capital intensive so the decisions are more critical to our future success.

Danny: Keeping up with emerging products and technologies. Computers have accelerated the pace at which technology advances. You must live in a state of constant change which is not easy for a lot of people. But to stay relevant in this day you cannot rest on the “rules of old” you must always be adaptive to the advances that will change some of those “rules”.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Artistic Dental Laboratories – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We work with dentists who provide the best care for their patients by restoring the natural beauty of their patients smile. We give people their smile back. There are many reasons a person needs a dental restoration, e.g., injury, illness, etc., There is no better feeling than to see the joy in someone’s face the first time they see their teeth restored. A properly restored smile will improve the look of a person, but it can also improve their self-esteem, their eating habits, and their overall health.

The dental laboratory is a crucial element in the delivery of quality dental care. At Artistic Dental Laboratories, we only use FDA approved materials, the manager of every department is a Certified Dental Technician, we have a knowledgeable, experienced staff, and all of our products are made here in the Chicago area. We feel it is imperative that we have the latest technology to deliver the highest quality product in the most cost-effective manner possible.

Jerry: The business started as a totally handcraft business to today where almost all of our restorations have a large percentage of the tasks being automated. Teeth have not changed, we only make them with different methods.

Danny: Founded in 1981 with two people, we are now 75+ strong and a local leader in Digital Dental Technology. We do this by making strong partnerships with suppliers and staying relevant with new products and technologies.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Great employees!

Jerry: In my opinion, luck is when you take advantage of an opportunity. The harder I have worked the luckier I have become. Luck/opportunity does not last long, you have to keep searching for another lucky opportunity and take advantage of it for as long as it lasts.

Danny: 1. Being able to start in the industry when CAD/CAM was it its infancy and being able to grow with the technology as it emerged.

2. Being able to work with my father. It definitely has its challenges but I could think of no better mentor.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
We love the City of Chicago. We love the pace of the city. There are so many things to do, the beautiful parks, the lake, the lakeshore, the wonderful museums, sports teams, and the attraction of the city for visitors. We love hosting educational events for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and their staff. The location of our two labs provides us to invite people from around the country to our lab to educate and provide hands-on training for new products, materials and services.

If there was something not to like about the city it would be parking, finding it and the cost of it.

Most of us grew up in Chicago so we are used to the weather; however, the extreme cold and heat always tests our staff because we do free. daily pick-up and delivery to the dentist office, so we can’t avoid the weather.

Contact Info:

• Address: 30 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1817, Chicago, Illinois 60602
  470 Woodcreek Drive, Bolingbrook, Illinois 60440
• Website: www.artisticdl.com
• Phone: 630.679.8686
• Email: veronica@artisticdl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artisticdentallab
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtisticDentalLab/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/artisticdl

Image Credit:
Veronica Porter

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