SO far I can see three generations of Dental technicians before us.  1. The inventors, these are the people around at the conceptualization of porc to metal crown.  2. The High and Mighty, these were the techs and owners around in the 80’s growing their labs into the bubble of the early 90’s 3. The re-inventors, these guys got the metal free, oxide sub-structure up and going.  And now there is Us, the next generation, the technicians fighting outsourcing, fighting for our jobs.  The ones realizing that we have to get better as an industry.  Stepping away from the “cottage industry” and into the lime-light.  Alot of people want to do this but don’t really know how.  EDUCATION! That’s how.  How many of you know the envelope of function, neutral zone, cuspid guidance (truely) anterior disclusion.  How many can talk to a Doctor, ….. on his terms, using vocabulary he can understand.  While I’m easy going and layed back, I can still talk intelligably with any dentist.  Including the great ones who have choosen to continue their education at an advanced training facility.  And speaking of…  Advanced training, why don’t more of us attend the Dawson Center, LVI, OBI, Seattle institute, or any of the number of advanced training facitities, why don’t we invest in ourselves, our future and our role as a whole in the dental technician industry?  LAZINESS.. that’s why.  I am the first to admit, I don’t want to save up the $2000 to take the week off, loose pay and go to the Dawson Center, in Florida. Bbbbuuuutttt, If I don’t will I ever make more than $20 an hour, umm nope, won’t happen.  Why?  Because.  People invest 10’s of thousands of dollars in themselves to go to a 4 year college, why can’t we get loans, or shoot see if there are grants out there pertaining to adult education, hmm a little time and we might be able to get advanced training for free.  I’ll say it again; laziness…….  Well I see why we are worried about offshore competition.  They are just as good as us because they have been trained to the same thing as us, How soon will it be before they are better?  How soon before they realize they need to invest in themselves?  How soon before you realize?