dental technician

customer relations representative

driver

delivery driver

cad technician

Ottawa Dental Laboratory

Let me start off by saying that this company does not care about its people whatsoever. And for me personally, this was never more clear than a week after starting a new job after I left. The company does pick favorites and does allow room for advancement if they like you based on varying criteria. While yes, you have the opportunity to grow and move up within your department based on your technical skills and knowledge, ultimately that only gets you so far. You have to meet ridiculous production goals. And with those goals, I was only ever able to achieve that goal if I cheated the system. I witnessed several other of my coworkers get pushed to the point of complete exhaustion just so the department I worked in could meet its numbers for the month. Any company that manipulates its employees into meeting sale numbers at the expense of their physical and mental health is not one that truly cares about its employees. They claim to pay more than fairly but from what I've seen, there's better money to be made elsewhere. They wholly expect you to just move up within the company and not have any other plans for your life. If you plan on attending college, this is not the place to work while you do that. That being said, the work is interesting and can be rewarding if this is the field you want to advance in. The fact that this is such a large lab, it means very rarely will you be able to do anything different than the 2-3 things you'll do in your entire shift. You'll be told you have plenty of opportunities to learn more advanced things but very rarely does that promise get fulfilled in a reasonable time frame. Also be expected to learn fast. I will say the people that have been there for quite a while are good at what they do and are knowledgeable. So it's okay to ask questions. But the downside to that is everyone does things differently so you will almost certainly run into being told conflicting answers when you have one question. I have so many bad things to say about Ottawa Dental Lab, because they claim to be so great in this industry, and never fulfill that promise to their employees. The last thing I'll say about them is  about the medical insurance they provide to their employees. The deductible and premium are insane and unreasonable. For a company it's size, they are definitely able to negotiate more effectively. 

I've worked for ODL-SB for going on 9 years, in that time through the help on Ottawa's resources I was able to expand my knowledge base to areas I never thought possible for myself. They have an amazing study club that I was able to enter and use to get my National certification in Dental Technology with no out of pocket costs. ODL paid for all my testing, prep work, and will continue to pay for my certification as long as I hold it. 

The team at the South Bend location is phenomenal,  everyone works really well together and gives support when needed. A lot of places say their team is like family but here it really is.

The work can be stressful at times trying to meet deadlines but each day is different and the time flies by. Every day we are met with new challenges which is nice because it keeps everything interesting and provides plenty of learning opportunities and room for growth. 

Overall I'm extremely grateful that I found my forever home in a field that I love working for a company that has provided me every opportunity for growth I could need. 

Unless you are desperate to get into the dental field, I would not suggest to work for Ottawa Dental Lab. Your performance reviews are based solely on quantity of work and the amounts expected means you will need to sacrifice quality in order to meet it. If you care at all about the product that you create, any technician role is not for you. Advancement is not achievable unless someone in a higher position leaves. Management avoids dealing with serious problems, be they lab based or personal based. It is also a toxic work environment, especially if you are new to the field because there are those who expect you to be perfect right away. Management lies constantly, and if you complain about anything, you are just met with a generic reply saying that "you do a good job and we really value your work," while having no knowledge of what you do in the first place. The high turnover rate for low level positions should be seen as a red flag for anyone considering to apply. The pay is not worth the amount of work you will need to do and the company has gone out of their way to place multiple barriers to getting pay increases.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The people I directly worked with were great. The work was easy and always something to do.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The management  there is awful. Too many managers and no one to do the work. There os no safe space to express your concerns or issues that arise.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Micro managing at its finest! There is no communication between departments and too many egos in the way to get to the final result. There are meetings every few minutes and not a manager in site when needed. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
As soon as I clock in (don't be late even by a few seconds) there were cases to invoice and get boxed up for drivers. The morning was always crazy, not enough space for the amount of work and workers that are there, so constant confusion and very overwhelming. Once drivers are out then the rest of the day is spent invoicing cases that are coming up from production.

A typical day at Ottawa Dental Laboratory involves crafting dental appliances, collaborating with technicians, and focusing on precision and quality in every case. You’re part of a process that directly supports dentists and patient care. I learned the importance of detail-oriented work, how to work efficiently in a lab setting, and the technical side of dental materials. Management is approachable, encourages professional development, and gives helpful feedback. The workplace culture is supportive, clean, and team-focused, with a strong emphasis on safety and quality.

The hardest part of the job is handling complex cases or rush orders under tight deadlines, but the most enjoyable part is knowing your work helps people smile again—literally. The satisfaction of craftsmanship and patient impact is incredibly motivating. 

A typical day at Ottawa Dental Laboratory involves working on custom dental restorations with great attention to detail, communicating with team members, and meeting production timelines. The work is hands-on and rewarding, especially knowing that the products directly help patients. I’ve learned valuable technical skills in dental fabrication and quality control, as well as how to work efficiently as part of a production team. Management is approachable, supportive, and takes time to provide feedback and training. The workplace culture emphasizes teamwork, accuracy, and pride in craftsmanship. The hardest part of the job is maintaining precision under time pressure, but the training and tools provided make it manageable. The most enjoyable part is seeing the results of your work and being part of a team that values quality and collaboration.



housekeeping shifts are long and boring, not enough work for how long they make the shift. management acts really nice to you and like everything is okay, but then comes to you with issues like time off in a rude way. Definitely the worst job I had in regards to taking time off, they are strict about it. you only get 5 unpaid days off, then after a year you get 5 paid days off. not much of a pay off for hard work you put in. they make you clock in on your phone on this app that is supposed to tell your location but never works and almost causes you to clock in late because it can’t pick up the right location even though you are on time. the cleaning isn’t hard simple stuff, but like I said not enough work for the hours you have so it gets very boring. the employees are nice, but it’s just the management that acts like your life should revolve around your part time job cleaning toilets. 

I’ve been working at Ottawa Dental Laboratory for three years now, and I can honestly say it's the best job I've ever had! The atmosphere here is welcoming and supportive, and you can really feel the teamwork among our talented staff.

The focus on crafting top-notch dental prosthetics is impressive – we take pride in what we do, ensuring each piece meets the highest standards. My colleagues are not only skilled but also passionate about their work, making every day a rewarding experience.

The management truly cares about our growth and well-being, providing continuous training and opportunities to enhance our skills. If you're looking for a great place to work in the dental field, I highly recommend Ottawa Dental Laboratory in South Bend. It’s a place where you can thrive both personally and professionally!

I worked at the Lab for around 20 years. After many years of being passed over for promotions I decided that I had no future at the lab so I enrolled in college. When I approached management about dropping to part time to pursue my education, they refused. They said they couldn't offer me part time because I was a level 3 employee. They do offer other employees part time, including ones that are a higher level. 
They are a very unfair place to work. They do not give promotions based on skill of work. They continuously treat the employees that meet all their expectations like garbage. If you want to work at a place that your pay scale will be based on how well they like you instead of on your ability to work, this is the place for you!

This is a family run company, and it shows. They celebrated their employees families especially during the giving holidays. They do work you hard but it’s all in the word work. You stay busy most of the time making time go by quickly. In the long run you are treated well by your coworkers and it’s a nice place to work. They also try to educate you the best they can so you can advance but patience is needed as obstacles tend to happen especially in these times. I loved working here, I wouldn’t have left had it not been for family situations. I enjoy being busy and told thank you for my hard work. In the long run what you are doing here is making a difference in the patients life by producing the best product you can. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Dental technician 11 salaries reported	$17.25 per hour
Customer relations representative 5 salaries reported	$16.84 per hour
Driver 5 salaries reported	$15.51 per hour
Delivery driver 4 salaries reported	$15.38 per hour
Cad technician 4 salaries reported	$21.11 per hour

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