CUTV News Radio spotlights Sheri Elks of ToothWerks Inc.

Washington, NC – The last ten years have seen an evolutionary leap in digital technology in the field of dentistry.

Sheri Elks is the founder and owner of ToothWerks, an independent laboratory providing services to dentists throughout North Carolina.

“One thing that drew me to this industry was that there was a lot of artistry in this,” says Sheri. “No matter what type of crown or bridge I fabricate, I’m not finished until I would be happy to have it in my own mouth. This is someone’s smile we’re talking about.”

ToothWerks was first established in October of 1996. For most of those 21 years, every crown and bridge was handmade by Sheri from start to finish. In the last year, however, ToothWerks has transitioned to doing things digitally. Where once it might take three days to fabricate a porcelain fused metal crown or bridge, with the latest state-of-the-art technology it can be completed overnight.

“When digital technology first started, I feared we would lose the artistic skills of making a crown and bridge,” says Sheri. “But over the past 10 years the technology and the quality of the materials has really improved. And the quality will continue to get better and better.”

Sheri says she did a great deal of research on the materials as well as how the milling machines were going to behave. For a small lab such as ToothWerks, this technology is a major investment. In the end, says Sheri, it was about the patients.

“Once in a while a doctor will call me over and say, "You've got to come see this."  I might get a hug or I'll see the patient’s tears. That's when it's worth it all: to see how the patients react means the world to me.”

For more information on ToothWerks, visit www.SheriElks.com.