Become a Confident Orthodontic Technician with the Skills Needed to Launch a Career
Become the Orthodontic Lab Technician You Want to Be
✔ Weekly Live Group Coaching & Mentorship
✔ Personalized Learning Path Based on Your Goals
✔ Hands-On Appliance Fabrication Training
✔ Build Confidence Fabricating Orthodontic Appliances
✔ Learn Real-World Lab Workflows & Best Practices
✔ Access an Ever-Growing Library of Training Resources
✔ Join a Community of Technicians Who Support Each Other
✔ Get Your Questions Answered by a CDT with Nearly 30 Years of Experience
Designed for Technicians Who Want More
✔ Dental & Orthodontic Assistants
✔ In-House Orthodontic Lab Technicians
✔ Dental Lab Technicians Transitioning into Orthodontics
✔ Future Orthodontic Lab Owners
✔ Home-Based Orthodontic Lab Entrepreneurs
Cade, in 2000, as an Orthodontic Assitant
Meet Your Instructor
Hi, I’m Cade Tippett, and I’ve been working in the orthodontic laboratory industry for nearly 30 years.
My journey began as a junior in high school when I worked as an orthodontic assistant for my hometown orthodontist. I quickly fell in love with the profession and went on to study Pre-Med/Pre-Dental at Tarleton State University before discovering that my true passion wasn’t becoming the doctor—it was building the appliances that help create beautiful smiles.
I attended the Dental Laboratory Technology program at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where I graduated at the top of my class. After earning my Certified Dental Technician (CDT) credential in Orthodontics, I started my first orthodontic laboratory in a spare bedroom of my home.
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to build and manage orthodontic laboratories, create orthodontic departments within larger dental labs, and train technicians ranging from complete beginners to highly skilled orthodontic laboratory professionals. Over the years, I’ve mentored dozens of technicians and helped laboratories improve both their quality and efficiency.
In 2010, I launched the Retainer Designer YouTube channel to share what I had learned with technicians around the world. Today, that community has grown to more than 27,000 subscribers, with one simple mission: helping others become confident, skilled orthodontic laboratory technicians.
Today, my wife and I operate our own orthodontic laboratory—our “Little Lab in the Country”—where we continue serving orthodontists while developing new ways to train the next generation of technicians.
My passion has always been teaching. I created the Orthodontic Lab Academy because I know how difficult it can be to learn this profession without a mentor. My goal is to give you the guidance, structure, and support I wish every technician had when they were getting started.
Whether you’re brand new to the field or looking to sharpen your skills, I’m excited to help you become the technician you’ve always wanted to be.
- Nearly 30 years of orthodontic laboratory experience
- Certified Dental Technician (CDT) in Orthodontics
- Graduated first in his dental laboratory class
- Trained dozens of orthodontic laboratory technicians
- Founder of the Retainer Designer YouTube channel (27,000+ subscribers)
- Former President of DLAT
- DLAT Hall of Fame inductee
- Secretary of the Orthodontic Resource Group (ORG) for five years
- Trustee for the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology (NBC)