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History
| Sandy man lives American dream |
Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT)
Date: August 12, 2005
Section: Sandy/Draper
Edition: Final
Page: S3
Author: John D. Linford Close-Up Correspondent
When people from Mexico or Cuba dream of coming to America, their wildest dreams are often of a stable job and a safe home. Dental ceramist Juan Olivier wasn't much different when he came to the states.
Now, he has achieved his dream, even exceeding those of many native-born Americans, and finds himself at the top of the heap.
Having traveled in Europe and the United States in his late teens, Olivier couldn't decide where to go to school until he met a girl named Kelly from Utah.
"Kelly was at my hometown, Puebla, Mexico, studying for her degree in Spanish translation when I met her," Olivier said. "Once I had fallen in love, the decision about where to go to school was narrowed down to Utah."
He arrived in Utah shortly after his 18th birthday. He wanted to be a dentist, but when he found out that one must apply and be accepted to dental school after earning an undergraduate degree, he took a more cautious approach.
"I was afraid that I might finish college and not be accepted into dental school. So I decided to learn dental lab work while I went to school," Olivier said. After succeeding at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley State College, he attended the American Institute of Dental Technologies in Provo.
Driven by a desire for excellence, Olivier was frustrated with the dental labs in which he worked. He felt like he could do much better, but was limited by the lab's mass-production approach to dental prosthetics.
"I knew that I had more talent and ability than mass-production work allowed. . . . This is an industry where knowledge and education make every difference. Technologies are changing every day," he said. "So I didn't stop learning after school. I studied with the top dental ceramists in the world. I learned everything from the best. Now it is very gratifying to see that I am part of that group."
Gratifying is a term Olivier uses often. Among the things that gratify him are seeing his clients on national television and in other media, his ability to make a difference in other people's lives, his success in a very short time, and the high demand for his work.
Saying that Advanced Dental Design, Olivier's Sandy company, is at the pinnacle of the dental industry also gratifies Olivier. "We work exclusively with the top 10 or so dentists in the world," he said. "Most of them are in New York or Hollywood. Two of our clients are here in Utah. We have to turn away work constantly because we are at our maximum production levels for the type of work we do."
Advanced Dental Design creates caps, crowns, and bridges for such people as Miss America contestants; entertainment, television and political personalities; and Playboy models.
"We change people's lives by creating for them a perfect smile," said Olivier. "We are working for the people who drive the cosmetic dental industry in the U.S. What we do is setting the standard for people across the nation who are having cosmetic work done. It is very gratifying."
There are now computer milling machines that many companies use to create new teeth for people, Olivier said. While he understands the need for economically priced dental work, he laments the loss of artistry the dental ceramic industry suffers with mechanization.
"For me and my 10 employees, who are the backbone of my success, each individual tooth is a work of art. We don't use metallic bases in our teeth because they cause a dark shadow. We shape and color each tooth, taking special care of its transparency and overall look. No machine could ever achieve what we do with every one of our orders."
With the global economy and international shipping becoming so advanced, Olivier would rather see lab work going to China or India, where he says they are doing reasonably good work, than going to machines. "The lab technicians in the Orient will still bring the human aspect and human pride into their creations," he said.
At 33 years old, Olivier takes stock in his life and is gratified at what he sees. He has three children -- Connor, 9; McKinley, 5; and Sierra, 2 -- with his wife, Kelly. His business is at peak capacity.
"Success opens your eyes and makes you humble," he said. "To have achieved the American dream, and so far beyond, seems amazing to me. However, the wonderful thing is that anyone can do it. I came here at 18 with nothing, and now, I feel like I have everything. That is very gratifying."
Dental ceramist Juan Olivier works in his Sandy lab last month. Olivier owns Advanced Dental Design Laboratories, which creates caps, crowns, and bridges for many entertainment and political personalities. John D. Linford
(c) 2005 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.
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