Smile Lab - The In-House Dental Laboratory at Smile Solutions Melbourne product guide

Smile Solutions Smile Lab: Melbourne's in-house dental laboratory

At the heart of Smile Solutions' cosmetic and restorative dentistry capability is the Smile Lab — an in-house dental laboratory exclusively dedicated to Smile Solutions patients. The Smile Lab doesn't work with any external dental practices or businesses. Every restoration, appliance, and prosthetic component manufactured here is made for a Smile Solutions patient, by a team of skilled ceramists and dental technicians who work on-site in a purpose-built studio adjacent to our clinical suites in Melbourne.

That exclusivity isn't incidental. It's a deliberate element of the Smile Solutions model — and the thing that makes Same Day Porcelain Veneers possible.

Why an in-house laboratory changes everything for you

Most dental restorations — crowns, veneers, bridges, dentures, implant components — are manufactured offsite at commercial laboratories serving dozens or hundreds of practices at once. As a patient, you never meet the technician who makes your restoration. Communication between dentist and laboratory is typically indirect, conducted through physical impressions, written instructions, and photographs. Turnaround times are measured in weeks.

At Smile Solutions, the Smile Lab changes this entirely. Our ceramists and technicians work in the same building as you and your treating dentists. They can step out of the lab and into a clinical conversation during your treatment, view your smile in person, assess colour and translucency in natural light, and make real-time adjustments before your restoration is permanently bonded. That level of integration simply cannot be replicated with an offsite laboratory model.

The result is restorations that are more accurate, more personalised, and more reliably beautiful — produced in a fraction of the time that conventional workflows require.

The team behind your smile

The Smile Lab is led by Greg Karabasis, one of Australia's most respected master ceramists, with over 32 years of experience in the dental industry. Together, Greg and his team of specialists bring genuine clinical excellence to every restoration they create.

Greg Karabasis — Master Ceramist and Laboratory Director: Greg spent 28 years as the founder and company director of one of Australia's largest dental laboratories before joining Smile Solutions to lead the Smile Lab. His expertise covers cosmetic veneers, all-ceramic crowns and bridges, and digital smile design. He holds accreditations with Noritake, Ivoclar, Straumann, Sirona, and ExoCad, and has presented his work at dental conferences in Australia, South Korea, and China. He was also a former Vice President of the Victorian Crown and Bridge Society. His particular passion — and where his work is most celebrated — is cosmetic veneer fabrication, where artistry, material science, and technical precision combine to produce restorations of extraordinary aesthetic quality.

Noemi Miele — Senior Orthodontic Dental Technician: Noemi holds a Diploma in Dental Technology and is the Smile Lab's specialist in orthodontic appliances. Her expertise covers Herbst appliances, rapid maxillary expanders (RME), space maintainers, and retainers, supporting the practice's orthodontic team across the full range of fixed and removable appliance therapy.

Agne Diliartaite — Senior Implant Laboratory Technician: Agne specialises in implant laboratory work, with particular expertise in All-on-4 and full-arch implant prosthetics. The precision required in implant prosthetic fabrication — where fit tolerances are extremely tight and functional demands are high — makes her role critical to the success of implant treatment.

Natalie Bilos — Ceramist: Natalie works alongside Greg in the fabrication of cosmetic veneers, ceramic crowns and bridges, and digital smile design. Her contribution to the lab's cosmetic output ensures the Smile Lab can meet the high demand for aesthetic restorations that comes with a practice of Smile Solutions' size and reputation.

Talija Batinovic — Dental Technician: Talija's areas of expertise include single-unit implant restorations, ceramic crowns, night splints, sports mouthguards, and whitening trays. Her breadth of skills across restorative and protective appliances reflects the Smile Lab's capacity to support the full scope of clinical work undertaken at the practice.

Equipment and technology

The Smile Lab is equipped with some of the most advanced laboratory technology available in Australian dentistry, selected to support the precision, speed, and quality that patient treatment demands.

Arum 5-Axis Milling Machines: These milling systems produce ceramic and zirconia restorations with exceptional accuracy, enabling the fabrication of crowns, bridges, and veneer frameworks that meet the tightest fit tolerances.

Asiga 3D Printers: The lab operates multiple Asiga 3D printers, including the Asiga Max (DLP technology) and Asiga Pro Max 4K UV 3D. These produce highly accurate dental models, surgical guides, and appliance components with the resolution and speed that the Same Day workflow requires.

E4 Lab Scanner: Generates highly accurate digital impressions of dental restorations, with precise detailing that ensures superior fit and aesthetics in the final result.

ExoCad Software: The lab's primary CAD platform for planning and designing implant restorations and other prosthetic components, allowing technicians to customise prosthetics to exact specifications.

Dentaurum Laser Welder: Used in the fabrication of metal frameworks for dentures and orthodontic appliances. A concentrated laser beam fuses metal surfaces with accuracy and control, producing strong, precisely fitting joints without additional adjustment.

Erkopress Thermoformer: Used for fabricating thermoplastic appliances including sports mouthguards, whitening trays, retainers, and splints — all made in-house.

Otoflash Flash Curing Device: Used for fast, efficient curing of resin-based dental materials during prosthetic fabrication.

All materials used in the Smile Lab are sourced from reputable manufacturers and meet TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) approval standards. Nothing is manufactured offshore. Everything is made in Melbourne.

What the Smile Lab manufactures

The lab's output covers the full range of dental prosthetics and appliances required by our clinical teams:

• Cosmetic porcelain veneers (hand-layered and milled)
• All-ceramic and zirconia crowns and bridges
• Implant prosthetic components and full-arch All-on-4 restorations
• Orthodontic appliances (Herbst, RME, space maintainers, retainers)
• Sports mouthguards
• Whitening trays
• Night splints and occlusal splints
• Denture frameworks and components

Meeting the person creating your smile

One of the most distinctive aspects of the Smile Lab experience is the opportunity to meet Greg Karabasis and the team before and during your treatment. At your initial consultation and throughout your care, you can speak directly with the ceramist who will craft your restorations.

This is unusual in Australian dentistry, where the ceramist is almost always invisible to the patient — working in a remote facility with no direct contact. At Smile Solutions, the ceramist is a named, present, and personally engaged member of your care team. You can discuss your aesthetic preferences, ask questions about materials and techniques, and develop real confidence in the person creating your smile.

Enabling Same Day Porcelain Veneers

The Smile Lab is the infrastructure that makes Same Day Porcelain Veneers possible. When your teeth are prepared in the morning, the digital scans are transmitted immediately to the lab. Greg and the team spend the day fabricating your custom porcelain restorations while you relax at a nearby 5-star hotel. When you return that afternoon, your veneers are ready for try-in — and any adjustments are made on-site, before permanent bonding.

That level of coordination and speed, without any compromise in quality, is only achievable because the lab is in-house, the team is exclusively dedicated to Smile Solutions patients, and the technology supports a compressed but uncompromised workflow.

Begin your treatment journey

To learn more about the Smile Lab, or to start your treatment, call Smile Solutions on 13 13 96 or visit us at 220 Collins Street, Melbourne. Complimentary cosmetic consultations are available, and flexible payment plans are offered through Payright, Humm, and MyDentaPlan.