BEHIND THE SCENES
a country facing a severe shortage of skilled professionals. “With only one dental technician school for over 19 dental schools in Thailand, there simply are not enough technicians to meet the demand of around 18,000 active dentists,” Meekiatichaikun stated. Despite these challenges, Hexa Ceram remained steadfast in its commitment to quality by establishing key relationships. Through strategic partnerships with dental universities and individual dental advisors, the company continually enhances its SOPs and alleviates the workload on its technicians. Initiatives like the ‘Hexa Happy Point’ programme, where staff earn credit points for customer satisfaction, aims to foster a positive work environment and embody the company’s ‘Circle of Smile’ philosophy. This principle emphasises the importance of employee wellbeing, which in turn translates into exceptional service for dentists and, ultimately, happy patients. Beginning at its employees as one of three components, the ‘Circle of Smile’ prioritises the needs and challenges of employees to create a mindful service culture. This culture is then transferred to dentists by providing the best quality of products and service, who in turn provide patients with happy smiles. “We have cultivated a culture where our technicians view Hexa Ceram as more than just a workplace; it is a community,” said Meekiatichaikun. This culture not only reduces turnover but also fuels a forward-thinking mindset that drives the company to exceed expectations in service and innovation. “Mindful service is very important for Hexa Ceram. Looking beyond just our products to think provide better service is terms of marketing, ease of payment, delivery time, and warranties. We see that this level of service is appreciated by dentist who then pass it on to their patients,” Meekiatichaikun added.
However, Meekiatichaikun recognised the constraints in the market as Hexa Ceram’s long-term focus was on sustaining its mass production, whilst ensuring a human touch in terms of details for goods and communication with dentists. To achieve this, Meekiatichaikun is looking towards the digitalisation of production processes to keep Hexa Ceram responsive to the needs of dentists. In 2022, Hexa Ceram launched an online ordering platform, a move aligned with the broader digitalisation
of dental workflows. Despite initial resistance, Meekiatichaikun was confident that as digital tools like intraoral scanners become more integrated into dental practices, the demand for digital processes will grow. “The appetite for digital workflows is increasing, and as more dentists recognise the benefits, we expect a shift towards these new technologies,” she said. Looking ahead, Meekiatichaikun sees AI as a key driver in scaling Hexa Ceram’s production capacity, particularly in areas like CAD/CAM
48 DENTAL ASIA SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024
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