In 1982 when Dental Technicians in the UK, Mainland Europe and the USA, were mainly employed by smaller Dental Laboratories, or by Dentists, a group of forward looking Larger Dental Laboratories owners came together, but still retaining their independent status and formed the Technical Research Consortium (“TEREC”) with the prime objective to source new techniques and materials, research them and with the assistance of their trusted clinical colleagues bring the techniques and materials to the UK Dental Market.

During the course of the many trips the “TEREC” members made overseas they formed close relationships with material manufactories and Dental Laboratories owners in their respective countries, and it was during a visit to the USA in 1984 that the group were introduced to a company from Kansas City who were developing a new minimum invasive aesthetic technique called ‘Laminates’ (Veneers) these veneers at that time were either being made in acrylic resin or ceramics.

Upon returning to the UK the “TEREC” members discussed this exciting new development with their academic clinical colleagues and later in 1984 a delegation from “TEREC” accompanied by leading academics from across the UK, including Professor J Ralph ‘Leeds Dental Institute’, Dr J Mc Crossan ‘Glasgow Dental Hospital’, Professor R Andlaw’Bristol University’, Dr J Reid and Dr J Clyde ‘Edinburgh Dental School’ visited Kansas City in the USA, with the prime objective to obtain as much information as possible regarding this new technique and at the same time the Dental Technicians were being instructed in the Laboratory procedures.

When the group returned to the UK it was decided that before the technique could be introduced to UK Dental market, there would be some research carried out at different Dental Teaching establishments throughout the UK with the co-operation of all the “TEREC” member laboratories.

The primary research being completed to the satisfaction of the Dental academics the “TEREC” members with the co-operation of their clinical colleagues then had to decide how to introduce this unique technique and to anglicise the technique and terminology for the UK Dentists.

The “TEREC” academic mentors saw that there was a new way forward and which would be the beginning of the aesthetic revolution which we see today with minimum invasion, yet achieving aesthetically pleasing results for the patients, It has always been acknowledged by the “TEREC” members that without the co-operation of the Dental academics, this quiet aesthetic revolution would not have been achieved and even to this day each “TEREC” member maintains and enjoy a close relationship with various Dental academics throughout the UK.


In 1985 the “TEREC” members with the co-operation of their academic colleagues carried out over seventy “TEREC” sponsored lectures to the Dental profession of the unique ‘Chameleon Aesthetic Veneer’ techniques throughout the UK and in that same year the “TEREC” members produced in excess of 1900 ‘Chameleon Aesthetic Veneers’, five years later the total had risen to nearly 20,000 ‘Chameleon Aesthetic Veneers’ being produced by the “TEREC” members and in 1992 that total had reached 100,000.

To this day the “TEREC” members are still the largest Dental Laboratory group for ceramic veneer production in the UK, and in the late autumn of 2005 will mark their 1,000,000 ‘Chameleon Aesthetic Veneer’.

In 1986 “TEREC UK” and its members were instrumental in establishing a similar “TEREC” organisation in North America with fifteen independent Dental Laboratories and over the last twenty years both organisations have developed a close working relationship with benefits for all the companies involved.

With the earlier success behind them “TEREC” then introduced to the UK the ‘Chameleon Ceramic inlay’ and ‘Chameleon Full veneer crown’ Because of the unique relationship between the Dental Academic’s and the “TEREC” members “TEREC” has been sought out by various manufactories to trial various systems.

Many innovative products, techniques and restorations have been introduced to the UK during the last twenty years; perhaps the most significant has been the metal free bridges from ‘Noble Biocare Procera’ the ‘Zircon Bridges from Degussa’ and the ‘Lava Zirconium ’ from 3M-Espe all these restorations are available from the “TEREC” members.
Changes in THE Dental Laboratory Market

Over the last few years the Dental Laboratory profession has seen the entry of corporate financial companies purchasing Dental Laboratories and as one of their criteria’s is one of an organised and profitable Dental Laboratory together with a presence in the Dental market, the “TEREC” member laboratory became the target for these acquisitive companies and in the early part of 2000 the “TEREC” group suffied a loss of some of its original members, however because of the reputation of the “TEREC” members, the group has replaced those members that were acquired with new members that also bring youth and enthusiasm to the group and the future looks very bright indeed for the “TEREC” group.