ATLIX and Nechako Ridge Bring Innovative Digital Dentistry Solutions for More Accessible Patient Care

The Next Generation of Digital Dentistry Innovation led by Nechako Ridge and ATLIX 3D Printing

Introduction

Nechako Ridge, founded in 2024 by Registered Denturist Carson Law in British Columbia, set out to transform removable prosthetics by bringing clinician and laboratory workflows under one roof. As a hybrid clinic–lab, Nechako Ridge combines direct patient care with in‑house fabrication, prioritizing quality control, patient access, and faster turnaround. To scale that vision and address persistent supply chain and quality challenges in partials and full dentures, Carson and her team partnered with ATLIX to deploy the TruPrint 1000 metal 3D printer. The result: a faster, safer, more affordable patient experience, and a collaborative manufacturer–clinician partnership that informs ongoing development.

Challenge: Outsourcing leads to Long Lead times & Poor Quality

Conventional removable prosthetic workflows present multiple, compounding problems that limited patient care, increase costs, and constrain growth. Analog denture production can require 5–8 appointments and months of back-and-forth when outsourcing lab work. Partial frameworks traditionally took 2–4 weeks from external labs, which is an unacceptable wait for patients who often travel long distances to reach Nechako Ridge. Furthermore, this creates quality control and traceability issues within the process.

Analog processes rely heavily on manual impressions, hand waxing, conventional casting and soldering. Small errors at any step (poor impression capture, distortion in stone models, inaccurate wax setups, or dimensional changes during processing) often produce ill‑fitting frameworks or dentures.

Carson notes, “Historically, analog partials seemed to have a lower success rate because of the multitude of mediums they had to go through throughout production. Oftentimes, resulting in remakes with eroded patient confidence, added appointments, and increased material waste.”

 

Outsourced lab work reduces real‑time control and visibility. When parts come back weeks later, diagnosing the root cause of a poor fit is time consuming for all parties involved. Carson emphasizes accountability, “my name is on the product, so the control is important. In-house quality checks before insertion are essential but are only effective when the production process itself is reliable.” Finally, the productivity and technical gaps need to be addressed. It was clear to Carson and Nechako Ridge that 3D printing, and digital dentistry was the most logical path, so they searched for the right solution.

Many printers and traditional lab processes require manual intervention between builds (changing plates, unloading builds, manual post‑processing, etc.) that restrict overnight or weekend operation. Without automated changeover and multiplate strategies, productivity is bounded by staffed hours.

Carson explains, “we want our patients to have an expedited experience and our staff to have a healthy work-life balance. This requires new technology and processes that support lights-out, automated manufacturing and less manual requirements.”

 

Together, these challenges created a compound problem that requires a modern, digital dentistry solution that is scalable for Nechako Ridge and affordable for patients.

Solution: Lights Out Manufacturing with ATLIX TruPrint 3D Printing

Nechako Ridge’s strategy was to internalize production, invest in digital workflows for removables, and select equipment designed for 24/7 throughput and predictable outcomes. After evaluating vendors and conducting ROI modeling, Nechako decided to rework the digital workflow and opted for the ATLIX TruPrint 1000, driven by three technical advantages that matched Nechako’s priorities. First, and arguably the most important technology feature is the TruPrint 1000 Multiplate, multichanger capability. This enables continuous, lights‑out manufacturing by allowing multiple build plates and automated changeovers.

“Our intention is to invest in technologies that are automated and working while our staff is asleep. This was the only metal 3D printing technology capable of delivering 24-7 productivity for us,” says Carson.

 

Second, lattice support structures for traditional metal 3D printing require laborious post-processing and time consuming. While working with the ATLIX Applications team, they developed blade support geometries that dramatically reduced the finishing time that benefits the entire process and business.

Carson quantified the impact, “as a young start-up, our objective is to work and collaborate with technology partners that listen to and integrate our feedback. This was a perfect example of combining industry expertise with innovative technologies to better support the overall workflow. It’s proven to reduce our finishing time by 50%, enabling our staff to focus time on other projects that help build the business in other ways”.

 

ATLIX is compatible with some of the most trusted software, materials, and equipment companies that support the digital dentistry workflow. These relationships were paramount to the decision process and have opened the doors to several key partnerships for Nechako Ridge. Its’ permitted Nechako Ridge to stay within strict Health Canada guidelines for healthcare in the region. With the technological benefits afforded by the TruPrint technology, Nechako Ridge was able to modify the workflow and build a digital lab that enhances the patient experience significantly and reduces the patient lead time from months to weeks, or even days.

“What has historically been 5-8 patient meetings is cut down to 3 appointments. In some cases, we have a final prosthesis in less than 24-48 hours. Patients love it and enable us to take on more business and scale accordingly,” Carson shares her enthusiasm for the business, her patients, and future of digital dentistry.

Results: Measuring the Impact of Modern, Digital Dentistry Workflows

• Turnaround time: Nechako condensed full denture production to 24–48 hours and cut overall patient time to delivery by approximately 70% versus traditional analog timelines.
• Clinical success rate: Carson reports a jump in partial framework success from roughly 60% historically (analog) to approximately 95% with ATLIX metal 3D printing and digital workflows.
• Finishing labor: Blade supports and optimized nesting reduced finishing time by ~50% (from ~60 minutes to 20–30 minutes per framework).
• Financial and growth metrics: The TruPrint 1000 productivity enables more efficient revenue generation, which allows Nechako Ridge to reinvest into technology and staff. Since installation in September 2025, Nechako Ridge has hired a new staff member to support the growth and is currently looking for an additional person for machining and finishing. The demand is increasing.
• Patient access and affordability: By eliminating outsourcing delays and reducing remakes, Nechako can serve more patients faster and at lower effective cost. Carson states, “We’ve had an increase in more patients due to the turnaround time. We can serve more people, more efficiently, and with a higher success rate.”

Beyond hardware, the relationship with ATLIX was a central element of success. Carson emphasizes the vendor’s transparency and willingness to engage in feedback, “we visited ATLIX US headquarters and they were very forthcoming about the process and post‑processing. That openness continued through installation, QC tuning, and post‑process optimization,” Carson shared her appreciation for the company and several key individuals involved in the process.

When asked to describe ATLIX in three words, Carson responded, “Innovative. Precision. Customer Service.”

Accessibility and Scalability Defines the Future for Nechako Ridge

Nechako Ridge plans to leverage the gains from TruPrint 1000 to expand services and capacity. Short‑term goals include building a dedicated metal lab to centralize metal 3D printing and post processing, further equipment investment to increase operational efficiency, and continued hiring.

Carson expects metal 3D printing to become standard for partials and frameworks, “with metal 3D printing, I see it taking off… the output is untouchable compared to what we used to see.” Over the next three to five years Nechako aims to scale regionally, create a recognized brand for accessible digital removable prosthetics, and reinvest margins into staff development and new technologies.

Key Takeways:

• In‑house manufacturing with validated equipment (multiplate automation, optimized supports) shortens turnaround and reduces remakes.
• Digital workflows condense appointments and improve first‑fit rates, increasing capacity and affordability.
• Vendor transparency and collaborative development accelerate safe adoption and allow clinicians to tailor processes to real‑world practice.
• Final word from Carson Law, “Our staff is proud. We have brought world-renowned technology to this region and we have seen direct impact with our patients.”

Nechako Ridge’s journey from analog workflows to a fully digital, in‑house metal printing operation showcases the combined power of technical innovation, patient-care, and a vendor partnership built on transparency and shared development.