LMT LAB DAY Chicago 2026: North America's Largest Dental Lab Show

LMT LAB DAY Chicago is the largest dental laboratory show in North America and the annual gathering point for the entire dental lab industry. The 2026 event — the 41st annual edition — took place February 19-21, 2026 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, drawing dental technicians, lab owners, clinicians, and industry innovators from across the country and beyond. Organized by LMT Magazine (LMT Communications), LAB DAY is built around two exhibit halls of dental laboratory technology paired with an extensive seminar and hands-on workshop program. Unlike most dental meetings, admission to the exhibit halls is free.

LMT LAB DAY Chicago 2026 At a Glance

Dates	February 19-21, 2026 (Thursday–Saturday)
Location	Hyatt Regency Chicago, Chicago, IL
Edition	41st Annual LAB DAY Chicago
Format	Two exhibit halls plus a seminar and hands-on workshop program
Admission	Free admission to the exhibit halls; seminars and workshops are separately priced
Registration	Register at lmtmag.com/lmtlabday
Website	lmtmag.com/lmtlabday
Organized by	LMT Magazine (LMT Communications)

What Makes LMT LAB DAY Chicago Unique

LAB DAY Chicago is not a general dentistry meeting — it is a dedicated dental laboratory event, and that focus is what makes it indispensable. For more than four decades it has been the one show where the dental lab industry assembles in a single place: independent ceramists and small labs sit alongside large commercial laboratories, material scientists, equipment engineers, and the clinicians who depend on their work. The 41st annual edition continues that tradition as the largest dental laboratory show in North America.

The other defining feature is access. The exhibit halls are free to enter, which lowers the barrier for technicians and lab owners to evaluate a year's worth of new technology in person. Rather than a sales-floor experience, LAB DAY is positioned as a vibrant learning environment — a place to handle new equipment, watch live demonstrations, talk directly with the people who build the products, and take structured education from the technicians who use them every day.

Education & Seminars

Alongside the exhibit halls, LAB DAY Chicago runs a comprehensive seminar and hands-on workshop program led by master technicians and industry experts. Sessions are scheduled across the event and span the topics driving modern lab production:

• Digital lab workflows — CAD/CAM design, milling, and 3D printing transforming lab production
• Digital dentures and guided surgical workflows — printed and milled denture techniques and case planning
• Advanced zirconia techniques — layering, staining, and monolithic restoration methods
• AI-driven lab innovation — automated design and emerging artificial-intelligence tools for the lab
• Lab business and operations — pricing, efficiency, and the talent pipeline

Many seminars and hands-on workshops carry continuing-education credit. Seminars and workshops are priced separately from the free exhibit-hall admission, and limited-enrollment hands-on sessions can sell out — registering early through the official LAB DAY site is recommended. Because CE requirements differ by state, attendees are responsible for confirming that a given session meets their licensing or certification needs and for submitting their own CE documentation.

Exhibit Hall

The exhibit halls are the heart of LAB DAY Chicago. Spread across two halls at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, hundreds of exhibitors fill the floor with the newest dental laboratory technology, and admission is free. It is the single best opportunity each year for a lab to see, touch, and compare equipment and materials before committing budget. On the floor you can expect:

• CAD/CAM design software, milling units, and 3D printers
• Zirconia, ceramics, and other advanced restorative materials
• Digital scanning, shade-matching, and case-communication systems
• Furnaces, articulators, hand instruments, and finishing equipment
• Lab management software and AI-assisted design tools
• Outsourcing partners and dental lab support services

Live product demonstrations run throughout the show, letting technicians watch new workflows in action and ask questions directly of the manufacturers' engineers and product specialists.

Practical Details

• Venue: Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
• Parking & transit: The Hyatt Regency sits on East Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, walkable from Millennium Station and CTA lines, with hotel valet and nearby downtown parking garages
• Hotels: The Hyatt Regency Chicago is the host hotel and the most convenient base; additional downtown hotels are within walking distance — check lmtmag.com/lmtlabday for the LAB DAY room block
• Schedule: The event runs Thursday through Saturday, February 19-21, 2026; exhibit halls are open to all with free admission, while seminars and hands-on workshops follow their own scheduled times

Who Should Attend

LAB DAY Chicago is built for the dental laboratory community: dental laboratory technicians, certified dental technicians (CDTs), ceramists, lab owners and managers, and lab support staff. It is equally valuable for dentists and clinicians who want to understand digital lab workflows and build stronger lab-practice communication. Anyone whose work touches the design and fabrication of dental restorations — from a one-person ceramics studio to a large commercial lab — will find the show directly relevant.

While You're at LMT LAB DAY Chicago, Who's Answering Your Phones?

Three days in Chicago means three days away from the bench and the phone. For a dental lab, missed calls are missed cases — a dentist trying to check on a crown, send a rush remake, or place a new order. Dental practices miss 30-38% of inbound calls on a normal day, and labs face the same problem: when technicians and owners are away at a show, calls go to voicemail and cases slip.

This is where AI front desk technology changes the equation. An AI receptionist answers every call 24/7, captures case details and rush requests, answers routine status questions, and sends your team a summary — all while you're walking the LAB DAY exhibit halls. For dental practices, the same system books appointments directly into the PMS (Dentrix, EagleSoft, OpenDental), so the front desk keeps running whether you are a lab or a clinic. Your business stays responsive even when your team is at the show.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to attend LMT LAB DAY Chicago 2026?

Admission to the LAB DAY Chicago exhibit halls is free. Seminars and hands-on workshops are priced separately, and fees vary by session — hands-on workshops generally cost more than lecture seminars because of materials and limited enrollment. For current 2026 seminar pricing and registration, visit the official site at lmtmag.com/lmtlabday.

Can I earn CE credit at LMT LAB DAY Chicago?

Many of the seminars and hands-on workshops at LAB DAY Chicago carry continuing-education credit. Because CE and certification requirements differ by state and credentialing body, attendees should confirm that a specific session meets their needs and are responsible for submitting their own CE documentation. The seminar catalog at lmtmag.com/lmtlabday lists credit details for each session.

Is LMT LAB DAY worth attending for clinicians, not just lab technicians?

Yes. While LAB DAY is a dedicated dental laboratory show, dentists and clinicians benefit from seeing digital lab workflows firsthand — CAD/CAM, printed dentures, guided surgery, and case-communication systems. Understanding what the lab can do, and how digital case submission works, helps clinicians improve lab-practice communication and restoration outcomes.

What AI and technology topics are covered at LMT LAB DAY Chicago 2026?

The seminar program and exhibit halls cover AI-driven lab innovation, automated CAD design, 3D printing, milling, and digital denture workflows. The exhibit floor also features lab management software and front-office automation tools — relevant for any lab or practice evaluating AI to handle phones, case intake, and scheduling.