President’s Message – August 2025

By Shawn Nowak

“When a Handshake Meant Something“

There’s a saying that used to mean something: your word is your bond. Somewhere along the way, a lot of companies replaced that with, your word is your opening offer. Not long ago, I got a call from a manufacturer in our industry. They thought they had a fair agreement in place—clear terms, mutual respect, and a shared goal. The kind of thing you shake on and move forward with.

But instead of forward, they got blindsided.

The details don’t matter as much as the lesson: when someone says one thing and does another, the trust doesn’t just disappear—it evaporates. Fast.

Now, this manufacturer is looking for partners that actually walk the walk. And spoiler alert: they’re turning to Nowak Dental. Because in a world full of fine print and corporate gymnastics, we still believe in doing things the old-school way:

• If we say we’ve got your back, we mean it.
• If we say we won’t compete with your lab, we don’t.
• If we shake on something, we don’t need to draw up a 12-page legal doc to make it real.

The dental lab world may seem big, but it’s really not. Word travels fast. Loyalty travels faster. And betrayal? That’s got its own express lane.
At Nowak, we’ve always believed our greatest advantage isn’t price or product—it’s trust. Our customers know we’re here to build something lasting. Something real.

So to our loyal labs, our vendor partners who value the same code, and the new folks who’ve been burned by smoke and mirrors—there’s a different way to do business.

And if you’re looking for it… you just found it.
See you in the trenches,

Shawn Nowak
President, Nowak Dental
Still doing things the right way.