About Us

Our story began in the 1950s, when founder Richard Unsicker established a small, one-technician laboratory in Red Oak in southwest Iowa. In 1956, Richard moved to Iowa City to begin working as a dental technician for the VA Hospital, but he continued making dentures out of his own lab, which he now operated out of his home. From the beginning, the business was a true family effort—his young children even helped answer the phone and run deliveries. As the lab grew, so did his family’s involvement with the business. By the early 1960s, the Unsicker Dental Lab grown from its home base in the Unsicker basement to a store front in downtown Iowa City. 

In March 1963, a devastating fire in Bremer’s Clothing Store, the Unsicker Dental Lab’s downstairs neighbor, required Richard to reopen his basement laboratory while searching for a new, permanent location for the lab. Within a few months, the Unsicker Dental Lab was re-established at its current home on Jackson Avenue in Iowa City’s charming Longfellow neighborhood. Richard’s children, now teens, remained actively involved with the lab’s day-to-day operations. Several of his children learned the trade hands-on, while others helped hand deliver completed prosthetics to dentists around town. These early years laid the foundation for a company built on service, trust, and strong local relationships. 

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In 1982, Richard’s daughter Debbie and her husband Mike Hartley took the reins. To mark the change in ownership, they renamed the business The Dental Lab, Inc., and over the following decades, together they expanded the lab’s reach and solidified its reputation for expert craftsmanship. Under their leadership, the lab became known for dependable, high-quality work and personalized service. In January 2013, The Dental Lab suffered a second, devastating fire, but the Hartleys were able to rebuild, creating a new and modernized laboratory that was truly their own.

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When Mike and Debbie Hartley retired in 2024, their son Brian Hartley became the third generation to lead the lab. Today, he carries on the family legacy with a close-knit team of talented technicians who bring a unique blend of technical expertise and artistic skill to every case. Brian and his team of technicians have diverse backgrounds in visual art, design, and other creative fields, which they apply to the denture-making process. They frequently work closely with clinicians, virtually and in person, to ensure that each patient's individual needs and preferences are met. This attention to detail, craftsmanship, and proactive communication ensures each prosthesis looks natural, fits comfortably, and meets the highest standards of quality.