DAL History

Dental Arts Laboratory (DAL) began its tradition of service to the dental profession on December 10, 1934, when Adolph H. Knueppel founded the laboratory in downtown Peoria, Illinois. From the outset, Adolph envisioned a dental laboratory that combined high-quality craftsmanship with personalized service to better serve dentists throughout central Illinois.

In 1960, Adolph was joined by his son, A. Terry Knueppel, who continued to grow the organization while expanding its reach beyond the Peoria market. Under Terry’s leadership, DAL reinforced its commitment to consistent, high-quality prosthetics and professional, relationship-driven service.

Bruce A. Colgin joined Dental Arts Laboratory in 1967 and went on to play a key role in the company’s operations, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer until his retirement in 2022.

R. Scott Clark joined DAL in 1977 and spent many years as Vice President of Sales and Marketing before serving as Chief Executive Officer. Scott retired in 2022, concluding a distinguished career dedicated to advancing the company’s growth and customer relationships.

Most recently, Maggie Dempsey and Rob Colgin acquired Dental Arts Laboratory and are leveraging a lifetime of experience both within DAL and across the broader industry to uphold and advance the company’s industry-leading reputation built over more than 90 years.

Today, the DAL family of laboratories continues to expand, supporting dental professionals through a growing network of facilities across the Midwest.