About Dockum
Our company was born from a simple request and a spark of ingenuity.
In the early 1950s, a Pasadena dentist expressed his frustration to his brother-in-law, Charles Dockum, over the tedious, imprecise process of carving wooden wedges by hand from tongue depressors.
A gifted machinist, Charles took on the challenge. In his small garage workshop—on the same Pasadena property as his brother-in-law's dental practice—he invented the world's first automated dental wedge machine, founding Dockum Research Laboratory, Inc.
Our business grew, and in 1956 the family and Wizard Wedges® moved to a new home in Altadena, CA. Our founder’s perseverance never wavered, even as he faced serious health challenges.
In the late 1960s, a second, more advanced machine was developed with the help of engineers from JPL and Caltech. Though complex, it reinforced Charles’ belief in the value of hands-on craftsmanship and reliable design.
After Charles' passing in 1977, his wife assumed leadership, guiding the company with dedication and care. In 1982, to secure its future, Dockum Research Laboratory was incorporated, evolving from a family partnership into the company it is today.
Charles Dockum in 1942 with a Guggenheim-sponsored projection system, one of his notable inventions. All Dockum Research Lab and Wizard Wedges photos were lost in the 2025 Los Angeles fire.
In 1985, their daughter, Greta Dockum, took the helm and continues to lead with the same values that defined her father’s vision.
While processes have been modernized, our commitment to the product has never changed. The dental wedges we sell today are made with the specifications our founder perfected over 70 years ago, a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality, consistency, and the dental community we serve.
In the wake of the devastating Eaton fire in January 2025, our Altadena-based company faced its greatest challenge to date -- The fire completely destroyed our manufacturing facility, as well as the personal property of our owner and several dedicated employees.
This was a total loss that deeply affected our entire team. Yet from these ashes, our resolve has only grown stronger.
Fueled by an incredible outpouring of support from our community and loyal customers, we are not just rebuilding—we are reimagining our future. While the fire took our buildings, it could not extinguish our spirit or our legacy of quality.
Plans are already underway for a full rebuild, including a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with updated machinery and modernized processes. While we have been able to relaunch initial operations, we are underway for a full rebuild.
This is our opportunity to come back stronger, more efficient, and better than ever. Through it all, one thing remains unchanged: our commitment to producing the same high-quality, precision-crafted dental wedges trusted by dental professionals for decades. We are profoundly grateful for your patience and unwavering support, and we look forward to serving you again, from our renewed home in Altadena, CA.
Dockum's factory after the devastating Eaton fire
Rebuilding has already begun on the Dockum factory
® Wizard Wedges is a registered trademark of the manufacturer, Dockum Research Laboratory, Inc.
Dockum FDA Registration Number: 2017608.
Dockum is ISO 13485 compliant with MDSAP designation