As the dental laboratory craft and profession grew, it was natural that organizations should be formed. In 1950, there were two national organizations claiming to represent the dental laboratory profession, but no single unified organization. A group of dental laboratory owners from throughout the country met in Chicago that year and agreed to form a national, federated association, similar in organization to the American Dental Association, with state-level association components.
The National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) formed in 1951 in Chicago by a merger of the Dental Laboratory Institute of America and the American Dental Laboratory Association. In 1952, NADL opened its national headquarters offices in Washington, D.C. From 1968-1971, the organization was known as the National Association of Certified Dental Laboratories. The association changed back to its original name in 1971. In 2001, the National Association of Dental Laboratories moved its headquarters office to Tallahassee, Florida. The National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL), today represents nearly 1,000 commercial laboratories nationwide.