Having a dental office means a lot of work. Therefore, you definitely need reliable associates. We do not only mean employees but also external associates – because you will often rely on them due to the nature of your job. In many situations, you will cooperate with dental laboratories. This can be a very significant decision for your private practice. Therefore, we’ll give you some tips on how to select the dental lab.
Choosing A Dental Lab Is A Very Important Decision
Choosing a dental lab to work with is very important when starting your own dental practice. Your choice must be reliable because it can have a big impact on your dental reputation as well. That, of course, is not all. Choosing a dental lab also has a strong impact on your finances as well as on the satisfaction and trust of your patients. When considering cooperation with a dental laboratory, you must adhere to some established criteria – such as quality of service, consistent cooperation, good communication, etc.
Therefore, this is an important decision that has a far-reaching impact on your practice. You certainly don’t want to work with someone who is inconsistent or doesn’t have the best business reputation. So let’s take a look at which of these things are of the utmost importance when choosing a dental lab.
What Should You Look For When You’re Choosing A Dental Lab?
The choice of the dental laboratory is important for both your patients and you. According to The Toothbrush Expert almost 40% of the income earned by a dental practice – actually comes from jobs that involve working on a bridge or dental crowns. Therefore, it is very important to make a good choice of a dental lab. And what criteria to follow in choosing a reliable associate for your dental practice? These are 6 things you must pay attention to.
1. Quality
The quality of work and materials used are of immeasurable importance in this business. One mistake can cost dearly not only your patients but also your reputation. Therefore, you must be familiar with the quality of the work of the lab itself, but also with the materials they use. Make sure you know that the laboratory has a license or certificate issued by the National Board of Dental Laboratory Technology. It will certainly tell you enough about the quality of the technology used in the laboratory with which you are considering starting a collaboration. According to deutschetechnikdl.com, it is always recommended to get samples of their products. Then you will be sure that you have made a good choice.
2. Efficiency in work
Of course, the quality of work always comes first. However, due to the nature of your business, efficiency in the operation and delivery of products is also very important. So inquire in detail about that as well. A professional dental lab must be consistent in delivering products within the agreed deadlines. Otherwise, it could significantly disrupt your business as well as your cooperation.
3. Quality control
Although you will be looking for dental labs that have the best references when it comes to quality – still you shouldn’t leave anything to chance. On the contrary, it shouldn’t be a problem to find out who takes care of quality control in the lab. It is very significant to know that all the necessary checks are taken – to ensure that every product meets quality standards, but is also delivered on time.
4. Pick-up and delivery service
Sometimes just delivery or pick up can make a big mess in the business of dental offices. That’s why it would be best if you could find a dental lab that can make it possible for you. If you are in charge of picking up and delivering yourself – this can at least significantly disrupt your work schedule. You have the opportunity to use some of the courier services, but it pays less financially. Therefore, it would be best if the dental lab you work with offers this type of service as well. Fortunately, the laboratories recognized this need for dental surgeries in time – so most of them already offer this service.
5. Possibility of emergency interventions
It happens that sometimes you need a dental lab to urgently repair a bridge or denture for a patient who is willing to pay extra for it. However, the question is whether the dental lab will be able to respond to such urgent requests. Therefore, it is important to find associates who can adapt to every situation or even such requirements. Certainly, you will not abuse such situations, but as a dentist, you will be able to distinguish what is an emergency and what is not.
6. You must have realistic expectations
As in any other business, you must have realistic expectations in this one as well. First, expect quality at the level of what you are willing to pay for. Regardless of the expertise of the employees in the lab, if they don’t use quality materials, you may be paying a cheaper price – but this service will probably cost you much more with your patients. Besides, you must be realistic in the other direction as well. Don’t expect the impossible or have too excessive demands. It is important to estimate the situation realistically and objectively. Then you can count on more successful and long-term cooperation with the dental lab you choose.
Conclusion
Finally, we can conclude that the cooperation between dental offices and labs must represent a successful symbiosis. Successful for both parties, and mostly to the satisfaction of your patients who have high expectations of you. However, if you wish to realize the full potential of your cooperation – you should be aware that successful communication is the key.
This is an essential thing when working on establishing a good business deal or a partnership with a dental lab. Such business relations will be further developed and deepened – and you can certainly learn from each other. Then you can expect the business experience to be of mutual satisfaction and benefit.