How to Choose the Right Dental Lab?

All dentists rely on quality products. About 38% of the revenue most dental practices make comes from fixed crowns and bridge work.

There are various decisions that all dentists need to make, and they can have a significant impact on the service that they're able to provide. One of the most important choices to make is what dental laboratory you partner with. Take your time when choosing a dental lab so you can partner with one that will meet your needs and standards.

In this guide, we'll explain how to choose the right dental lab by looking at several key factors. Keep reading for more.

Quality

When people receive dental work, quality is one of the most (if not the most) important factors. As such, you want to ensure your dental lab is committed to producing and delivering high-quality materials.

One of the ways to check this is to confirm they have a National Board Certification (NBC) in Dental Laboratory Technology. The National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) founded NBC, which serves the goal of improving the quality of dental laboratory technology. They do this through the voluntary testing and certification of dental labs as well as lab technicians.

They also confirm that dental labs are using FDA-certified materials. You should request samples of lab materials before settling on a specific lab.

Consistency

Asking for samples is a good way to get an idea of the quality of products a lab produces, but is it representative of all of their work? You want to know that a lab will be able to produce these same parts consistently and in a timely manner.

You can ask the lab about their turn-around time for different products. They should be able to give you a timeframe for everything they produce. If they can't, you should consider that to be a red flag.

Customer Service and Support

Customer service is vital in every business, regardless of whether it's B2C or B2B. As a dentist, you're probably very busy, but you'll still make time for patients when they have questions or concerns. You want to find a dental lab that has a similar approach and mentality.

There may be times when you need clinical support or assistance from your dental lab. If they can't provide it, it could make your job far more challenging.

You also want to consider transparency and reliability. Regardless of the quality of the parts they produce, these factors can have a huge impact on your experience with a dental lab.

Commitment to Continued Learning

The dental industry is a highly dynamic one. Technologies and techniques never stay the same, with new advancements being made all the time. You may have your diploma and be a fully qualified dentist, but as things change, you need to keep learning and growing.

The same applies to dental lab technicians. They need to always be open to new techniques, practices, and technologies. This will ensure they're always able to deliver the best results.

There are certain things that a quality dental lab should do. This includes providing technical tips, educational classes, and other opportunities to learn. All of these will help you improve your service and do a better job.

Shared Values and Business Fundamentals

As a dentist, you should be focused on quality, not quantity. You want to offer the best service available to your patients so that they can maintain their dental health. Focus on patient care above all else if you want to make sure everyone who uses your service is happy with the results.

You should search for a dental lab that has a similar approach. Consider your options, and make this one of the key things you focus on. It can be a good idea to ask colleagues for recommendations as a starting point.

ADA-Approved Materials

This is something else you should look at when considering the quality of products. It's best to work with a dental lab that uses products made from materials approved by the ADA (American Dental Association).

This will let you know that a lab isn't cutting corners, which could result in worse products. There are different materials available that dental labs tend to use, so you should ask about each lab's materials to ensure they're using ones that you're happy with. The difference in quality can be quite substantial, so this is a vital step.

Quality Control Checks

Using the right materials and following good practices is essential, but you also want to make sure the dental lab you work with carries out proper quality control checks. The process of making a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown, for example, involves a lot of steps. Even for a skilled technician, this is quite involved.

As such, mistakes can sometimes be made. So how can you be sure things are always done right?

A reliable dental lab will use checklists and/or final inspections to ensure the quality of everything they produce. Note that some labs don't have full-time employees, which can make it harder to know if these checks have been done. It's best to find a lab that has a consistent team to help ensure proper quality control checks are always done.

Lab Inspection

Before committing to a lab, you should visit it in person. This will give you a chance to interact with the office staff with whom you'll be working. Take this time to talk to them; if they seem to be the type of technicians you wouldn't want to hire yourself, you may want to look for a different lab.

You can also check the lab environment to make sure it's up to your standards. It should be clean, neat, and organized. The overall feel will give you a good impression of the type of work to expect from them.

How to Choose the Right Dental Lab

Now that this guide has given you a better idea of how to choose the right dental lab, you can start looking into your options. Remember that quality should always be a priority. Don't rush into things, as it's important to make the right choice.

Arizona 3D Dental Lab is dedicated to professional work and quality care. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you.