Choosing the Right Dental Lab

Industry News Opinion

Choosing the Right Dental Lab


Choosing the right dental lab is one of the biggest decisions a dentist faces today. There’s a multitude of reasons why dentists change labs; high prices, poor communication, delayed cases, with the number one reason (66%) being inconsistent quality. Technical excellence and consistent quality are the biggest area of concern, as the average dentist spends over 8% of their annual sales on their labs. Are you doing everything that you can to control your costs?

 

Finding the right lab partner can be a daunting process…. Is the lab US based? Do they have an actual location with lab technicians or are they just a “storefront?” Are they using ADA approved dental materials? Do they provide support for the multitude of digital scanners available today? What’s their remake rate?

 

I’m sure many of you have had this happen before… You receive a mailer from a lab offering a low-cost zirconia crown. You decide to try them out and send over a few cases, resulting in an acceptable restoration. This continues for a month or two when suddenly, the quality slips and you’re having all kinds of problems.

 

Talk to any veteran doctor and you’ll hear the same thing. Things go great for a month or two before you get passed along to the B team, as the lab assigns their top technicians to their new customers. All of these are legitimate concerns, that can have a negative impact on your practice and reputation. BEST for Dentistry can help.

 

We’re still in the early stages of building out a world class laboratory platform, featuring some of the finest labs in the industry. These labs have built their businesses based on their customer experience, high quality craftsmanship, and reputation for excellence.

 

Did you know that our most recent partner, Paramount Dental Studio, is one of the most digital labs in the world, having just deployed a fleet of Carbon printers that are working around the clock? Or that Maverick Dental Lab, another recent addition and one of the largest independently owned labs in the country, was started by two lab industry veterans almost 20 years ago?

 

BEST for Dentistry is committed to having the most robust lab platform in the industry. Period. Questions or comments? I invite you to text, email, or schedule a time to talk.

Doug Stegman, VP of Lab Services | dstegman@bestfordentistry.com | 602-768-3209

 

About Doug Stegman:

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Doug Graduated from Northern Arizona University. He has 30 years of healthcare experience including stints with Dentsply, NDX, MicroDental, and most recently Align Technology. Doug owned a commercial lab for 15+ years, serving on multiple industry committees including past President of the Arizona Dental Lab Association and National Association of Dental Laboratories. He enjoys international travel, UFC, English Premier League, and outdoor activities including hiking and mountaineering.

Doug now serves as Vice President of Lab Services for BEST for Dentistry. His knowledge and expertise in this field has been pivotal in the expansion of BEST Lab Solutions.