Selecting the Right Dental Lab
Quality, artistry, experience with various materials and restoration types, cost and return time are all important factors to consider when selecting a dental lab. While local labs often provide the lowest costs and fastest turn-around times, an out of town lab may offer a finer product for a similar cost. Local labs typically offer the advantage of pick-up and delivery services, often reducing a case’s lag time by four days or more.
When researching dental labs, request a price sheet as well as information regarding:
- Average turn-around times,
- Shipping and delivery expenses,
- Number of units fabricated in an average week,
- The level of experience of their CDT’s,
- The specific materials they utilize and restorations they are qualified to fabricate and
- How they handle case remakes.
Colleagues can be a helpful resource in providing information on labs they trust. Remember to request from the lab a list of references including names and phone numbers of dentists who are clients.