We cannot reiterate this enough: communication is of almost importance in your relationship with a dental laboratory. If you have just opened a dental practice of if you are considering working with a different dental lab, then it is essential that you can discuss important issues with your prospects before partnering up with them.
We have rounded up FIVE questions that you should ask your prospective dental lab:
#01. “How do you perform quality control checks?”
We all want a quick turnaround time, but you also would want to check if they do things quickly. You might want to ask the lab owner how they go about doing quality checks for their work. It is a great idea to know how they do their job. Check if the quality control inspection is has been done in their lab by regular employees or if they work with subcontractors for it. If the dental lab has subcontractors who come in after work hours, there is a possibility that the consistency and quality may be compromised.
#02. “Do you use CDA-approved materials?”
You want to make sure that the dental lab you will be working with uses materials that are manufactured by trusted companies. If a dental lab offers products at a ‘too-good-to-be-true’ price, chances are because it is. You can ask if the dental lab is an authorized lab for the brand-name products that they offer. If they are giving promises of products from a specific company at a much lower price, then they could be offering different products.
#03. “Does your dental lab use genuine hardware and parts from the manufacturers for the products you offer?”
It is also important to know that genuine parts are used on the products that are offered to you and your patients. Even in the dental industry, there are copycats, and some dental labs tend to use imitation parts just to cut costs. Some dental labs get away with this because some dentists are not specific when it comes to questioning and providing requirements. Keep in mind that if the dental lab uses imitation materials or products, then it can cause severe problems for you and your patients.
#04. “Do you send any work offshore?”
This is a question that you should not hesitate to ask. You have the right to know if the dental lab you are going to work with is doing this. There are many dental labs out there who send their work offshore for lower labour and production costs. They sometimes even do it without informing their clients, so you should ask them. The problem with this, if they do it, is that other countries might not have the same compliance laws that we have to ensure that high-quality and safe materials are being used for the products.
Backer Dental Lab is confident in our quality Because of our belief in supporting our local economy, And to keep a hands-on control of quality; we do not send any of our cases overseas.
All of our lab work is done locally in our lab By skilled and talented dental technicians.
#05. “When can I inspect your dental lab?”
If the lab is confident about their services and facilities, then there should be no problem with this. Visiting the dental lab lets you meet the owner as well as the rest of the staff. You will also be able to see if they maintain a clean and professional-looking environment. You wouldn’t want to be working with a dirty and messy dental lab now, would you?
Asking these questions and taking the time to get to know the dental lab you are considering partnering with is one of the best ways you can determine if you can have a healthy relationship with them. If you are going to work together, then communication is critical.
