Imagine a world where a technician assists you in complex cases, every restoration arrives on time, and your team doesn’t have to field insurance-related calls. It’s not impossible; it’s what happens when you work with a local dental lab! Choosing a local Certified Dental Lab offers the experience and skills you’re looking for with the perk of having the team in your town.
Here are three ways a local dental lab can improve your operational efficiency.
In-Office Assistance for Complex Cases
Local labs offer a very significant benefit: coming to your office to assist with complex cases. Because those technicians are the same ones creating the restorations, you have a skilled set of hands backing you up. Adjustments are quickly made chairside, giving your patient a quicker appointment and you a more efficient workday.
When researching local labs, we recommend checking to see if they offer this service. Those that do can walk you through how the process works for different restorations and if there are any special requirements.
Even if a lab doesn’t offer in-office services, they do offer expedited delivery due to their proximity.
Fast Delivery for Expedited Cases
Working with a local dental lab means avoiding shipping times. Most local labs offer pick-up and delivery, and in some cases same day turnaround. This significantly increases your patient turnaround and lessens the time your patients need to be in a provisional.
Local pickup and delivery also decrease the chances restorations are lost during shipment. This improves your patient satisfaction since they don’t need to wait for a replacement restoration to arrive.
You also need to stick with insurance requirements when working with patients, and local labs will know what to do.
They Know Local Insurers’ Requirements
National labs are aware of national insurance providers, but often have limited experience with local options. A local dental lab has that experience, which makes the workflow much more efficient.
This reduces the number of calls your team receives about approved materials and coverage and instead allows both teams to focus on providing the best patient experience possible.
Choosing a local lab is more than choosing to support a fellow local business. It’s making the choice to implement a smoother process for every dental restoration, from in-office assistance to expedited cases and local insurance coverage. To search for a local dental lab, we recommend using the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology’s directory of CDL-certified labs in your area.