Dentists: The Five Questions To Ask Your Dental Laboratories

Rick Epple, CFP® of Epple Financial Advisors, LLC, also a Northern Dental Alliance member, talked with Renstrom Dental Studio, and originally presented it on blog.EppleFinancial.com.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a company I’ve known for years as part of the Northern Dental Alliance and that offers a service to dentists that I think you should know about.

Renstrom Dental Studio Inc. is a third generation Dental Laboratory located in St. Paul, MN. Today, owners Rick and Randy Renstrom continue to carry on a tradition of excellence their father started in 1966.

Aside from delivering quality dental restorations, the lab is focused on providing personalized service and attention to each dental client. Their mission is to continually add value to the dental community through education, innovation, and a high level of communication.

In talking with Randy the other day, I was able to learn more about the changes taking place in the laboratory industry. He passed this article on to me, summarizing our conversation...

Five questions dentists should consider asking their dental laboratory:

Evidently, things just aren’t the same as they were two or three years ago. Aside from the recent recession, technology has also been a contributor to the continuous changes taking place in dentistry.

Laboratories have had to invest in new systems and materials in order to offer their dentist clients the latest products. This has come as a challenge for smaller laboratories who struggle with having the production levels of a large corporate lab.

Some of these small local dentistry labs have opted to join alliances with one another at a national level in order to remain competitive. The concern then is that the level of personal attention and service may differ from that of a smaller dental lab.

Big or small, it really boils down to what is most important to the dentist. Although there may be advantages and disadvantages to both, a few questions should be asked regardless the size of the laboratory.

1.) Are the materials used genuine and ADA approved? 

Everyone is trying to cut costs these days, which is even more reason to verify the authentication of the materials your lab is providing. This includes all components, especially implant parts.

A dentist might question how their competitor down the road can charge a third of what they are but they should also question how a lab can offer an implant restoration at such a low cost. This stands true for gold and PFM restorations as well.

With gold at an all time high, it’s hard to believe how labs can offer high noble/noble crowns at incredibly low prices. To assure you’re not receiving any substitute metals or a lesser alloy than prescribed, check for a Identalloy certificate with each case.

Make sure you are actually receiving what it is you are paying for. Any reputable lab would be happy to provide an authentication sticker for their products.

2.) Is any of the work sent offshore? 

Some labs send their work overseas to countries with low labor and production costs. This information may be disclosed to their dentist clients but many times it’s not. Is there anything wrong with this?

Perhaps not if they can prove that the materials are in compliance with the FDA and ADA laws like U.S. labs now do. Lead contamination has already been an issue with crowns, putting both dentist and patient’s health at risk.

An overseas crown might cost a Lab $25, which they can then turn around and sell at a price less than their competitors, still making a nice profit. A crown made with quality craftsmanship and ADA materials is tough to find for under $200. Once again, just be sure to ask where the work is being done at.

3.) What is the quality control process with each case? 

Quality is the differentiator between a good laboratory and a great laboratory. The number one reason dentists switch dental labs is due to inconsistent quality. Every lab should have a structured quality control checklist.

Of course a three-day turnaround time is wonderful, but when and how is the work thoroughly being checked? Although technology today has improved efficiency in labs, quality control still takes time at each stage in the fabrication process.

An entire day should be set aside for final checkout so that adjustments can be made if needed. Does the lab have a consistent team of technicians or do they employ subcontractors that come in at all hours of the day? Every doctor’s expectations are different and every technician should be fully aware of what they are.

Labs should have a system in place to track the feedback of each case. This way if a problem is occurring, it can be taken care of immediately. A structured quality control system is beneficial for all sizes of dental laboratories.

4.) Can I come and take a look at your lab? 

If your lab is as top quality as they claim to be, they will gladly invite you in for a lab tour. Take a look at the cleanliness and professionalism of the establishment.

If you send patients to the lab for custom shade consults, keep in mind that their impression of the facility and how they are cared for while there is a direct reflection upon you. Look around at the neatness of the workbenches and case pans.

Is there stone all over the articulators and models? Are there empty pans sitting around on shelves, and if so where is the work being sent out to? 

You can usually tell when a lab is certified and has certified technicians working for them because their achievements would be displayed just as most are in a dental office. It is never a bad idea to know exactly who and what you’ll be working with.

5.) Are there open lines of communication? 

When it comes to dental restorations, It takes a team to provide patients with the best possible outcome. Although the lab work is done behind the scenes, they are still a big part of this team.

Communication is crucial when it comes to case success. It helps to have a good relationship with those working on your cases so that you fully understand each other’s expectations.

1. Do you have the ability to treatment plan cases with your technician or lab owners? 
2. Can you rely on your lab as a resource? 
3. It’s difficult to stay abreast of the rapid changes in dentistry and can be nice to look to your lab for advice. 
4. Does your lab make sure you’re aware of the newest materials and latest advancements in technology? 

Some labs offer so much more than just the fabrication of a crown, and most of the time the so much more has a lot to do with communication.

For more information, contact: Jenna May, Renstrom Dental Studio

P. 651.407.0491 

or Jenna@Renstrom.com or www.Renstrom.com

                     --------------------------------------------------------------

About Rick Epple CFP(r)

My focus as a Certified Financial Planner is to help business owners reach their personal and financial goals, and this blog will provide objective information on a wide variety of related topics, from goal setting to estate planning.

View all posts by Rick Epple CFP(r)

----------------------------------------------------------------

Reposted by,

Dick Chwalek
NicheDental.com

• Twitter.com/NicheDental
• Facebook.com/NicheDental

Laboratory & Dentist Collaboration creates Beautiful, Healthy Smile Makeovers

What do consumers want from dentistry? They want lasting results. Will they always want to pay for it? That depends on how it is presented and what the dentist is actually able to deliver.

The right dental laboratory is an important element in achieving the level of smile makeover results most consumers "really" want. While everyone wants to pay as little as possible, dental patients expect their dentistry to last. Going the other direction (lower quality to hit a price point) in too many cases just exacerbates the low value view they have about dentistry.

Of course, it is not easy to overcome the low value issue when they want to pay less because they don't believe that there is value in doing more. Obviously, if you suggest more than the dental insurance industry covers, you are "selling" them a bill of goods.

The insurance companies are only looking out for their policy holders--would never steer them in the wrong direction. A dentist who is trying to heal patients has to be the bad person when they do more than an insurance company. Four years of dental school, a residency, thousands of hours of continuing education and many years of experience are merely a ploy to oversell their patients on some crazy idea of comprehensive health.

The dental insurance provider that covers $1,000 per year in dental work -- which pays for one or two restorations - has to be thinking only about the patient's long-term health. Their altruism is rock solid and is based on the best interests of their patients. That is the only way to think about it, right?

Then again, if you think about how most of us (dental consumers) access dentistry, which is usually haphazardly or only at the point of complete dental deterioration (see your state's edentulous stats here) then you might see how the $1,000/year is actually very problematic.
Imagine going five years without seeing the dentist. You can't get your $5,000 back from the insurance company (if you even have insurance). Plus your dental health probably has declined significantly. That $1,000/year might have covered things if we as dental consumers used it each year. But now you probably need to double it to correct what you have done to your smile.

So you are now up to $10,000 or let's say just $7,500. Maybe it has been 10 years since you have visited the dentist. Then it might be 2.5 to 3 times what it cost if you would have been a model preventive care patient so $25,000 to $30,000. Now who is snookering whom in this situation: the assertive dentist who actually has the expertise or the patient in denial with their insurance company with their paltry $1,000 handout?

While the insurance provider has not done anything wrong contractually, not accepting the dentist's comprehensive smile makeover plan often gives the patient the impression that the dentist is over diagnosing. Basically, the insurance company is saying, "continue doing one-tooth-at-a-time dentistry like they did back in the 20th century". Use 21st century technology for the restoration - but the same treatment strategy from back when high tech meant having the latest version of the Craftsman pliers--dentist edition.

Yes, $10,000 is a lot of money, and paying your dentist $30,000 might even seem obscene to some. Then again it was all the rage to pay a huge sum for a Harley chopper, but for some reason having a healthy set of choppers is worth so much less. 

Paying a car and bike salesman enough to live in a mansion is just fine. But a dentist that have a ton of debt before they even start their career, and does work most of us could not do (that actually makes people feel better in many ways) is looked at in a negative light for wanting to make you healthier and to make some money as they do it.

There might be a few Bernie Madoff dentists out there - but before you label every dentist in that vein - look in the mirror and see how well you can smile without one in your life.

When searching out a dentist that has your health in mind make sure they work with a dental laboratory that backs them up with a quality result.

Dental Marketing/Consumer Perception Commentary by

Dick Chwalek

Dentist Marketing Coach and Dental Communication Consultant

Call 866-453-1026

Photos provided by Renstrom Dental Studio

View more of this Minnesota lab's cosmetic dentistry and smile makeover results.

Effective Dental Patient Scheduling: Part 1 of 3

Getting the “most prepared patients” for cosmetic, restorative and implant dentistry in the door is the ultimate goal of the dental office scheduling process. Of course, identifying those patients can be difficult if certain criteria are not decided upon by the dentist and dental office team to differentiate who are the best-prepared patients.

The following information will make the dental patient selection process more effective; thereby increasing new patient numbers for high-end dentistry and improving smile makeover case acceptance.

Dental Care Visit Caller Discovery Process (Part 1 - below)

The "Fully Prepared" Prospective Dental Patient 

(Part 2 - 4/26/09)
The "Unprepared" Prospective Dental Patient 

(Part 2 - 4/26/09)
The "In Between" Prospective Dental Patient 

(Part 3 - 5/02/09)
Dental Patient Communication Conclusion 

(Part 3 - 5/02/09)

Dental Care Visit Caller Discovery Process

The dental team phone answerer must determine – by the questions asked and not asked where the person is at in their appreciation and understanding of high-end dentistry value. It will also be evident by the tone of the voice or by the urgency of the issue – how “far along” the caller is.

Another key element of the discovery process for the dental office phone answerer is listening attentively for what the prospective patient understands about Dr. Dentist Of Dentistry’s expertise and care philosophy (or his/her brand). Has the prospective dental patient build up any trust in the dentist (you) previous to their first dental visit? This is not easy to do, but neither should it be considered overwhelming to accomplish.

The dental office phone answerer must focus on increasing their proficiency and not dwell on individual situations or missed opportunities. Learning from each caller and new patient call situation, taking detailed notes, and asking key questions is more important at this juncture than interacting successfully on each call. Bear in mind that even a partial improvement in scheduling effectiveness can benefit your dental practice, so there is no reason to rush the process.

The caller will often have many inaccurate, under researched and/or naïve perceptions about dentistry. It isn’t efficient or productive for ALL of those questions to be answered during the phone call. The reality is few consumers can be transitioned unless they are prepared at many levels. The phone call is usually an early point in the preparing process especially if dental marketing has been absent from the prepping groundwork.

The scheduling qualifiers for prospective dental patients, noted below, are more important than the specific questions asked of each caller. The new dental patient, phone-answering concepts, discussed below, will help your front desk person understand the caller’s stage of case acceptance “readiness” and manage calls more effectively.

The caller should know they are not calling “a” dentist; they are calling the Dr. Expert Dentist Of Dentistry, YOU! The telephone answerer must understand AND value this distinction to effectively qualify these dental patients.

The caller (prospective dental patient) must be informed of this distinction, understand it and then "qualify themselves" before they are scheduled for a dental appointment. When they get to the dental practice, the new patient should be guided to the most efficient resource for moving up the “prepared” ladder.

Topics Covered in Part Two...

• The "Fully Prepared" Prospective Dental Patient
  
• The "Unprepared" Prospective Dental Patient 
  

Continued - in 4/26/09 • Niche Dental Marketing Blog Post