Choosing a dental lab is one of the most important business decisions a dentist makes — and one of the least discussed. Dental schools teach you how to prep, impress, and seat. They rarely teach you how to evaluate the lab that's building the restoration you're putting your name on.
Here are ten questions that will help you separate the partners from the vendors:
1. Can I Talk to the Technician Working on My Case?
If the answer is no — if you're routed to a call center or a customer service rep — that tells you how much they value the dentist-technician relationship. At a good lab, the answer is always yes.
2. Where Do Your Materials Come From?
Premium labs use name-brand materials from reputable manufacturers and can tell you exactly which zirconia, porcelain, or alloy they're using. If your lab can't or won't answer this question, ask yourself why.
3. What's Your Remake Rate?
Every lab has remakes. Good labs track their remake rate obsessively because it's a direct measure of quality. If they don't know their remake rate, they're not paying attention to quality.
4. How Do You Handle Shade Matching?
'We match the shade you write on the Rx' is a different answer than 'Send us photos and we'll work with you to nail the shade.' One is order-taking. The other is partnership.
5. What Happens When Something Doesn't Fit?
The warranty is one thing. The process is another. Do you have to file a claim and wait? Or do you call your technician, discuss what happened, and get a solution in motion immediately?
6. How Many Technicians Handle My Case?
In high-volume labs, your case might pass through five or six hands. In an artisan lab, one or two technicians see it from start to finish. Continuity matters.
7. Do You Support Digital Workflows?
A modern lab should be able to accept digital scans, work with STL files, and integrate into your digital workflow seamlessly. But they should also maintain traditional capabilities for practices that haven't fully transitioned.
8. What Implant Systems Do You Work With?
A lab that only supports one or two platforms is limiting your clinical options. Look for broad platform support and technicians who understand the nuances of each system.
9. Can I Visit Your Lab?
A lab that welcomes visitors has nothing to hide. If they discourage visits, ask yourself what they don't want you to see.
10. Why Should I Choose You Over a Bigger, Cheaper Lab?
This is the most important question. Listen to the answer carefully. If it's all about price and speed, you're talking to a vendor. If it's about quality, relationships, and partnership — you've found your lab.
At Designer Dental Lab, we welcome every one of these questions. In fact, we encourage them. Because we know that the more you understand about how we work, the more confident you'll be in the restorations we build for you and your patients.