The Question Every Dentist Should Ask
Here's a question every dentist should ask: when you call your lab, does the person who answers know who you are?
Not your account number. Not your practice name after pulling it up in a database. Do they actually know you? Do they know that you prefer a slightly warmer A2? That your prep style tends to run a little subgingival on the facial? That you hate bulky contours on premolars?
If the answer is no, you're not in a partnership. You're in a transaction. And transactions produce transactional results.
The Lost Partnership Between Dentist and Technician
The relationship between a dentist and their lab technician used to be one of the most important partnerships in dentistry. The dentist handled the clinical side; the technician handled the artistry. They talked. They problem-solved together. They built something better than either could alone.
Somewhere along the way, the industry decided that efficiency mattered more than relationships. Cases get routed to whichever technician is available. Communication happens through dropdown menus on a digital Rx form. If you have a question, you call a 1-800 number and talk to someone in customer service who has never touched a piece of wax in their life.
How We Do Things at Designer Dental Lab
At Designer Dental Lab, we do things the old way — because the old way works. When you call us, you talk to the technician working on your case. When you send us a complex case, we call you to discuss it before we start. We keep notes on every practice we work with, not in some CRM system, but because we genuinely care about getting it right for you.
Better Relationships Mean Better Clinical Outcomes
This isn't just about warm feelings. It produces better clinical outcomes. When your technician knows your prep tendencies, they can compensate and optimize. When they know your shade preferences, they nail it the first time. When they know your patients tend to be older with more translucent enamel, they adjust without being asked.
Your lab should know your name. They should know your work. And they should care about your patients almost as much as you do. That's not too much to ask — it's the bare minimum.