3 Tips to Lower Your Lab Bill without Compromising Quality

1
3 Tips to Lower Your Lab Bill without
Compromising Quality
One of the major expenditures dentists incur is
on their dental lab work and the dental
products they manufacture. This is why dentists
are either forced to increase their prices or go
for cheap, inefficient dental labs to keep costs
low. However, both come with their own
disadvantages. While the former can alienate
your patients, the latter can drive them away
further and ruin your reputation for good.
Luckily, there is a way you can balance quality
and expenses.
If this is news to you, and it probably is since
youre reading these lines, here are three tips
to help you cut down your lab bills while
ensuring high quality.
Tip 1) Cut Down Your Shipping Fees Most labs
charge for shipping. What makes this fee a little
heavy on the pocket is that it fluctuates
depending on the rise and fall of fuel costs.
However, you and your lab can reach a middle
ground and approach this fee while achieving a
win-win scenario. One way to do this is by
shipping multiple cases at a time
On average, the discounted second day shipping
fee from California to the East Coast
costs between 12 and 20 via UPS (thats each
way). Considering the fact that you will be
sending impressions and receiving dental
treatments, the total expense will be 40 for the
round trip. If you are a dentist that focuses
on implant dentistry, this can dramatically
increase the cost of parts, abutments, crowns
and the case in general.
Now the lab may charge one way to show its
interest in your business, but shipping
is approximately 5-10 of every case. However,
if you choose to combine 3-4 cases, the lab would
deliver more for the same amount. As a result,
it may provide you with discounts in the future
or completely ship your cases for free. This
will save you hundreds of dollars as well.
Approach your lab with this cooperative strategy
and you might be surprised at the result.
2
Tip 2) Return Unused Parts of Cases Theres
always a chance that you wont use parts of cases
such as crown boxes and used implant parts.
Instead of keeping them around and cluttering
your office, send them back and help the lab cut
down its costs by re-using them. We know a dental
office that focuses on Dental Implants Los
Angeles. They return analogues and models after
their cases are delivered. The cost of the
analogues can be as much as 35. The lab gives
them a 50 credit on all return and reusable
implant part. If you provide the lab with your
own parts, make sure that the staff doesnt throw
the models without saving the analogue.
Tip 3) Pay Your Lab Fees Early One of the common
complaints of labs these days is that it takes
long periods of time to collect money from
dentists for the dental products the lab
provided. Its important to remember that your
dental lab is just as affected as you are by the
economy. Therefore, consider paying your lab
early. In return, ask that you get a discount.
What most dentists dont know is that dental labs
have an advanced business model that allows them
to improve their cash flow and negotiate costs.
So, if you get a typical discount, which is
2- 5, you will be able to save hundreds of
dollars. You can further save by paying your
bills with a rewards credit card. This way
youll push your savings even further. We know
one lab that offers a 5 discount to clients
that pay within 5 days of their statement. One,
very large client who takes advantage of this
offer saved over 12,000 off their lab bill in
2013.
So follow these three steps and you and your
dental lab will be able to mutually benefit
each other.
For more information about Cosmetic Dental Lab,
Cosmetic Dentist Los Angeles, Emax Crowns, Dental
Products, Implant Dentistry, Dental Implants Los
Angeles, etc. Visit us at http//www.611dentalstu
dio.com/