Effective laboratory communication...it's a two-way street

Working as part of your team, your dental laboratory can increase your predictable success and decrease the stress of daily practice. This partnership should begin during the treatment planning phase and continue through to the insertion appointment. Many dentists are beginning to view their laboratory technician as a bonafide member of their patient care team. Thorough communication on both sides is crucial to reaching this predictable success. A trusting relationship will enable the dentist and the laboratory technician to communicate effectively. The laboratory must take the responsibility to communicate its concerns to the dentist, just as the dentist must take the responsibility to communicate effectively with the laboratory his or her needs and desires for each case. When effective communication techniques are followed, everyone is a winner. The dentist is more productive per hour and has reduced stress. The dental laboratory does not have to bear the burden of remakes, and spends less time on the phone or sending e-mail for routine cases. And most importantly, the patient receives an exceptional restoration that meets his or her expectations. In the end, the true measure of a great relationship between the dentist and the laboratory is happy patients who refer friends and family to your practice for years to come.