Are you tired of delayed restorations and multiple remakes? Provide better treatment, put a stop to multiple scheduling with unhappy patients, and see your patient’s brilliant smile with the steps below.
It happens to all dentists – even those at the top of their game. Dental restorations can be delayed from one week to one month and have to be remade. If it’s a delayed case, the date of patient delivery needs to be rescheduled which equates to possibly irate patients. If the case needs a remake, there’s also the cost of the dentist’s time plus the opportunity cost of seeing other patients (i.e. Opportunity Cost = expected earnings minus actual income earned).
How to avoid delays and remakes
One of the worst parts to a delayed case: having to call the patient to reschedule, especially last minute. This patient perhaps has been chewing on one side of his mouth for over a week or has been holding back on his genuine smile. That date of his delivery is marked on his calendar with a BIG X and he’s counting down to the day he can once again enjoy his food or get his smile back. Then, his case gets delayed which means that date needs to be rescheduled!
Most dentists want to provide the best patient experience. So how do we do that? The best way to deal with delays and remakes of your restorations is first to prevent them from happening with the following recommendations.
1. Explore the use of Intraoral Scanners.
- Intraoral scanners has been the trend for many dentists who have seen a significant drop in delay and remake rates.
- The benefits of intraoral scanners in general reduces turnaround time since files are digital. Impressions are more accurate which means less remakes.
- Intraoral scanners are forthcoming, now with a good selection on the market – this will be discussed in another blog so please stay tuned.
2. Make sure you double check what is needed for the lab to fabricate your cases. Accurate information leads to an accurate final product.
- When submitting the case to the lab, make sure all necessary enclosures to fabricate the case and complete Rx Instructions are submitted.
- For example: When prescribing PFM’s the final shade is sent to the lab; however, when prescribing an e.Max restoration, you also need to take a stump shade from the patient.
3. Connect with a lab that is consistent, transparent, and has good communication. After all, they are your partner in delivering a wonderful patient experience.
There are other factors that can cause a delay or remake of your restoration case. For example, the mail courier loses your packaged impression or the impression is cracked when delivered to the dental lab. Or perhaps there’s a long holiday that increases the turnaround time. That’s why it’s imperative to connect with a good lab.
- If a case will be delayed, a good lab will immediately notify the dentist so further actions can be taken (i.e. immediately reschedule patients).
- A good lab will also follow-up on delivered cases to ensure satisfaction and make notes on a dentist’s preferences to stay dialed in for future cases.
4. Always set your patients’ expectations
- When knowing what to expect, bad news is not too bad because no one likes to get caught off guard.
To sum up here are steps that will lead to a great patient experience.
- Explore the use of intraoral scanners.
- Double check what is needed, submit necessary enclosures, and complete Rx instructions to the dental lab.
- Connect with a lab that is consistent, transparent, and has good communication.
- Set your patients’ expectations.
Do you have a good strategy to deal with delays and remakes of dental restorations? Please let us know below. If you found this article helpful, please share. Call us today at 800.361.1659 to know how we can help you!
Ray Alde is the CEO of Arklign Laboratories whose mission is to provide dentists with the best dental lab experience.