owner of Precision Dental Studio

[dr4ever]

Greetings from sunny Florida!

[TheLabGuy]

Hello, tell us about yourself, interesting minds want to know....lol

[dr4ever]

I own a small dental lab in Jax Florida, My plan was to work for Dentisit interested in Anterior esthetic cases ,I have been in buisness for 7 years, Have been Certified for 23 years in Crown and Bridge and ceramics. I charge 200.00 per unit for Layered Empress crowns and Veneers. I love what I do But I am having a difficult time growing. I am stuck in that place a lot of labs find themselves sruck in Add more accounts more employees or stay small and do most of the work yourself.
I am interested in feedback from other small labs that have found themselves in this situation. Please respond Thanks barb

[TheLabGuy]

Really depends oh how well you train really. I've noticed not every technician does everything the same way, however, their is a right and wrong way. If you think you can train the employees you need to grow, then SHOOT FOR THE STARS!!!!!!! Once you got a couple employees you have some faith in, then come up with a good marketing plan, and as Will Smith so eloquently stated, "get jiggy with it".

Just a sidenote: I've never had much luck training experienced technicians, like the old saying goes, "tough to teach an old dog new tricks". For me, taking a new person with a brain and some intuition has always been a safe call. Takes awhile for them to grasp everything and be competent but it's inspiring to look back and see how far they've come along and the best part, they do it your way (the right way).

Hope that helps.

[Al.]

Originally Posted by dr4ever

I love what I do But I am having a difficult time growing. I am stuck in that place a lot of labs find themselves sruck in Add more accounts more employees or stay small and do most of the work yourself.
I am interested in feedback from other small labs that have found themselves in this situation. Please respond Thanks barb

Do you find it easy or difficult to pick up more work at $200 in Jax.

Im buy myself now along with my wife, and making more money now then when I had a waxer and finisher a model/delivery person and a part time bookworker. It seemed like I was just working for my employees then and puttng in just as many hours but with extra management headaches. But mabey I was doing it wrong?
I think I need to stay small or go big, the in between is a killer.

Does anybody know if it would pay for a small lab to go automated (using a system to mill wax ups both for copings and fmcs and zr and emax crns) or would all my income be going to pay off a HUGE debt + intrest?

[dr4ever]

Experieced tech want more than my size lab can pay.Trainee seems to work , what would you start a dental assist at, she has terminology and can pour models?






Al I have most acounts that have no problem paying 200.00 for a layered Empress but the majorityof accounts want them for nothing , Fortunatly I have only one and she sends everything she does to compensate, she has only been in practice for 7 month and I see it as an investment. I have had to take it client by client ,I work with an LVI DR. and do get referrals from him.
I am also finding when I go out to solicite my lab The young forien Dr.s have no problem outsourcing to Hong Kong through Pan Am Lab in Savvanah Ga.
I cannot compee with 99.00 high noble or 110.00 Empress. I feel the dr's are the ones missing the boat they could get better prices from there patients with a more asthetic crown and something made in the USA . would you put a crown in your mouth from China. Not me. Thanks for the correspondense . Where is your Lab and how long have you been in buisness.
I believe the answer is for small labs to band together, What do you think? Also what you are talking about with automation really is a good idea but you must have the clientel to support the system and be able to pay it off quickly. Thanks Barb

[dr4ever]

Originally Posted by dr4ever

Experieced tech want more than my size lab can pay.Trainee seems to work , what would you start a dental assist at, she has terminology and can pour models?

Al I have most acounts that have no problem paying 200.00 for a layered Empress but the majorityof accounts want them for nothing , Fortunatly I have only one and she sends everything she does to compensate, she has only been in practice for 7 month and I see it as an investment. I have had to take it client by client ,I work with an LVI DR. and do get referrals from him.
I am also finding when I go out to solicite my lab The young forien Dr.s have no problem outsourcing to Hong Kong through Pan Am Lab in Savvanah Ga.
I cannot compee with 99.00 high noble or 110.00 Empress. I feel the dr's are the ones missing the boat they could get better prices from there patients with a more asthetic crown and something made in the USA . would you put a crown in your mouth from China. Not me. Thanks for the correspondense . Where is your Lab and how long have you been in buisness.
I believe the answer is for small labs to band together, What do you think? Also what you are talking about with automation really is a good idea but you must have the clientel to support the system and be able to pay it off quickly. Thanks Barb

[TheLabGuy]

As for paying employees, this will help you, this is a link to the demographics of your area and what the average pay is for particular jobs in the dental lab industry. http://www.lmtcommunications.com/art...age_survey.asp You may have to register, takes 2 secs, but their are some good articles on there. Hope this helps. For me personally, I prefer a employee doesn't touch a real case for a few months. They need to know terminology, how to read a RX, the whole process, and the correct method in performing those tasks. Not till they have a grasp of all that, would I ever consider them touching a real case. Sounds crazy, but it's an investment, sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. You usually know in 90 days.

[TheLabGuy]

One technique I really liked, was taking a few hours after 5pm or an all day saturday session and hiring 10 employees. Tell them you're only looking for 2 employees or whatever set number. Tell them for the next month you'll work every saturday (or after working hours) learning the procedures, terminology, and test them, let them do wax-ups, finishing, model work. This lets your new hire's opt out and still keep their current job. After a month of working with them, you'll know who you'll want to take to the next level, then release the others. It lets them still keep their current job but also gives them a chance to audition for position amongst your lab. I like this method of hiring new people off the street, it really disguishes between the go-getters and the wanna-be's.

[labdude]

Hi Rob,
Outstanding ideas and methods for hiring. It does pay off in the long run to do it just like you point out.

[trisha]

Welcome Barb to DNL~

I am an orthodontic lab owner and have been in business for 8 years now. Like you I really enjoy what I do for a living. After a few years in business I found my comfort zone on a work load that I could handle. I did not go into business to hire other people I prefered to stay small and gather enough accounts that I would be able to handle on my own with out having to hire anyone. This was a personal choice that some would consider not very ambitious. But it truly works for me and I am in control of every aspect of my business. I would have a very very hard time deligating and training others. I guess you really need to decide for yourself how big you want to get, there is so many things to consider when taking on an employee. Are you willing to take on that responsibility and liability? There is a lot of factors to consider in making that jump.

Glad you joined the DNL family,
trisha

[dr4ever]

Thanks for all of the advice , It is great to have some feedback, I will consider all of the above. I'm sure We wil talk again soon
Barb