2000 labs closed last year

[TheLabGuy]

I read this in DentalTown magazine today from a survey conducted by Dr. Gordon Christensen of what Dentists view as the toughest challenges going forward.


"The quantity of laboratory products being produced outside of the United States is well known. Low-cost laboratory services obtainable out of the country caused the closing of 2,000 dental laboratories in the U.S. last year, as reported to me by Bennett Napier, executive director of the National Association of Dental Laboratories. This situation needs immediate attention by dental leaders. I suggest that dental society provides motivation for laboratories to indicate the source of origin of dental laboratory products is necessary. Official government agencies, such as the FDA, should have more observation and control of the quality of laboratory products coming into the United States."

In 2009 there was a reported 12,100 dental labs in the country.

Might be a good thing to start making sure all of your GMP's and QMS are in place.

 

[paulg100]

this is like a ticking time bomb and will blow up in many dentists face's unless they start taking some responsibility.

 

[TheLabGuy]

I agree, I wonder though if even we give the Dentists origin of manufacturing proof, will they even disclose that to their patients? Which begs the question, what's the purpose then?

 

[ed 3]

this is like a ticking time bomb and will blow up in many dentists face's unless they start taking some responsibility.

Many dentists do not disclose what material and where crowns were made to the customers. But the price for service staying the same,I am trying to bring this massage as much as I can to all who I know in my community,seen some results,some of my friends switched a dentist who could not assure them where work been done.

 

[Rick Sonntag]

If I'm not mistaken, this issue was discussed heavily here in Florida when our lab legislation went through and dentists fought tooth-and-nail to keep them from disclosing country of origin to their patients and was removed from the bill.

 

[charles007]

this is like a ticking time bomb and will blow up in many dentists face's unless they start taking some responsibility.

So very true Paul
Add in the small labs that are resistant to getting into cad/cam, or can't afford it, then you will see failures double.
Our business makeup is changing over night, and much faster than many of us realize.

 

[TheLabGuy]

If I'm not mistaken, this issue was discussed heavily here in Florida when our lab legislation went through and dentists fought tooth-and-nail to keep them from disclosing country of origin to their patients and was removed from the bill.

Yep, and the new Virginia Law does the same thing. It's a waste of time unless the Docs inform the patients of the origin. Also, I read that the new Virginia law says you must 'sterilize' all new products that leave the lab. I could see disinfection, sanitizing, but sterility...yeah right!!!!

 

[k2 Ceramic Studio]

This has been LAW in the UK for a bit now, It is called A STATEMENT OF MANUFACTURE
the idea was that a patient had a right to know where their medical device was manufactured, who made it, what it was made of and so on. so every appliance has to contain a statement of manufacture, it was also law that this statement had to be given to the patient or kept on file for the patient. They are for the whole just being stored in the patients file for the patient if they ever request them, but guess what most patients don't even know they exist.
Just more paper work for labs, more cost/wast of time.............

 

[Tom Moore]

You guys knew I couldn't stay out of this one. I'm in favor of the patient knowing where their custom dental device is made.

More than likely the dentist that wants to give the patient a choice will charge the same as they do now for imported work and if the domestically produced device is more expensive the patient will pay that difference.

As a patient I would look my dentist in the eye and ask if the quality of the offshore and domestic is comparable. I didn't come to the lab I came to the dentist. With the great number of dentists out there to pick from it would be one I have some trust in. If the choice was between my lab and Al's I would expect the dentist to tell me the truth. His work is very high end and is aesthetically better but costs more. Then I truly get to make a decision based on a product comparison of quality and price not just nationalism.

Those that are doing run of the mill work that is on a par with what I produce at twice the price need to get better at their craft or find something else to do.

If there is place in the market where needs and wants are not being filled it will be. Those wanting to fill that need the way they want to may not be what the market wants or needs. This could apply to me as easily as you.

 

[paulg100]

"Those that are doing run of the mill work that is on a par with what I produce at twice the price need to get better at their craft or find something else to do."

:top: i agree with you 100% there Tom

BUT! :hand:

If you chop the legs off the bottom of the industry then there will be no one coming through to produce the high end/top quality work any more.

"AL" will not be around for ever

If you drive the market into the ground and salaries along with it, do you think this industry will attract intelligent and skilled individuals to start with?

To be frank, it is already in crisis! im sad to say ive had people contact me and already advised them to choose another industry.

Many Dentists will loose, Labs will loose and patients will have NO choice.

If you are only interested in making as much money as possible until the end of your career then screw whats left behind, then keep promoting what you are doing. to me that seems incredibly selfish and irresponsible.

 

[ed 3]

To laboratory's that think to have competition bringing prices down as much as possible would be foolish strategy and eventually doomed to fail. Our lab has two tear sistem, first for second class dentists work we sending to China but for those dentists who care about quality first we have high skiled techs who making pretty darn good work and the same time having good compensation for their hard work.

 

[DentureDude]

i go visit my friends c/b lab now and then. a great guy and a great tech. i remember walking in when it was a very busy 30 man lab, now there are 3 left. he said he tried everything. even tried sending to the chinese at one time. told me every case had to be re worked so it didn't pan out for them at all. i know he could have just sent them out. and the cheap a$$ docs would have sent the patient home with them. but he has a conscious and integrity.

that was a great lab. i really miss seeing that place hustling and bustling, full of skilled american workers. doing there jobs and doing it well. i find it tough to even walk in there anymore..

but you go tom.
keep acting like you care. while really just using this place to promote your business.

... i love karma.

 

[AJEL]

Tom I try to let my customers know where their product comes from. Do you think stickers made in China would make it to the patient? We do need a point of origin for your kind, for me I'll do my part to encourage American loyalty. Not loyalty to the DDS pocket & retirement, or to the detriment of the patient with substituted materials.

[/IMG]
K2 I have stickers with the material, FDA# CAS# &CE when approperiate. This gives the patient information for medical reliance. And yes it did take some doing I make dentures, the metal id's have been around a few years. Fricke started, I have all the materials in my lab Densply said it doesn't know, but I don't use them much.

 

[amadent]

it is a trickle down affect in many ways
at first it started with the low end labs but where will it end
anyone who doesnt think that the offshore labs have a few of ther etop tech,s learning and trying every technique you find on the internt ( youtube)
you are all sadly mistaken-
if the basic crown now is $39 bucks or so how long is it before you can get top end " Al like" work for say 3x's- $117 or so
then where we all be - i wll tell you - a name on the list that Rob posted above
we all price is alarge concern when it comes to where a doc sends his/her work



sorry if i ranted abit it just really struck a nerve to here that 2000 out of 1200 (2009) closed there doors- not all to offshore i am sure but you know was a major factor-

remember made made in the USA meant something
to many of us it still does
please support your local economy

Greg Amendola MDT

 

[paulg100]

i would like to add that you could argue that Mr Glidewell does the same by producing mass product at cheap prices.

The difference is he creates wealth and jobs for the people of your country and opportunity for home grown technicians looking to become the next "Al". He is a true entrepreneur.

By driving prices to rock bottom and sending the work to another country you Tom are certainly not, you are something else. but im sure that is fine with you.

 

[Macron Dental Lab]

To laboratory's that think to have competition bringing prices down as much as possible would be foolish strategy and eventually doomed to fail. Our lab has two tear system, first for second class dentists work we sending to China but for those dentists who care about quality first we have high skilled techs who making pretty darn good work and the same time having good compensation for their hard work.

sending to china
There is the problem of our country we don't produce, only a big mall. This apply in the dental market but in general, read your labels made in #@#$ and &*#*&. I'm from Dom Rep were dental work is cheap i could out source but i don't i promote my lab in my country and i in source work in US because the quality the technology we have here is 10 years ahead of third world country's. Don't kill your business don't make labs in china stronger try to make your lab here not based on outsourcing. Them you are helping our economy your future your lab....
sorry for my english still learning.

 

[ed 3]

sending to china
There is the problem of our country we don't produce, only a big mall. This apply in the dental market but in general, read your labels made in #@#$ and &*#*&. I'm from Dom Rep were dental work is cheap i could out source but i don't i promote my lab in my country and i in source work in US because the quality the technology we have here is 10 years ahead of third world country's. Don't kill your business don't make labs in china stronger try to make your lab here not based on outsourcing. Them you are helping our economy your future your lab....
sorry for my english still learning.

Agree with you, macron. But I am not an owner of our lab and do not making day by day financial decisions,I am just a dental tech who voice the opinion and the facts.

 

[v2thmaster]

It is all about quality. Neither China nor Glidewell can compete with high quality dental labs (it's a fact). The key is: a good personal relationship with your dentists, excellent customer service, producing high quality products (a good dentist can always differentiate between good work and cheap crap),and be on the top of a new technology. Don't be too greedy and pay your employees decent money, treat them right and they will stick with you for a long time. It works for me and I believe it will work for all of you!

 

[Tom Moore]

Site me any domestic industry using nationalism to save their jobs or business that has worked for anything but a short time. I WILL NOT WORK FOR THE LAB INDUSTRY EITHER!

Domestic prices are a direct reflection of the world market price of labor. There is no going back or changing.

You need to find a way to service the market and quit pointing to outside influence keeping you down. I've heard this, all the techs are getting to old to go on and technology is the end for technicians for years and I'm doing more PFMs every day.

If I was here selling would my words I post here really be the best way to do that. I don't need to use the Internet to sell. I have the guts and sales ability to use the phone to sell product much easier and more focused that selling here.The number of time being put through to the dentist with the knowledge I'm selling offshore work is many times easier than it was 10 years ago and getting easier every day. I think even the phone answering gate keeper sees they better find a way to become more profitable if they are going to keep their jobs so I get put through to the dentist. The dentist also knows his staff comes before the profitably of the current lab.

Missing labs? what labs? The diversity in size and unit throughput of labs makes this almost meaningless. We don't know within a few thousand how many labs are really out there. This is just by guess and by golly.

 

[paulg100]

http://dentallabnetwork.com/forums/members/v2thmaster/albums/pictures/267-got-e-max.jpg

you sir have to much time on your hands