Price Reduction for IOS cases?

[Bryce Hiller]

Hi everybody, got a question for the group. We have our first office getting an intra-oral scanner. They also happen to be our largest account. We have all the equipment and workflow ready to go fully digital. However, the office is wondering if there will be any price reduction for going digital. So those of you that are doing IOS cases, do you offer a reduction in price and, if so, how much? Thanks in advance!

 

[rkm rdt]

 

[Bryce Hiller]

Take that as a "no?"

 

[rkm rdt]

I outsource my printed models so no price reduction.

 

[JMN]

They're not gonna give the pt a discount because they aren't buying impression material anymore, why should you?

 

[Bryce Hiller]

Ok gotcha. Next question I have is the brand. They've narrowed their choices down to Trios and Carestream. Do they both export files as STLs? Do either require us to purchase any license or anything? Should we steer them towards one over the other? If so, why?

 

[rkm rdt]

Do you have 3 Shape or Exocad ?

 

[Bryce Hiller]

Do you have 3 Shape or Exocad ?

Unfortunately, Dental Wings.

 

[rkm rdt]

Dental Wings have their own IOS.

 

[Bryce Hiller]

Dental Wings have their own IOS.

I'm aware. First of all, I won't be buying another dental wings product. Second, I'm not the one purchasing it. The doctors are.

 

[TheLabGuy]

No...I charge more for the IOS scans. My reasoning is, to do a traditional quadrant/triple tray case in the model room costs about 10$, usually included in the price of the crown. So now you add in the software, hardware, requirements needed to be able to just accept a IOS scan, that's some money right there. Then, if you are just starting and not in-house, you have to get a model printed. So there is a printer and more software/hardware, or if you have to have an outside printing service (they are going to charge you). I know what the reps are saying out there on the street, but IOS scans cost the lab much more. I'd say you add in the extra expenses on our end and it would be closer to $50 per model from an IOS scan vs. the $10, and at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, you want to eat the $40 dollar difference on every case???

 

[Bryce Hiller]

No...I charge more for the IOS scans. My reasoning is, to do a traditional quadrant/triple tray case in the model room costs about 10$, usually included in the price of the crown. So now you add in the software, hardware, requirements needed to be able to just accept a IOS scan, that's some money right there. Then, if you are just starting and not in-house, you have to get a model printed. So there is a printer and more software/hardware, or if you have to have an outside printing service (they are going to charge you). I know what the reps are saying out there on the street, but IOS scans cost the lab much more. I'd say you add in the extra expenses on our end and it would be closer to $50 per model from an IOS scan vs. the $10, and at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, you want to eat the $40 dollar difference on every case???

We certainly won't be charging more. As I said we literally have all the equipment and software we need. The only added cost will be the resin, which will come to about $3-4 per case with quadrants. We spend much more than that per case on model work with materials and labor. I can see your point if you are starting everything from scratch or are outsourcing, but we are doing everything in house and already have the means to do so.

 

[ztech]

I do reduce my charges if I am doing digital without a model. I save model cost, pick-up cost, and scanning cost. I discount my prices half of what I save in doing those items.

If you are still doing models you are only saving on pick-up and scanning. Models would be a wash if not cost you slightly more considering the technology purchase, maintenance, labor to perform maintenance and materials.

 

[TheLabGuy]

We certainly won't be charging more. As I said we literally have all the equipment and software we need. The only added cost will be the resin, which will come to about $3-4 per case with quadrants. We spend much more than that per case on model work with materials and labor. I can see your point if you are starting everything from scratch or are outsourcing, but we are doing everything in house and already have the means to do so.

I'd love to see the cost analysis on this when you are all set up. I'm not doubting you at all, but when it comes to good business practices, I always like to see what the difference is in the end. It might surprise you.

 

[Baobabtree]

Dental Wings will import any file if it is an stl. Straumann are selling trios units as well as their own IOS, so I would have thought their software DW will import either.

 

[ztech]

To the question of intra-oral scanner, I have gotten better images from trios than carestream. Trios will now export stl files so as long as you have software than can import those files it works. If they go with Trios, have them make sure they enable the stl function when they set it up. It doesn't cost them to have this set up but the reps are reluctant to do it sometimes.

 

[eyeloveteeth]

we used to offer model-less discounts and now we don't because we don't go full model-less. The savings is the doctor's impression materials and trays (usually about $25-45 and time) -

we'd rather print a model and make sure we can get there retarded feather margins correct.

 

[2thm8kr]

and make sure we can get there retarded feather margins correct.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but feather margins just don't work with anything except NP Pfms.
Ever tried to convert a doc to chamfers? I know, a lost cause.

 

[eyeloveteeth]

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but feather margins just don't work with anything except NP Pfms.
Ever tried to convert a doc to chamfers? I know, a lost cause.

yeah i was being dramatic, but you know what i mean. and i feel your pain. lol

 

[user name]

Doctors don't set my prices. I do. If theyre pressuring you, theyre shopping. Remember, time is the most valuable component in your equation. Theres going to be a learning curve on both ends. Reinforce your value as a partner now more than ever.

On your end, understand when mistakes have been made. Just because 'you've always done it that way' is a poor justification to keep doing it that way. In other words...ditch the DW. Get exo. Its like when Dorothy went into Oz and everything changed to full color. You will be happy you did. Real jobs require real tools.