Removeables Lab

[Mimton]

Hello all, I’m a Removables technician from New York looking for some insight. I’ve been in the removables/implants for 5 years, I’m 23 and I’ve quickly realized that scraping by for pennies on hourly is not my thing. This realization has led to me the idea of starting my own small removables lab in my garage with the extra cash I have laying around. However I realized that starting up even frugally is going to run me bare minimum ten thousand. Am I supposed to start off in the hole buy equipment then find doctors ? I’m not quite sure the order of operations to open a lab or what the optimal approach in our industry is. I’ve been the manager of my current lab for 2 years now so I understand long hours and sacrifices and am forgoing any payments to myself for the work I do in my future lab, for the time being of course. Any insight would be greatly appreciated thank you !

 

[JonnyLathe]

I imagine you could start a bare bones removable lab for less if you get creative. You really only need a budson burner hooked up to gas, some wax carving tools, a handpiece and/or lathe, pressure pot, and some sort of tabletop boilout unit (turkey roaster anyone?). If you're press packing and flasking some flasks and compresses. Polishing can be done by handpiece or lathe, then it's just supplies such as cold/heat cure acrylic, separator, plaster and stone, pumice, high shine, a couple hinge articulators and a semi-adjustable articulator. I'd just order teeth as you get cases so you don't have to order a huge stockpile.

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

you could start off just doing repairs and relines for less than $10k. but if youre exchanging long hours and sacrifices at the job-lab for your own...are you really gaining anything? theres a TON more that comes with running a business than just doing removable work.

 

[Rtyrelw]

you could start off just doing repairs and relines for less than $10k. but if youre exchanging long hours and sacrifices at the job-lab for your own...are you really gaining anything? theres a TON more that comes with running a business than just doing removable work.

I started my lab about two and a half years ago. I only had 7 years of experience and last year my lab did about 800,000 in revenue. It's not impossible. The first year and a half I had to grind. I did not give myself a paycheck that was more than just paying a mortgage or base bills. I did have to go in the hole a little bit though I am quickly getting out of it. It is 100% worth it. I agree with this though you could easily start by doing things like repairs and realigns and get some good customer base and then once you can buy equipment you can offer one or two at a time of doing bigger stuff. Find things that you can outsource and get good relationships as well. Like for example your metal frames for partials or things like that. One of my biggest helps was making great relationships with my reps in town. I do a lot of implant supported over dentures and by promising that I would buy OEM I have the reps who are out doing sales for me in a lot of ways. I have never put out a flyer I have never cold knocked doors. All of my customers have come from word of mouth and implant reps or other reps reaching out to doctors on my behalf. It's definitely possible

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

I started my lab about two and a half years ago. I only had 7 years of experience and last year my lab did about 800,000 in revenue. It's not impossible. The first year and a half I had to grind. I did not give myself a paycheck that was more than just paying a mortgage or base bills. I did have to go in the hole a little bit though I am quickly getting out of it. It is 100% worth it. I agree with this though you could easily start by doing things like repairs and realigns and get some good customer base and then once you can buy equipment you can offer one or two at a time of doing bigger stuff. Find things that you can outsource and get good relationships as well. Like for example your metal frames for partials or things like that. One of my biggest helps was making great relationships with my reps in town. I do a lot of implant supported over dentures and by promising that I would buy OEM I have the reps who are out doing sales for me in a lot of ways. I have never put out a flyer I have never cold knocked doors. All of my customers have come from word of mouth and implant reps or other reps reaching out to doctors on my behalf. It's definitely possible

big kudos to you! thats the way, and once you are dug out of the debt hole you will find it all even more rewarding. keep establishing those relationships and doing things well and you will continue to grow.

 

[Mimton]

I started my lab about two and a half years ago. I only had 7 years of experience and last year my lab did about 800,000 in revenue. It's not impossible. The first year and a half I had to grind. I did not give myself a paycheck that was more than just paying a mortgage or base bills. I did have to go in the hole a little bit though I am quickly getting out of it. It is 100% worth it. I agree with this though you could easily start by doing things like repairs and realigns and get some good customer base and then once you can buy equipment you can offer one or two at a time of doing bigger stuff. Find things that you can outsource and get good relationships as well. Like for example your metal frames for partials or things like that. One of my biggest helps was making great relationships with my reps in town. I do a lot of implant supported over dentures and by promising that I would buy OEM I have the reps who are out doing sales for me in a lot of ways. I have never put out a flyer I have never cold knocked doors. All of my customers have come from word of mouth and implant reps or other reps reaching out to doctors on my behalf. It's definitely possible

Thank you for the advice, do you have any tips on how would be able to attract doctors to my lab per se? I made flyers and brochures advertising my work and went around driving to every office in my area, I haven’t heard back from any offices yet although it’s only been a day I’m trying to maximize my reach and get the ball rolling whatever way I can. I don’t have my connections in the field either but I do have great quality removable work and experience working with overdentures and Conus dentures too

 

[Rtyrelw]

Thank you for the advice, do you have any tips on how would be able to attract doctors to my lab per se? I made flyers and brochures advertising my work and went around driving to every office in my area, I haven’t heard back from any offices yet although it’s only been a day I’m trying to maximize my reach and get the ball rolling whatever way I can. I don’t have my connections in the field either but I do have great quality removable work and experience working with overdentures and Conus dentures too

Ya,first of all don't compromise, if it comes down to price you need to stand your ground, or they will just go to the next cheapest guy to walk in.
If you have nothing to do now make some sample dentures cut them in half and make a keychain with the description of why your product is better. Then go give those out.
The front office is your key to success. If you can be friends with those girls that are the gatekeepers you will get in. Bring them candy. They require sweet talking.
Find out who your local reps are for various companies. Whether that's benco or Henry schein or Nobel or biohorizons or strawman or whatever you already are working with. Work with reps that you already are going to use a relationship with like your distributors and then expand from there. Find out who they are and ask them if there's suggestions or any body that they know who could use your services.

 

[SjAlbanynylab]

Hi, from my experience, you can contact your local dental association to see if they can help you develop your career, this is a good opportunity.