Posted by: Dental Design      6th February 2019

We are all guilty from time to time of not making the most of opportunities available to us. For example, we might buy the latest all-singing, all-dancing smartphone and only use a small number of its applications. As such, there is a high chance that we will miss out on key features that we might actually find useful in our day-to-day lives.

Similarly, it’s crucial that dentists are making the most of the service available from leading dental laboratories. After all, technicians have a very refined skill set that can help dentists make the most appropriate treatment decisions for their patients. If you’re not in a position to seek reliable advice and material information from your lab team, then it will be difficult to deliver excellent dentistry to your patients.

Communication

The foundation of a productive and personal working relationship between technician and dentist is good communication. Only with mutual respect, honesty and open channels of communication can professionals collaborate efficiently. When this happens, you can work as one seamless team to ensure every patient receives the highest standard of care.

It’s important to start this communication from the very beginning of a case. The technician’s knowledge and experience means they can offer valuable insight into the most suitable materials for a specific case, the best type of framework or the most aesthetic restorative solution. Similarly, processes like fitting a locator can be supported by a good dental technician. As something many dentists find challenging, technicians can communicate ideal heights and widths of locators to help dentists improve their case preparation and create highly accurate treatment plans.

Having access to this support while you treatment plan a case – and not just when you send the lab ticket through – means you have the greatest chance of success. It also enables you to give your patient the maximum number of options to choose from, which is definitely in their best interests.

Aside from starting early, communication between dentist and technician should also be flexible. Having different methods by which you can contact your lab team is often useful. You need confidence that you can phone your lab during working hours and that someone will always answer and be able to help, ensuring a personal service every time. In addition, less time-sensitive requests for information or guidance should have the option of email or other online correspondence, with the same confidence that a response will be provided in a timely manner.

Not just a lab ticket

While a detailed lab ticket is an important communication tool, it is not the be all and end all. Part of building a good working relationship with your lab team is utilising the opportunity to meet them in person. Face-to-face interaction allows you to get to know each other better, especially considering that as much as 90% of communication is thought to consist of body language. With a better understanding of each other and your preferred methods of working, you’ll also be able to collaborate more effectively and efficiently in the future. A major part of the personal lab service dentists can benefit from, face-to-face meetings and direct interaction with a familiar team of technicians is often what ensures a personal touch and added value.

Best of both worlds

Finding a laboratory that delivers this personal experience, but that also provides a wide range of services can be difficult. A smaller business may offer fewer products but will find it easier to customise its offerings to each practice, yet many dentists worry that larger labs compromise their quality of service in favour of a larger portfolio.

For the ideal blend of both worlds, discover Sparkle Dental Labs. The recently revitalised laboratory offers a consistent service with a personal touch. Led by highly experienced individuals, there is a whole team of dental technicians dedicated to helping you achieve the very best treatment outcomes for your patients. You can rest assured that there will always be someone to help throughout your entire case. In addition, you are very welcome to visit the lab or a senior technician can come to you to meet or discuss any cases that would benefit from closer collaboration.

To ensure that you are getting the best possible service from your laboratory, and that you are maximising on the benefits available to you, speak to your technician today. You don’t need to find a compromise between quality, quantity and the availability of a personal service – you just need to find the right lab team for you.

For more information on Sparkle Dental Labs, or to subscribe to our newsletter, call0800 138 6255, or visit www.sparkledentallabs.com

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