Daily Bites @ LMTmag.com

Daily Bites are tidbits of information and links to articles from LMT's research department, presented at random throughout LMTmag.com

Be Realistic on Social

Have realistic expectations about social media. Building loyalty takes time and just because your sales don’t skyrocket doesn’t mean your social media plan is failing you.

Take the time to go on dentists’ Facebook pages—lots of them have one—and try to find opportunities to start a conversation there. Once you start building trust with a potential customer on his page, chances are he’ll head over to yours as well to check out your content.

Three Ways to Reach Out to Younger Dentists:

1) Network with dental schools and offer yourself as a resource. 2) Hold an open house and introduce your staff, show your work processes and offer demonstrations. 3) Stay abreast—via public record—of dentists who have recently earned their licenses. Send them a congratulatory letter with an invitation to the lab.

Email Subject Line Protocols

In the subject line of your marketing eblasts, use less than 55 characters; don’t use all caps; and avoid the words “free,” “credit,” “offers” and “act now” to prevent being mistaken for spam.

Removable Labs Doing Well

83% of respondents to LMT’s 2017 Removable Prosthetic Survey rate the current state of their removable business as “good” or “booming.” Of that percentage, 57% say business has improved in the past three years.

First Line of Defense for Clean Air

OSHA guidelines say that engineering solutions like dust collectors, suction systems, air purifiers and fume hoods should be the first line of defense against air contaminants.

Use and Maintain Air Quality Equipment

No matter what equipment you rely on to keep the air safe in your lab, it’s critical to be sure it’s being maintained and used properly.

When to Check Air Quality

Once you establish that your air quality is safe by OSHA’s standards, you should run a follow-up air quality check anytime there is a significant change, such as when you add a new material or piece of equipment or the lab’s layout is rearranged.

Dental Lab Air Quality

Air quality is the number-one health concern in a lab. Business-Insider.com ranked dental technicians as the fourth unhealthiest job in America due in large part to exposure to contaminants.

Packing Technique Still Popular

According to LMT’s 2017 Removable Prosthetic Survey, the packing technique continues to be the most widely used, representing an average of 70% of respondents’ workloads. The injection technique comes in a distant second.

Designing Removable Cases

Nineteen percent of participants in LMT’s 2017 Removable Prosthetic Survey design their partials digitally; they use software to design an average of 65% of their cases.

Removable Caseloads

According to LMT’s 2017 Removable Prosthetic Survey, 70% of respondents’ total partial case-loads are partial dentures cast from a conventional waxup.

Tips to Improve Employee Health and Well-Being

Hold workshops during lunch, sponsor an employee health fair, organize team games and participate in events like Color Runs and Race for the Cure, offer healthy snacks, encourage employees to stretch and ensure workspaces are ergonomic.

Offering Digital Dentures

Only 8% of respondents to LMT’s 2017 Removable Prosthetic Survey currently offer full dentures fabricated digitally; 11% say they plan to start offering them within the next year and see them as a viable option for cost-effective dentures.

Annual Revenue

4% of labs have an annual revenue of over $2 million. The majority (57%) have annual revenues of less than $250,000.

Addressing Personnel Issues

Failure to address an uncomfortable personnel situation says a lot about a person and a company. The decision not to deal with it impacts more than just the two people involved; it impacts the entire department.

How to Calculate Your Selling Price

Use the opposite factor of your desired marketing margin to determine your selling price. For example, if you want to have a 40% marketing margin on a product that costs $100, the correct formula to obtain the selling price is: $100 ÷ .60=$166.67.

Supporting Implant-Trained Dentists

Encourage dentists to look at implant work from a “prosthesis down” perspective rather than the old surgeon’s technique of putting the implant wherever the bone looks best. If they think about the restoration first, they can thoroughly evaluate the site and develop it if necessary with grafting or ridge expansion.

Texting Your Dentists

Texters beware: using the native text-messaging app on your smartphone presents a risk if you’re sharing protected health information (PHI). Dentists and labs are both required by HIPAA to protect PHI.

Milled Implant Bars

41% of respondents to LMT’s 2017 Implant Survey offer milled bars. Larger labs (those with six or more employees) mill an average of five bars a month and smaller labs produce an average of two per month.

Custom-Milled Abutments

78% of respondents to LMT’s 2017 Implant Survey offer custom-milled abutments. Larger labs (those with six or more employees) produce an average of 62 abutments a month and smaller labs fabricate an average of 11 per month.

Implant Challenges

Despite the optimism and growth in the implant market, it’s not without its challenges. The biggest problem laboratories face, by far, is poor implant placement, according to LMT’s 2017 Implant Survey.

HIPAA-Compliant Texting

The best way to text with confidence is to use a HIPAA-compliant texting application. Make sure it’s available on both your mobile device and your desktop computer; the app vendor has backup protocols in place so PHI will not be deleted or lost; and you have access to archived messages.

State of the Implant Market

86% of respondents to LMT’s 2017 Implant Survey say their implant business has improved in the past three years, and 61% rate the state of their current implant business as either “good” or “booming.”

Keywords for Email Subject Lines

Words like “VIP,” “exclusive” and “limited time” in email subject lines resonate with recipients and make them want to act.

Partnering for Better Employee Perks

Small labs can partner with a Professional Employment Organization (PEO) to take advantage of economies of scale to bulk up employee perks. The PEO handles human resources-related tasks including payroll and tax compliance, benefits administration, workers’ compensation and unemployment claims.

Professional Liability Insurance

If you don’t already have professional liability insurance, ask your insurance agent to endorse your current business owner’s policy with “occurrence-based” professional liability coverage. If you can’t get an endorsement from your current company, you can get a quote for a stand-alone professional liability policy but this is typically more expensive.

Chairside Liability

Since most states don’t have regulations regarding the laboratory’s chairside liability, this is a gray area for owners who want to offer services such as consulting on case planning, intraoral verifications or fabricating cases at the dental office.

Partnering with Dentists Chairside

One popular strategy to partner with dentists investing in chairside milling is to offer to teach them how to stain and glaze their chairside restorations. While it sounds counterintuitive, the value-added service creates goodwill and reinforces your role as a technical resource.

OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard

Labs are often cited under OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard both for not having written programs and for not performing necessary testing for exposures to toxic chemicals.

OSHA Hazard Communication Standard

OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) received the most citations, including failure to have a written HCS, failure to have Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each hazardous material in the laboratory, and failure to properly train employees about HCS.

OSHA Inspections and Citations

In our industry in 2016, there were 21 federal and state OSHA inspections and 25 citations overall; labs paid a total of $22,985 in fines, which ranged from $150 to over $6,000. The best way to reduce OSHA citations is with training and written safety programs.

Explaining Fracture Toughness

“Fracture toughness is a measure of how difficult it is to propagate a crack through a material; it describes the ability of a material containing a crack to resist fracture” says Dr. J. Robert Kelly, DDS, MS, DMedSc. It’s a much better indicator of the long-term clinical success of ceramic restorations than flexural strength.”

Using Oven Vents Efficiently

The closer the top of a burnout oven is to the ventilation hood, the less chance of fumes seeping into the laboratory environment. You can also extend a flue pipe from the burnout vent directly up into the ventilation hood. Check the oven vents on a monthly basis.

Plan 3D Printing Efficiently

Plan efficiently; the printers build several models simultaneously layer by layer so if you pair a “tall” model that needs 1,400 layers with a short one that just needs 1,000, the short model will be done much faster but you won’t be able to open the printer until all the models are ready—which can be hours later.

Keep Burnout Oven Vents Clear

Burnout ovens have vents that allow the fumes to escape to ensure defect-free castings. Over time, however, the vents tend to clog; clear them with a metal instrument and position the burnout vents as close to ventilation hoods as possible.

Pneumoconiosis in Technicians

Pneumoconiosis is caused by the inhalation of dust. Relative to the general population, a higher percentage of technicians have this disease and, of all lung diseases, it’s one of the most prevalent among technicians.

Laboratory Pollutants

The main pollutants in the laboratory are: airborne particles from grinding silica, a key ingredient in ceramic materials; aluminous oxide dust from sandblasting; and fumes from the burnout oven that are toxic and corrosive to lung tissue.

Online Tutorials

Use Lynda.com for online tutorials on a variety of topics—including design, photography and web development—and subscriptions are on a month-to-month basis starting at $19.99.

Direct Mailer Success

For successful direct mailers, have a colorful, eye-catching design; keep it clean and not too wordy with one main marketing message; and always include your logo for brand consistency.

Get Your Lungs Checked

Pulmonologists recommend that anyone working in an environment subject to dust, industrial gases, acids, etc. should have an annual lung function test to assess the health of your lungs.

Avoid All Caps Email Subject Lines

All capital letters in email subject lines equals screaming and no one likes being screamed at. They also flag spam filters.

Stretch Frequently at the Bench

Frequent stretching can help reduce muscle fatigue and stiffness that comes with repetitive and intricate work at the bench.

Keep Marketing Email Subjects Short

Since more and more people are opening emails on their mobile devices—which shows only 25-30 characters—it’s key to keep the subject line short and to the point. Six to eight words should be the maximum.

Digital Impressions

Although 41% of laboratories are equipped to accept digital impressions, they receive them from only 6% of their clients.

Digitally Fabricated Restorations

58% of respondents to LMT's 2015 State of the Industry Survey offer digitally fabricated restorations. Of that percentage: 78% have at least one scanner, 59% have at least one milling machine, 24% have at least one wax printer and 7% have at least one metal printer.

Digital Restorations: Milling vs. Printed

Among laboratory owners who offer digital restorations, here's the percentage of their total C&B caseload that's fabricated using a milling machine or printer: on average, 46% is CAD/CAM milled, 18% is fabricated with wax printers and 12% is fabricated with metal printers.

Private Equity Companies Pounce

Private equity companies look at the fragmented nature of our community and the rapid adaptation of CAD/CAM technologies and see an opportunity to make the most of an industry in transition.

Personnel Manual Must Haves

Your personnel manual should always include two things: a disclaimer stating that the manual is not an employment contract and a policy that prohibits sexual harassment and discrimination based on race, gender, age, physical ability and religion.

What is PEEK?

Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone (PEEK) is a thermoplastic technopolymer that's been used for more than a decade for implantable medical device applications. Suitable for patients with metal allergies, the biocompatible material has an elastic modulus similar to that of bone and is X-ray transparent.

Most Common OSHA Violation

Failure to comply with Respiratory Protection guidelines is the most common OSHA violation in dental labs.

Three Tips to Control Inventory Costs:

1) Keep a tight rein on your inventory and don’t stock a lot of extra materials 2) Buy in bulk—especially for frequently used items or ones that have a long shelf life 3) Combine multiple orders into one to lower shipping costs

Optimistic about 2016

Based on business in 2015, 55% of lab owners are optimistic about 2016.

Formation of NADL

The NADL was founded in 1951. At the time, there were two national organizations claiming to represent the dental laboratory industry—the Dental Laboratory Institute of America and the American Dental Laboratory Association—but no single unified organization.

Five Benefits Laboratory Owners Most Frequently Offer Their Staffs:

1) Paid holidays 2) Paid vacations 3) Health insurance 4) Paid sick time 5) Flextime

First Commercial Dental Lab in the U.S.

W.H. Stowe and Co. Dental Laboratory in Boston is believed to be the first commercial dental lab in the U.S. It was opened by William H. Stowe and Frank Eddy in 1887.

Three Ways to Reward Employees When Money is Tight:

1) Award gift certificates or movie passes 2) Surprise staff with an afternoon ice cream social or cookie break 3) Host a fun company event, like a bowling night

First Porcelain Teeth

The first porcelain teeth were made in 1774 in France.

Reducing Digital Distractions

Minimize the impact of digital distraction by setting usage restrictions, monitoring internet activity and documenting your policy.

Metal-Based vs. Metal-Free Workloads

Ten years ago, metal-based units made up 83% of laboratory casework. Since then, metal-free restorations have grown in popularity and—for the first time in 2015—metal-free units eclipsed metal-based workloads, 60% vs. 40%, respectively.

The Beginnings of the CDT Test

The first CDT test was administered in October 1958; the first CDT certificates were awarded five months later.

#1 Personnel Problem in the Lab

The overuse and abuse of digital devices, including texting, checking email and posting to social media is the number one personnel problem in the laboratory.

First Dental College in America

The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, founded in 1840, was the first dental college in America.

Regulation of the Dental Lab

The government’s first attempt to regulate the laboratory industry was the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933—one of the measures that President Roosevelt sought to assist economic recovery during the Depression—which ruled that the dental laboratory industry must operate under a Code.

Cross Selling

Cross selling your services to existing customers—rather than getting new business from new accounts—is easier because they already know you and your work and they’re more likely to be enticed to try your other offerings.

Social Media is Effective

Although only a quarter of respondents to LMT's 2015 Marketing Survey use social media to market their laboratories, half of those lab owners say it's an effective way to engage with clients in an informal and ongoing way.

Outsourcing

More than two-thirds of all labs outsource work: 58% send work to other labs in the U.S., 8% send work offshore and 15% send work to manufacturers.

Denturism

Denturism is legal in six states: Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Setting Sales Goals

Typically, setting four to six goals are about as many as can be effectively handled. Then, setting at most three to four priority actions for each goal should represent the most important and timely actions that must be taken to achieve the goal. – George Obst.

States With Highest Concentration of Labs in the U.S.

California, Florida, New York, Illinois, and Texas have the highest concentration of laboratories.

All in the Family

48% of laboratory owners and managers work with family members.

States Obligated to Disclose Origin of Restorations

Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia require laboratories to disclose point of origin of restorations.

Most Popular Digital Metal-Free C&B Materials

According to LMT’s C&B Caseload Survey, on average, 52% of digital metal-free C&B units are full contour zirconia and 27% are made with layered zirconia.

Most Popular Pressed Metal-Free C&B Materials

According to LMT’s C&B Caseload Survey, on average, 59% of pressed C&B restorations are made with full contour pressed lithium disilicate/silicate and 25% are made with layered lithium disilicate/silicate.

Facebook for Lab Marketing

Facebook is useful for labs due to the sheer number of people on the site, making it easier to appeal to a large audience.

Instagram for Lab Marketing

Instagram is useful for appealing to younger dentists joining the industry.

LinkedIn for Lab Marketing

LinkedIn is an underestimated but useful site for networking with dentists; don’t just invite people to connect, but send personalized messages to potential connections that mention a group or topic you have in common.

Organizing Social Media

Keep a “content calendar” to manage the days, times and frequency of your social media posts; posting too much is as bad as posting too little.

Keep Up With Social Media Trends

Keep up with trends regarding optimal social media posting times and test different days and times since professional audiences can exhibit behavior patterns that differ from general consumers.

Creating Excellent Photos

You can create close to professional-level photos of your restorations with minimal expense and a very short learning curve with an inexpensive light box kit, a macro lens that attaches to your smartphone and the Camera+ app (for iPhone) or one of several similar photo apps for Android.

Use Print to Point to Your Website

A print piece with links to your website and social media platforms should be an integral part of your marketing plan.

Use Hashtags on Social Media

Use unique hashtags and keywords to stand out on social media; this helps your name aggregate at the top of search results. Having a lot of topical content on your website will also boost you to the top of the search list, since search engines look for the most relevant content.

Survey Respondents Happy with Scanners

The vast majority—96%—of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Scanner Survey are satisfied with their equipment, touting their accuracy and consistency and that they save labor, improve productivity and reduce remakes.

New Options for Implants CDT Exam

As of January 2017, those taking the Implants CDT exam can use either traditional or digital techniques for the custom abutment, and the Hader Bar has been replaced with a Wrap-Around Bar.

Scanner Learning Curves

50% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Scanner Survey rate the learning curve of their preferred brand of scanner as “easy”; another 47% rate it as “moderate.”

Digital Technology Challenges

According to LMT’s 2016 Scanner Survey, the most challenging aspects of digital technology are keeping up with the changes, finding qualified employees, and managing the combination of conventional and digital workflows.

Inhouse Case Scanning

On average, full service and C&B respondents to LMT’s 2016 Scanner Survey scan 83% of their cases inhouse.

Accepting Digital Impressions

48% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Scanner Survey accept digital impressions. They receive an average of 9% of their impressions digitally and from about 9% of their dentist-clients.

Study Shows 10-Year Survival Rate for Zirconia

According to a TRAC Research study conducted from 2005 to 2015, the 10-year survival rate for substructures in three-unit posterior zirconia and PFM bridges was 70% for metal and 61% for zirconia.

Breakdown of Metal-Free C&B Workloads

Respondents to LMT’s C&B Caseload Survey say, on average, 62% of their metal-free C&B workload is milled, 36% is pressed and 2% is refractory.

CDT Exams Updated in 2017

Officially launched in January 2017, the updated CDT exams feature new and revised questions for all six specialty exams.

C&B CDT Exam Goes Digital

As of January 2017, candidates taking the Crown & Bridge CDT certification examination may choose to digitally produce their metal framework.

Controlling Excess Inventory

Fifty-person Thayer Dental Laboratory in Mechanicsburg, PA, doesn’t want a lot of excess inventory sitting on its shelves—or its balance sheet—so it uses a “just in time” delivery system. Orders are placed once a week on Thursday for Friday delivery.

Lot Number Tracking

Lot number tracking to comply with the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) is an important part of inventory management and labs can use laboratory management software to track patient contact materials—like zirconia and acrylic—and create an MDR, or master device record, for each case.

Modified Kanban Method for Inventory Control

To manage its implant components, as well as replacement parts for equipment, Russellville Dental Lab in Russellville, KY, uses a modified kanban method, a manual inventory control system often used in lean manufacturing that uses a visual indicator, like index cards, to track supply quantities and ordering.

Ceramics CDT Exam Expands Options

As of January 2017, candidates for the Ceramics CDT exam can either cast the PFM coping or fabricate it using milling or SLM technology and fabricate the bridge in the material of their choice with either analog or digital techniques.

Two-Thirds of Survey Respondents Have Scanners

According to LMT’s 2016 Scanner Survey, among all lab types and sizes, 67% have at least one scanner in their laboratory; one-quarter of them plan on buying at least one more scanner next year.

Many Labs Giving Raises

68% of owner/manager respondents to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey gave their employees raises in 2015: 37% gave raises to all employees and 31% gave raises to some of their employees.

Average Employee Raises and Bonuses

On average, respondents to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey who gave employees raises in 2015 boosted their technicians’ pay by $1.36 per hour and two-thirds of them also gave annual bonuses, averaging about $1,000 per employee.

Shrinking Profits to Blame for Stagnant Wages

Some respondents to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey blame stagnant wages on their shrinking profit margins—especially true for C&B respondents who are most affected by digital technology and the commoditization of the crown.

Rate of New Hires Without Industry Experience Up

The number of labs with digital equipment who are hiring employees with no dental technology experience has more than doubled since 2012, from 9% to 21%, according to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey.

Experienced Technicians See Biggest Wage Boost

According to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey, technicians with over 20 years’ experience are seeing the biggest wage increases with an 8% boost in the past two years. On the other hand, wages for technicians with 0-2 years of experience are down slightly from 2014.

Health Insurance Offerings Slowly Declining

Similar to 2014, just over half of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey offer health insurance. However, in the last decade there’s been a steady decline in the number of labs offering it. In fact, a comparison of our 2006 and 2016 Wage Surveys shows that labs offering this benefit has dropped by 14%.

Mixed Strategies Combat Rising Insurance Costs

To combat rising insurance costs, respondents to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey are switching to less-expensive providers or a higher-deductible, lower-cost plan; asking employees to contribute to the cost of the premium; or preserving health insurance benefits in lieu of pay raises.

Highest-Paid Lab Positions in 2016

According to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey, Implant Technicians and All-Around Ceramists are the two highest-paid positions in the laboratory. Based on experience, Implant Technicians earn from $12.40 (0-2 years) to $30.24 (20+ years) and All-Around Ceramists earn from $13.18 (0-2 years) to $30.63 (20+ years).

Top-Earning Managers in 2016

According to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey, the Implant Department Manager is the top earner among managerial positions. For instance, at 20-plus years of experience, this senior position commands an average hourly rate of $34.31.

Office Manager Earnings in 2016

Many Office Managers earn more than their technician counterparts with a similar amount of experience. For instance, at an average of $14.85 per hour, an entry-level office manager earns more than any entry-level technician position in LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey.

More Bench Time for Small Lab Owners

According to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey, owners/managers/departments heads at small labs are more likely to spend time on the bench than at large labs. For example, 91% of 2-5 person lab operators spend three-quarters of their time hands-on at the bench, compared to 45% of 21+ person lab operators.

Rise of Online Hiring

20% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey have turned to social media and job search websites like Craigslist, LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter to augment their hiring needs.

Denture vs. C&B Fees

While a whopping 88% of C&B respondents to LMT’s 2016 Fee Survey say fees have become a race to the bottom, only half of denture laboratories agree with that statement.

Fees in 2016

Nearly three-quarters of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Fee Survey admit they’re keeping their fees lower than they think is fair or appropriate.

CAD/CAM Fees Falling

According to a comparison of LMT’s biennial Fee Surveys, the nationwide average fees in the CAD/CAM arena have tended to fall over time. For example, since 2010, the average fee for a full contour zirconia crown has dropped from $178 to $153.

Removable Labs Doing Well

Removable laboratory owners are the most likely to say business is healthier than it was two years ago, according to LMT’s 2016 Fee Survey. They’re also more likely to report growing profits: 40% say profits have increased since 2014; that’s more than twice the percentages of full service, C&B and orthodontic labs that report increased profitability.

Larger Labs More Likely to Give Raises

According to LMT’s 2016 Wage Survey, technicians at larger labs were the most likely to get a raise last year. For example, 91% of larger labs (those with 21+ employees) gave raises compared to 58% of 2- to 5-person labs.

Industry Outlook Good Despite Concerns

Although respondents to LMT’s 2016 Fee Survey voice concerns about the market conditions—price-cutting, diminished quality, insurance cutbacks, price-shopping dentists—nearly half of these respondents are optimistic about the next two years; only 14% express outright pessimism and 41% are somewhere in the middle.

Multiple Levels of Service Mean Higher Profits

According to LMT’s 2016 Fee Survey, labs that offer more than one level of service are more likely to report higher profitability: one third of these labs say profits have increased in the last two years, compared to only 19% of those who have only one level of service.

A Good Boss is Important

Studies show that having a good boss is more important than other work factors, including income earned. Almost half of those who report their bosses are inferior are more likely to leave their current position. – George Obst

Implant Percentage of Total Workload

Respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey say about 25% of their total workload is implant related and approximately 65% of their dentist-clients send implant work.

Profitability of Implant Services

About 60% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey say their implant services are more profitable than other prosthetic work because of the knowledge and skill required to restore them as well as the markup potential.

Custom Milled Abutments

85% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey offer custom milled abutments; of those, 54% design the abutments in-house then outsource the milling, 33% outsource both the design and milling and 13% handle everything in-house.

Milled Bars

40% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey offer milled bars; of those, 50% design the bars in-house then outsource the milling, 40% outsource both the design and milling and 10% design and mill in-house.

Materials/Methods Used to Fabricate Crowns for Implants

Respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey use the following materials and methods to fabricate crowns for implants: 35% are PFMs, 29% are full contour zirconia, 17% are full contour e.max, 16% are PFZs and 3% are other materials and methods.

Screw- vs. Cement-Retained Implant Restorations

According to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey, an average of 42% of implant restorations are screw retained and 58% are cement retained. In 75% of the cases, the dentist-client decides which type to use.

Dentists Seeking Input

More than 75% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey say dentist-clients are now seeking their input about implants more often than in the past.

Pre-Surgical Planning of Implant Cases

Respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey are only pre-surgically planning an average of 14% of their implant cases.

"Aftermarket" Implant Parts

58% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey use generic or “aftermarket” implant parts; on average, 53% of the implant parts respondents use are aftermarket.

Types of Abutments Used in Labs

Of the abutments used in the labs of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey, 60% are milled custom abutments, 27% are stock abutments and 13% are wax and cast custom abutments.

Titanium vs. Zirconia Milled Abutments

Of the milled abutments respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey fabricate, 79% are titanium and 21% are zirconia.

Most Significant Implant Advancement

67% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey say custom-milled abutments are the most significant advancement in implant technology in the past decade.

Implant Workload

Similar to LMT’s Implant Surveys dating back to 2008, the majority of respondents to LMT’s 2016 survey rate their implant workload as “good” or “booming.”

Content Marketing and Social Media

Content marketing—the sharing of free, helpful information—isn’t a new concept, but the internet and social media have made it easier and more popular, with limitless reach, immediacy and cost-effectiveness.

Goal of Content Marketing

The goal of content marketing is to create and share as much relevant content as possible, see what sticks and then nurture the connections you develop. The key is to share your knowledge, passion and insights from your day-to-day business experiences.

Good Content Marketing Topics

Good content marketing topics: case studies detailing an unusual clinical challenge and how you tackled it; tips on practice management, shade taking or getting the perfect digital impression; or videos explaining a new technology or material.

Repurposing in Content Marketing

Content marketing tip: to save time and money, you can use the same content in multiple ways, such as turning a blog post into an infographic, an infographic into a slideshow and a slideshow into a YouTube video, etc.

Capture Leads with Content Marketing

The digital nature of today’s content marketing strategies gives you an opportunity to capture leads. For instance, before allowing a dentist-viewer to download an e-book you can require him to first provide his contact information via a form.

Promoting Yourself on Facebook

Social media tip: there are various ways to promote your content on Facebook, but the easiest way is to “boost” a post so it appears higher in the NewsFeed to help more people see it. The cost depends on how many people you want to reach and how long you want to boost it for; prices start at $5 and go up as you broaden your reach.

Don't Get Marked as Spam

To ensure your newsletters and eblasts don’t get marked as spam: clearly state who you are and why you’re emailing; include your physical postal address; only email people who have opted in to receive emails; and provide a clear opt out link in every email.

Search Engine Content

Search engines use algorithms to show the most relevant content to their users and favor fresh content, content that references both internal and external links and the use of industry-related keywords.

Blogging Tip: Quoting Sources

Blogging tip: if you use someone else’s article to create your blog post or infographic, remember to always quote your source(s) and provide a link to the original source.

Work-Life Balance

Savvy laboratory owners recognize that helping employees achieve a work-life balance can lead to decreased turnover and absenteeism and create a happier, focused and more engaged team.

Edentulism Rates

Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia have edentulism rates over 20%, with West Virginia having the highest percentage: 33.6%, according to Oral Health America’s A State of Decay report.

FDA-Compliant Milled Abutments

About 20% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey have changed how they handle milled abutments to ensure they’re in FDA compliance, such as switching to an FDA-cleared provider or using an FDA-cleared CAD/CAM system.

Restoring Older Implant Cases

One-third of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Implant Survey are seeing an increase in the amount of older implant cases they’re being asked to restore. Some of the earlier components are hard to find because they’ve been discontinued or the manufacturers don’t support them anymore, requiring time-consuming research.

Work-Life Balance

47% of respondents to LMT’s 2015 All About You survey are happy with their work-life balance; 18% are unhappy and 35% are working on it.

Hot Button Issues

The top 3 hot button issues for respondents to LMT’s 2015 All About You survey are outsourcing, regulation and price cutting.

How People Use Digital Devices

The top five ways respondents to LMT’s 2015 All About You survey use their devices are research, news, online shopping, social media and education.

Keep Your Lab Name Prominent Online

On every page of your website, include your laboratory name somewhere in the text. Don’t just have your lab name in a logo or graphic because it can’t be “crawled” by Google search engines. The name of the owner, key personnel, lab address and phone numbers should also be prominent.

Make the Most of In-Office Sales Calls

To make the most of an in-office sales call, learn as much as possible about the potential client, ask open-ended questions to find out what he needs, and have something that will pique his interest such as a sample or invitation to an upcoming seminar.

The 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule suggests that 80% of your sales come from just 20% of your customer base. Therefore, it’s suggested that business owners concentrate on maintaining the loyalty of that 20%.

How Can a Website Help Your Lab?

42% of laboratories have a website, according to LMT’s 2015 Marketing Survey. 70% of them say it’s an effective customer relations tool and half say it’s an effective way to generate new business.

Track Your Click-throughs

Track the days and times you’re getting the highest click-throughs on your marketing emails so you can refine the timing of future campaigns.

Career Satisfaction

94% of respondents to LMT’s 2015 All About You survey are satisfied or very satisfied with their careers.

Super High-Translucency Zirconia Materials

The vast majority of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Digital Materials eSurvey use one or more of the new super high-translucency zirconia materials; they say these materials offer the best of both worlds: strength and esthetics.

Multi-Layered Zirconia Use

56% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Digital Materials eSurvey use a multi-layered zirconia and praise it for its ease of use, labor savings and lifelike results.

Metal vs. Metal-Free Restorations

While the majority of digitally fabricated C&B restorations are metal-free, one third of laboratory owner-respondents to LMT’s 2016 Digital Materials eSurvey say they’re fabricating more metal restorations with digital technology than last year.

Metal-Free Restorations

Of the digital C&B restorations made by respondents to LMT’s 2016 Digital Materials eSurvey, 71% are metal-free.

Monolithic Restorations on the Rise

In 2015, 59% of respondents’ zirconia restorations were monolithic, now 71% are, according to a comparison of LMT’s 2016 Digital Materials eSurvey and 2015 State of Digital Technology Survey.

Full Contour C&B Digital Materials

For their full contour C&B work, 74% of respondents to LMT’s 2016 Digital Materials eSurvey are using zirconia, 23% use e.max/lithium disilicate and 3% use other materials.

Education in the Lab Community

Half of respondents to LMT’s 2015 All About You survey attended a non-dental technology college; of those, 52% have associate’s degrees, 51% have bachelor’s degrees and 12% have master’s degrees.

Your Favorite Hobbies

The top four favorite hobbies of respondents to LMT’s 2015 All About You survey are watching/attending sporting events, fishing, cooking and traveling.

Most Labs Use Zirconia for Digital C&B Work

According to LMT’s 2016 Digital Materials eSurvey, 93% of respondents use zirconia for their digital C&B work. Other top materials include e.max/lithium disilicate (55%), wax (53%) and PMMA/acrylic/resin (51%).

The Top Three Features Dentists Look For in a Lab Are:

1) Consistent, quality work 2) Good communication 3) Reasonable prices

Marketing Spending

71% of laboratories spend 1-2% of their annual revenue on marketing activities.

LMT's State of the Industry 2015 - Technicians

62% of LMT’s State of the Industry 2015 survey participants are over 55 years old and one-third plan to retire by 2020.

Labs Ready for Digital Impressions

Laboratories are ready for digital impressions—41% are equipped to accept them—but many dentist-clients are not; State of the Industry 2015 respondents receive an average of 8% of their impressions digitally and from only about 6% of their clients.

LMT's State of the Industry 2015 - Large Labs

Among State of the Industry 2015 survey respondents with more than 50 employees: 79% have increased their personal sales calls in the past five years and 67% have increased the number of seminars and continuing education programs they’re sponsoring.

Race to the Bottom

“Race to the bottom” is becoming a common refrain in our community these days. While price competition isn’t a new problem, the majority of lab owners say price cutting among laboratories is now worse than ever.

Patient Care

LMT's State of the Industry 2015 survey participants are almost equally divided on how patient care has changed in the past decade: 41% say care has deteriorated while 37% say the standard of care has improved in the past 10 years.

Subcontracting on the Rise

Almost 50% of respondents to LMT’s Subcontracting Services Survey say there’s been an increase in the amount of work they’ve been sending out to be fabricated by other laboratories and/or manufacturers in the past five years.

17% of Dentists have a Digital Impression System

17% of respondents in LMT’s 2013 Dentist Survey have a digital impression-taking system and 21% have invested in chairside CAD/CAM.

Dentists Want Your Advice

97% of dentists who responded to LMT's 2013 Dentist Survey want your technical advice. Here are the hot topics: - Material options - Restoration choices - Shade-taking techniques - Preparation techniques - Impression-taking techniques - New digital technologies

The Essence of Collaboration

"Being in the foxhole together is not just a partnership; it's the essence of collaboration. For it to work, dentists and technicians must truly understand each other's challenges and goals. That's when you see the best possible results and the most satisfied patients." – Terry Fohey, CDT