How One Lab Owner Eliminated $750,000 in Annual Waste
Posted May 20, 2021 in Management
During the eight weeks that Team Solutions Dental Lab in Sanford, FL, was partially shut down due to COVID-19, Co-Owners Jason DeFranco and Chad Holman used the time to go through the lab with a fine-tooth comb to be sure it was operating at maximum efficiency. “We systematically went through the lab to review our processes, starting from the moment a case comes through the door,” says DeFranco.
While they made some seemingly minor adjustments like improving labeling and repositioning case racks to save time, they also discovered some surprising, more costly inefficiencies. The problems in each department varied and yet they all shared a common thread: SOPs to be upgraded.
“Many of our SOPs were written when we were getting 50 units a day,” says DeFranco. “Now, we have four times as much work moving through the lab—and we have reduced our turnaround time from four days to two. Our processes just weren’t sustainable. By the time...
