The Offshoring Dilemma

Most of us have heard that offshore outsourcing of dental restorations began sometime in the early 1980s but, actually, it's been a worldwide practice for about 40 years, particularly among laboratories in Australia, New Zealand and a few European countries.

When LMT revealed 25 years ago that California-based Continental Dental Ceramics had a laboratory in the Philippines, its Polish-born Owner Jerry Doviack became somewhat of a pariah in the U.S., ostracized and reprimanded by his peers, including members of the prestigious Dental Lab Conference. To Jerry, raised in Europe, where many countries are in close proximity, his plan was nothing particularly earth shattering or unique; it just made good business sense (watch for article in LMT's February 2012 issue). Now, of course, the practice of offshoring is widespread among laboratories and is almost completely "out of the closet."
Nevertheless, it's difficult to keep politics and our desire to maintain our economic freedom...