Removable lab tech willing to teach me some things, worth it?

[Faux]

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They're open to showing me how to process dentures/partials, as well as some basic repairs. Do about a week of teaching.

As a dentist, worth being exposed to that stuff? I would assume so, right? Save on some basic lab bills, same day repairs?

 

[Saddleshoes]

YES!!!!
I find the young dentists I work with don't have a good understanding of the whole lab process.

 

[Svart Aske]

No, you don't owe it to your patients to understand how appliances and prostheses that you charge them a lot of $$$ are actually made.

Don't be one of those dentists that have the assistant make an alginate impression and send it to the lab with a note "Go to finish RPD, shade A2"

 

[sb.tnh]

Well, you’re not losing anything here right? If you have some free time then go for it.

 

[321931]

It never hurts to learn more. Can repair stuff in house etc.

That being said, I did about zero dentures, and maybe 1 partial last year. If you aren't doing in day in-day out aka a normal family practice- you won't be saving money by keeping it in house. You would probably end up loosing money; however, if you are running a denture extraction practice then- yes learn learn learn!

 

[TanMan]

They're open to showing me how to process dentures/partials, as well as some basic repairs. Do about a week of teaching.

As a dentist, worth being exposed to that stuff? I would assume so, right? Save on some basic lab bills, same day repairs?

I don't think you need to learn how to process dentures and partials. I think what's more important is the dental materials that they use. We're not taught enough about dental materials in dental school and all the wonderful materials out there besides the crap that they have in dschool. There's not much money in removables on an hourly basis. It's worth being exposed, but you need to keep in mind how it's going to work in clinical practice. I would be interested in the acrylic injection systems, best materials for chairside relines, stones/gypsum used, porcelains, emax baking/zirconia sintering, sandblasting intaglios, adding characterization to porcelain through correction firings, etc... Things that I think are applicable in real practice.

If you were to do dentures, it would be useful to know how to repair dentures you made. If someone else made the denture, I sure as hell wouldn't get caught repairing it. You touch it, you own it.

Now, if you're going to run a denture mill, by all means, learn the process so you can incorporate it into your denture mill. Same day dentures can be profitable (by volume), especially on the lower income segment.

No, you don't owe it to your patients to understand how appliances and prostheses that you charge them a lot of $$$ are actually made.

Don't be one of those dentists that have the assistant make an alginate impression and send it to the lab with a note "Go to finish RPD, shade A2"

... if only it were that easy to get a quality removable prosthetic. It works if it's a no-warranty denture, once it's in, no refunds or exchanges. Otherwise, it's a world of headaches and post-op adjustments

 

[Faux]

It never hurts to learn more. Can repair stuff in house etc.

That being said, I did about zero dentures, and maybe 1 partial last year. If you aren't doing in day in-day out aka a normal family practice- you won't be saving money by keeping it in house. You would probably end up loosing money; however, if you are running a denture extraction practice then- yes learn learn learn!

Have you actually found it to be signficantly profitable without doing any removable in your practice?

 

[321931]

Have you actually found it to be signficantly profitable without doing any removable in your practice?

10000000% more profitable and way less stress. There really isnt any money in removable unless you are really setup as a extract/denture shop in the a lower income neighborhood that has a need for it and you routinely do it.

If you are doing 1 denture or 1 rpd every few months in a high income area...you just don't get good enough to do it routinely, so you will end up with alot of headaches. It takes roughly 10000 hours to master anything. If you are doing one denture every few months- you will never get good at it. Even if you wanted to keep it simple and look at it from a business perspective...it doesn't make sense. Lets say a denture costs 1000. Dentures need about 5 appointments from start to finish. Impression for trays, Trays for master mold, Try in , Try in With teeth, Delivery. 4-5 Visits. If there are any steps that don't work- you go back a step. Thats 4-5+ appointments with alot of lab costs- master mold, final impression trays, try-in, finish. A crown costs 1000...takes 10 min to cut, impression, send to lab, and next visit cement in. 2 visits pretty much with a cheaper lab bill.

So even from a cost effective way...it doesn't make sense. With those 4-5 visits, I can do fillings/crowns, be more profitable, and also do a good job...because that is what I do day in and day out. Anyways, I refer all my partials and dentures to a prosthodontist. Plus they have alot more experience with it, so they will produce the best results. We all want the best for our patients and a prosthodontist can do a better job with removable than I can.