The Dental Renaissance
As we emerge from the grips of the global pandemic and resume normal life, it is important to also recognize that these are timely opportunities to reflect, assess, and make meaningful changes to your dental laboratory's business practices and offerings. Merriam-Webster defines the renaissance, also known as the rebirth, as the transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century, and marked by a humanistic revival of classical influence expressed in a flowering of the arts and literature and by the beginnings of modern science; a movement or period of vigorous artistic and intellectual activity. I sincerely believe that we are in midst of a renaissance period of time in our profession when technology, materials, and sciences have made tremendous strides, and dental laboratories have similarly positioned their business models, approaches, and processes to create and garner significant outcomes, while offering those embracing the progress the opportunity to positively reap the benefits.
Thinking outside the box is where you will find so many of the greatest business opportunities. Assess the needs of the markets you serve or would like to serve, or where you might have an opportunity to engage in new markets altogether. Some laboratories have taken these steps and manifested new and unique revenue and income streams, not only for their dental laboratory businesses, but often for their dental clientele, too. Particularly, if your laboratory is already digital, the steps to add new products to your portfolio are significantly easier; it can be a matter of adding a module or a peripheral piece of hardware to get up and running with minimal financial investment. These opportunities come in the forms of surgical guides, digital dentures, mouth guards, orthodontic aligners, cosmetic case work-ups, and many more. Endeavoring to capture that business from your existing clients-who may be sending their specialized cases elsewhere-by simply sharing the effort, progress, and investment you made to serve your dentists and their patients better would offer you a greater opportunity to engage in that level of work. Furthermore, if a new or existing client is interested in expanding their treatment protocols and you can be instrumental in providing a level of expertise to be successful, your mutual success will fortify your laboratory's brand loyalty and generate positive attention to your laboratory as the one that helps dentists become more successful.
My sincere hope is that this Business Review and all IDT issues provide you with a catalyst to think outside the box and help you navigate through the renaissance, in the most productive and meaningful way. This issue's cover story discusses personalized services and how some laboratories approached this opportunity, thereby providing a true value add to their dental clients and their patients. There are great pearls of wisdom in these pages that can significantly benefit you and your business.
It is my honor and pleasure to elevate and inspire with knowledge.
Executive Editor Daniel Alter, MSc, MDT, CDT
dalter@aegiscomm.com
