Dental Practice Marketing Budget|Dental Practice Management|Dental Implant Marketing Archives

Complex Case Lab Fee Math Is Different

james2026-05-23T00:00:00-04:00

How do complex dental case lab fees actually differ from routine case lab math? The traditional lab-times-three or lab-times-four rule of thumb breaks down on complex cases. The standard math works reasonably for routine restorative work where lab fees are predictable and the doctor's chair time per restoration is in known ranges. Complex cases violate both assumptions. The lab work itself is more expensive per unit because it involves more units, more demanding aesthetic and functional specifications, more refinement cycles, and frequently more specialty lab involvement. The doctor's chair time and team time per case multiply alongside the lab work. The [...]

Cone Beam CT Economics for Dental Practices

2026-05-23T00:00:00-04:00

What does cone beam CT economics actually look like for a typical general dental practice? Substantially worse than the manufacturer's pitch suggests, especially for practices not running heavy implant or oral surgery volume. The manufacturer claim runs something like: do five full-mouth scans per week and produce $100,000 in additional imaging profit per year. The pitch glosses over operational realities. The lease payment on a unit runs $2,500 to $3,500 per month. Service and maintenance contracts add to the monthly cash burn. Staff training for any team turnover adds more. The scan volume claim of five per week assumes the practice [...]