Outsourcing restorative work to a dental lab can be costly, with fees for crowns, bridges, and other restorations adding up quickly. By investing in in-office milling, you can significantly reduce or even eliminate these lab fees, leading to substantial cost savings over time.
How In-Office Milling Can Transform Your Dental Practice
Adding in-office milling to your dental practice offers numerous benefits, from enhancing patient satisfaction to improving your bottom line.
Author
As doctors look for opportunities to improve their practices and streamline their workflows with digital dentistry, in-office milling has emerged as one of the fastest growing areas in the field. This innovative technology essentially brings the lab chairside by allowing dentists to design and fabricate their own restorations, such as crowns, bridges, and veneers, right in their practice. If you’re a doctor considering the next step in modernizing your practice, here are the top reasons why adding in-office milling could be a game-changer for you, your patients, and your staff.
1. Improved Patient Satisfaction
We live in a fast-paced world. With the advent of the internet and smartphones, patients expect convenience and efficiency in all aspects of their lives, including dental care. In-office milling meets that demand by circumventing the need for a dental lab. When a patient makes an appointment with a doctor outfitted with this technology, they can walk out with a brand-new crown in under one hour — with no temporaries, second appointments, or waiting for the lab needed. This "one-and-done" approach minimizes inconvenience and discomfort, making your practice more attractive to patients who value their time. In fact, according to a dental patient survey, 85% of patients prefer same-day dentistry, and two out of three patients would change dentists or travel farther for it.1
The ability to provide high-quality restorations quickly and efficiently has another benefit as well: patient loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals. When patients leave your office with a perfect smile after just one visit, they’re more likely to recommend your services to friends and family. This increase in patient satisfaction can lead directly to a revenue boost for the practice.
2. Greater Control Over Restorative Workflows
One of the most overlooked advantages of in-office milling is that it gives you more control over the restorative process. By bringing the fabrication process in-house, you eliminate the reliance on a dental lab, which can sometimes lead to delays, miscommunications, or inconsistencies. Digital dentistry puts you in the pilot seat, giving a better perspective of how every step affects the final result. That’s why many doctors report making positive changes in the way they scan or prep a tooth, because they understand what it takes to fabricate an accurate restoration with a great fit.
With in-office milling, you oversee every step of the process, from digital scanning and design to milling and delivering. This control allows you to ensure that each restoration meets your exact standards, leading to better outcomes for your patients. Better control over your restorative outcomes doesn’t mean you’re doing the job of a dental technician. Instead, these systems are designed to empower you without demanding additional time.
3. Significant Lab Savings
While in-office milling technology is a big investment, many practices find that the savings on lab fees and material costs, combined with the increased revenue from offering same-day restorations, quickly offset the cost of the equipment. In the long run, in-office milling leads to a more profitable practice.
4. Increased Productivity and Efficiency
Purchasing a mill is a great way to boost productivity in your practice. Traditional restorative workflows often involve multiple appointments spread out over weeks. With in-office milling, this process is condensed into a single appointment, freeing up your schedule to see more patients in less time.
The best part about this increase in efficiency is that it doesn’t come at the expense of quality of care. In fact, the efficiency and personalization afforded by a digital workflow helps reduce the workload and stress of the staff members, which leads to a more positive work environment and a better patient experience.
5. Reenergize Your Practice with Cutting-Edge Technology
Digital dentistry is a great way to breathe new life into your practice. Patients are increasingly drawn to practices that use the latest dental technology, as it signals a commitment to providing better care through innovation. For staff members, it demonstrates your willingness to help make their jobs easier and more efficient.
For you, the doctor, services like same-day crowns can reignite your passion for dentistry. The ability to craft precise, esthetic restorations in-house can be incredibly rewarding, reminding you of why you chose this profession in the first place.
Conclusion
Adding in-office milling to your dental practice offers numerous benefits, from enhancing patient satisfaction to improving your bottom line. By taking control of your restorative workflows, reducing lab costs, and boosting productivity, you can create a more efficient and profitable practice while offering your patients the convenience and quality they deserve
References
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Exevia GmbH – German dental patient survey, November 2015
More to Know
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- “Fulfilling the Promise of Single-Visit Dentistry with the glidewell.io™ In-Office Solution”
- Justin Chi, DDS, CDT: “Common Problems with Digital Impressions — and how to Avoid Them”
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