Implant Parts - Who Buys Them?
Posted on 07/25/2011
For the week of July 25th, 2011, we will continue to cover implants, discussing some of the more common questions we encounter when working on implant cases. Today, we will address the very basic question of parts - who buys them and why.
For a dentist, one of the most aggravating aspects of dealing with labs is the unpredictability of implant cases. This is particularly difficult for practices that price the case to the patient before they receive the lab bill - and get a surprising shock when they underestimated the bill by hundreds of dollars. Much of this unpredictability is due to the cost of parts. One our goals at Streamline is to offer an almost completely predictable, flat rate implant price. This allows you to price the case to your patient without hidden costs- maximizing your profit and alleviating the stress.
Here are a couple of recommendations we make to doctors working with an implant case with us:
1. Purchase the parts for the case. It is really in the doctor's best interest to purchase all of the necessary parts for a case. The old rumor that labs get deep discounts on parts and pass those along to the doctor is really not true. Labs will almost always charge a markup on parts they purchase. The markup can be from 30% up to 100% of the cost. We charge a 30% markup on parts we purchase.
2. Ask the lab for an estimate. Most labs are willing to offer a free estimate of a case - excluding the price of the metal alloy. If using gold, allow for a $200-300 additional charge to any lab bill per unit.
3. For new systems, price the case as your labor plus lab fee. When working with a new system (for example, a doctor who regularly restores Zimmer has a patient with a Camlog implant), it will be very difficult for you to predictably price the case. We highly recommend that until you are very comfortable with a system and the fees associated with it, you price the lab fee as a separate item and show the invoice to your patients. This will allow you to ensure you maintain your profit margin. Once you are comfortable with the system and its associated costs, you can offer a flat rate price to your patients.
For a dentist, one of the most aggravating aspects of dealing with labs is the unpredictability of implant cases. This is particularly difficult for practices that price the case to the patient before they receive the lab bill - and get a surprising shock when they underestimated the bill by hundreds of dollars. Much of this unpredictability is due to the cost of parts. One our goals at Streamline is to offer an almost completely predictable, flat rate implant price. This allows you to price the case to your patient without hidden costs- maximizing your profit and alleviating the stress.
Here are a couple of recommendations we make to doctors working with an implant case with us:
1. Purchase the parts for the case. It is really in the doctor's best interest to purchase all of the necessary parts for a case. The old rumor that labs get deep discounts on parts and pass those along to the doctor is really not true. Labs will almost always charge a markup on parts they purchase. The markup can be from 30% up to 100% of the cost. We charge a 30% markup on parts we purchase.
2. Ask the lab for an estimate. Most labs are willing to offer a free estimate of a case - excluding the price of the metal alloy. If using gold, allow for a $200-300 additional charge to any lab bill per unit.
3. For new systems, price the case as your labor plus lab fee. When working with a new system (for example, a doctor who regularly restores Zimmer has a patient with a Camlog implant), it will be very difficult for you to predictably price the case. We highly recommend that until you are very comfortable with a system and the fees associated with it, you price the lab fee as a separate item and show the invoice to your patients. This will allow you to ensure you maintain your profit margin. Once you are comfortable with the system and its associated costs, you can offer a flat rate price to your patients.
