A better relationship with your dental lab will make practice more profitable and less stressful

Whether you realize or not, relationships are the fuel that feeds the success of your practice. Here's how to create a win-win relationship with one of your most important vendors – dental labs – that lasts.

Whether you recognize it or not, successful dental practices – regardless of their location, niche, or area of specialization – have one thing in common: the dentist knows how to build and maintain relationships.

The truth is that dentists often get caught up in the details of the services they offer, equipment they use, and products they selling to notice how critical it is to build relationships, not just with patients, employees, and partners, but also with vendors. Here I’ll share strategies to help you create, maintain, and strengthen one of the most important vendor relationships you can have – between you and your dental lab.

Solid relationships with patients and vendors, especially with your dental lab, can carry you through challenging times and tight deadlines and give you an edge over your competitors. The reality is that business relationships are just like any other relationship. They require effort to maintain, and they must be mutually beneficial. As in any relationship, you must be willing to give, share, and support.

I think one of the biggest mistakes dentists make is to treat their dental lab as a disposable resource that can be replaced if the lab owner and employees don’t “kiss the ring on bended knee.” Operating with the attitude that the world revolves around you and your practice is a long-term prescription for failure.

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Dental lab owners are also guilty of failing to maintain and nurture relationships by not consistently delivering quality materials, on time (as promised), or going the extra mile for their dentist clients.

So how can you create and nurture the relationship with your dental lab so that it’s not only profitable for both of you, but leads to long-term friendship and mutual respect? As the ‘OFFICIAL’ Growth Hacker for the Dental Professional Worldwide, I’ve had the good fortune of working with some of the most successful dentists and dental companies in the profession, as well as several young doctors and business owners just getting started.

I wanted to get the most accurate perspective and formulate the most effective strategies for maintaining a successful and profitable relationship with your dental lab, so I interviewed Chesterfield dentist Nathan Hartman, DDS, and Westside Dental Studio lab owner, John Blizzard.

For your convenience and to improve retention, I’ve listed the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” in this infographic.