A third remake this month, a seat date missed without a phone call, or a lab that cannot say where your last bridge was made. Sooner or later, many practices ask whether to change labs or add a second one.
Switching fixes some problems, not all. A new lab works from the same scans, impressions and Rx as the old one. Here is when to switch, how to check a new lab, what to set up, how to run the first cases and how to close out the old lab.
Key Takeaways
- In a US study of 3,750 single crowns, 3.8% were remade, but individual dentists' rejection rates ranged from 0% to 42%. Know your own rate before you blame the lab.
- 86% of 1,157 crown and bridge impressions examined at four commercial labs had at least one detectable error. A new lab receives the same impressions.
- ADA policy says a lab should tell you within 2 working days if there is a reason not to proceed, and should tell you about any subcontracting lab.
- NADL lists 11 states that require point-of-origin disclosure. Since July 1, 2026, Oregon also requires the brand name or FDA registration number of patient-contact materials, from any lab filling an Oregon dentist's work order.
- Lab Rx copies must be kept at least 1 year in New York, 2 years in Oregon and 4 years in Florida.
Quick Answer
Switch when the problems are the lab's: dates missed without warning, instructions ignored on clean scans, or no straight answer about where and with what your cases are made. If impressions, bites or the Rx cause the remakes, fix those first. Before the first case, test the scanner connection and agree on the Rx, shade photos and preferences in writing. Start with routine single crowns, log every adjustment, and let the old lab finish open cases.
Should You Switch Labs or Fix the Relationship First?
Start with your own numbers. In the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network, 205 dentists evaluated 3,750 single crowns: 3.8% were remade, individual dentists ranged from 0% to 42%, and 58% rejected none (McCracken et al., 2019). In a survey of 1,777 network dentists, lower remake rates were linked to optical impressions and to not using dual-arch trays (McCracken et al., 2017).
Share of 1,157 crown and bridge impressions at four commercial labs with at least one detectable error; 55% of the errors were critical errors at the finish line (Rau et al., 2017).
When the cause is upstream
If remakes cluster around margins, contacts or high bites, check your records first. In the Rau study, tissue over the finish line was the largest error category, and finish-line errors were more likely with blood on the impression and with dual-arch trays. Ask your current lab which records cause trouble and fix them before you decide.
When it is the lab
The ADA's Statement on Prosthetic Care and Dental Laboratories says the lab should follow your written instructions, match the shade described, notify you within 2 working days of receipt if there is a reason not to proceed, inform you of the materials and of any subcontracting lab, and return work in a timely manner. Repeated misses on those points, once your side is clean, are reasons to switch.
| Problem | Fix your side first if | Consider switching if |
|---|---|---|
| Remakes for margins or contacts | Tissue over the margin, voids, or dual-arch trays on unbounded preps | Records are clean and the same errors repeat |
| Missed seat dates | Cases arrive after cut-off or without a complete Rx | Dates slip and nobody calls when a case is held |
| Shade mismatches | No shade photo or stump shade was sent | Photos with shade tabs are ignored |
| Unclear materials | Your Rx said only "zirconia" | The lab cannot name the brand or where the case was made |
How Do You Evaluate a New Lab?
Network dentists ranked quality of fit and esthetics ahead of cost and delivery time when choosing a lab. Those show only in finished work, so first check what you can verify on paper. Our guide to choosing a dental lab has seven questions; for a switch, these matter most.
Where the work is made, and registration
NADL's state chart (updated September 2025) lists 11 states that require point-of-origin disclosure; New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are not on it. Oregon's law, operative since July 1, 2026, covers any lab filling an Oregon dentist's work order, wherever it is, and requires its registration number on all invoices. In Texas, a dentist may not knowingly order a prosthetic appliance from an unregistered lab. The FDA exemption from establishment registration for dental labs applies only to establishments located in a US state. Ask in writing where each case type is made; more in Where Was Your Crown Made?
Materials named by brand
FDA classifies porcelain powder for clinical use and noble and base metal crown alloys as Class II devices; a brand name tells you which product went into the patient. Oregon's disclosure must give the manufacturer and brand name, or FDA registration number, of every patient-contact material. Florida requires registered labs to disclose the materials and point of origin in writing at delivery. Wherever you practice, write the brand on your Rx and ask whether the invoice names it.
Turnaround, warranty and contact
Ask for business days in the lab per case type, when the count starts and how rush works. Get the warranty on paper: years per restoration type, exclusions, and whether bite or contact problems are repaired or remade. The ADA asks dentists to return all casts, registrations and prostheses when a restoration does not fit or the shade is wrong. Finally, ask who calls you when a scan has a problem: under the ADA guidelines, changes to your instructions must be agreed by you and recorded.
What Should You Set Up Before the First Case?
Scanner connection and Rx
Connect your scanner to the lab and send a test file before a patient is waiting. Get the lab's Rx forms and check them against your state's rules: in New York, the prescription is made in duplicate and states the lab's name, the date, a clear description of the work, the character of the materials, and your signature and license number. See How to Fill Out a Dental Lab Rx.
Shade and preferences
Agree on the shade guide and photos: the tab in the same frame as the tooth, at the same level, plus a stump shade for discolored preps. Write your standing preferences: contact tightness (light, medium or heavy), occlusion, margin and pontic design, and what to do when clearance is short.
Pickup, shipping and invoicing
Agree how cases travel each way and how to request a pickup. Decide between per-case invoices and a monthly statement, what each line shows (patient, teeth, material), and who reconciles it.
How Should You Run the First Cases?
Start with straightforward single units
Begin with routine posterior single crowns with both neighbors present and a bite on both sides. Hold anterior esthetic cases, implants, long-span bridges and full-arch work until those pass.
Send complete records
The ADA statement lists what the dentist should send: written instructions describing the work and materials, accurate scans or impressions with occlusal registrations, identified margins and design, and the shade, with everything disinfected before it leaves the office.
Compare fit, then give feedback
Log each case: contacts, margins, occlusion, shade and minutes spent adjusting, and compare with the old lab's recent cases. In a clinical study of single metal-ceramic crowns made by four dentist and technician pairs, a communication checklist reduced adjustment time for contacts, fit and occlusion, and the number of appointments (Bresciano et al., 2017). Call after each early case. If a crown does not fit, send it back with the bite and photos of the marks instead of grinding it into place.
How Do You Close Out the Old Lab?
Do not move a case between try-in and delivery: let the old lab finish work in progress, including remakes it owes, and start new preps with the new lab. The ADA's guide to dental records lists study models and laboratory work order forms among typical record contents, so ask the old lab to return models for open and recent cases, keep original scans in your scanner software, and keep every Rx copy.
| State | Lab Rx retention | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Dentist and lab, 1 year each; patient records at least 6 years | Educ. Law §6611; 8 NYCRR §29.2 |
| Oregon | Dentist, at least 2 years; electronic copies allowed | HB 2594 (2025) |
| Florida | Dentist and lab, 4 years each | Fla. Stat. §466.021 |
Elsewhere, the ADA advises asking your attorney, state board or state dental association; your malpractice carrier may recommend keeping records longer.
The Switching Checklist
| Stage | What to check | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Decide | Recent remake rate and reasons; record problems fixed first | Dentist |
| Evaluate | Where each case type is made; registration if your state requires it; materials by brand; turnaround by case type; written warranty; a named contact | Dentist and office manager |
| Set up | Scanner tested; Rx forms; shade protocol; written preferences; pickup or shipping; invoicing | Office manager |
| First cases | Routine single units; complete records; adjustment log; feedback | Dentist |
| Close out | Open cases finished; models returned; Rx copies kept as required | Office manager |
Starting With Elegant Dental Laboratory
- Founded in 2007 by Gary Fingerman. Every case is made in house in our 7,000 sq. ft. lab at 2308 McDonald Ave, Brooklyn, NY, by more than 35 technicians, with no outsourcing.
- STL and PLY files from all major scanners, with direct connections for iTero, 3Shape TRIOS, Dentsply Sirona, Medit, Carestream, Planmeca, Shining 3D, ORI and Panda (setup steps). Technicians mark the margin, we call within a couple of days if a scan has a problem, and you can see the design, contacts and occlusion before milling on request.
- Zirconia milled in house from our own Elegance Zirconia discs, following the brand or grade on the Rx; IPS e.max pressed only with IPS e.max Press.
- Turnaround from 5 business days, counted from the business day after the case arrives; 11 a.m. ET daily cut-off for scans. PFM on non-precious alloy, long-span bridges, custom abutments and implant crowns take longer; rush options available.
- Up to 7 years of warranty on final restorations (not dentures) and up to 20 years on screw-retained implant abutments (policies and warranties).
- Free pickup and delivery by our own drivers every business day during lab hours in all five New York City boroughs and 13 northern New Jersey counties; drivers plan routes each morning, so the earlier you call, the better the chance of a same-day pickup. UPS labels anywhere (send a case).
- New practice? Get started or call 877-335-5221.
FAQ
How do I know it is time to switch dental labs?
When problems continue after your records are clean: the same errors on good scans, dates slipping without warning, or no clear answer about origin and materials.
Can I keep my old lab for some cases?
Yes. In a 2008 ADA survey, 90.3% of dentists using independent labs used at least two.
What should the first case be?
A routine posterior single crown with both neighbors present, a bite on both sides and a shade photo.
What happens to models at the old lab?
Ask for models of open and recent cases. The ADA lists study models among typical dental record contents, and your state sets retention periods.
Do I need a business associate agreement with a new lab?
Not to send cases. The ADA says none is necessary to share patient information with a lab for treatment.
Sources (15)
- McCracken MS, et al. Remake Rates for Single-Unit Crowns in Clinical Practice: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. J Prosthodont. 2019;28(2):122-130. doi:10.1111/jopr.12995
- McCracken MS, et al. Impression evaluation and laboratory use for single-unit crowns: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. J Am Dent Assoc. 2017;148(11):788-796. doi:10.1016/j.adaj.2017.06.015
- Rau CT, et al. The quality of fixed prosthodontic impressions: An assessment of crown and bridge impressions received at commercial laboratories. J Am Dent Assoc. 2017;148(9):654-660. doi:10.1016/j.adaj.2017.04.038
- American Dental Association. Statement on Prosthetic Care and Dental Laboratories (amended 2018), in Current Policies, adopted 1954 to 2025. ada.org
- ADA Survey Center. 2008 Survey on the Use of Dental Labs, July 2009. PDF
- National Association of Dental Laboratories. Dental Laboratory Basic Minimum Standards by State, updated September 2025. dentallabs.org
- Oregon Legislature. HB 2594 (2025), enrolled text, Oregon Laws 2025, chapter 199. olis.oregonlegislature.gov
- Texas Occupations Code §266.301. statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Florida Statutes §466.021 (2026). flsenate.gov
- 21 CFR 807.65 (exemptions for device establishments); 21 CFR 872.6660, 872.3060 and 872.3710 (porcelain powder, noble and base metal alloys). ecfr.gov
- New York Education Law §6611; 8 NYCRR §61.5 and §29.2. op.nysed.gov
- ADA Council on Dental Practice and Division of Legal Affairs. Dental Records, 2010. PDF
- American Dental Association. Record Retention. ada.org
- American Dental Association. FAQ on HIPAA Business Associates. ada.org
- Bresciano ME, et al. Efficacy of a Checklist for Office-Laboratory Communication: A Clinical Study on Quality Outcomes for Single Crowns. Int J Prosthodont. 2017;30(2):160-162. doi:10.11607/ijp.5083
Reviewed by Gary Fingerman, founder and CEO of Elegant Dental Laboratory, Brooklyn, New York (founded 2007). Last reviewed: October 7, 2026. Laws change; this article is general information, not legal advice.
