3D printing is changing the dental industry as we know it. With its ability to create extremely accurate structures and customizable oral devices within a few hours, 3D printing is a powerful option for dentists looking to improve efficiency and patient care. Even so, an ACE Panel report determined only 17% of dentists use an in-house dental 3D printer. The main reason for those not having one was due to already working with a dental lab, or the investment cost was too high. After all, isn’t it easier to cover the lab fees as they come? How is it possible to benefit financially from having a 3D printer at your private practice with such a high upfront cost?
It’s common knowledge that dental 3D printers can cost thousands of dollars, which isn’t very appealing when you could use funds to benefit your practice in other areas with more immediate results. However, the initial cost of the dental 3D printer may be less than you expect. There are now desktop models available with prices that are relatively affordable for common dental practices. For those concerned about hiring new staff to help with the dental 3D printer, rest assured that these printers are no longer so complex that they require specialization. Dental assistants and dental technicians can be trained to work with dental 3D printers and provide a seamless office experience. In-house 3D printing also allows dentists to have oral devices created for patients on the same day rather than having patients wait one to two weeks. With such a quick turnaround time, dentists will save both their patient’s time and their own.
As great as these benefits look on the surface, where does the return on the investment come into play? For that, Chris Griffin, DDS, explains how the dental 3D printer essentially paid for itself. After investing $10,000 back in 2020, before 3D printing training materials were more accessible, Griffin notes that he recouped the investment “over 21 days on eight cases.” Having learned even more about 3D printing since then, he’s confident that he could have earned back his investment in as little as two weeks.
With in-house dental 3D printing, dentists allow themselves to have even more control over their services. By saving money on lab fees, dentists can offer a more competitive pricing structure, thereby attracting more patients to the practice and keeping current patients loyal. Instead of asking what you can lose by investing in a dental 3D printer, ask what your dental practice can gain.
