The Problem with Outsourcing Your Dental Laboratory Work

For many dental practices, outsourcing laboratory work overseas can seem like an attractive proposition.
Lower prices. Competitive turnaround times. Access to large manufacturing facilities.

On the surface, it can appear to be a straightforward way to reduce costs and improve profitability. As a dental laboratory, we understand the appeal. In fact, like many businesses, we purchase certain products and equipment from overseas manufacturers ourselves. We have experienced both the advantages and the challenges first-hand.

The reality is that outsourcing dental laboratory work is far more complex than simply comparing prices on a spreadsheet.

Over the years, we have seen practices move work overseas, bring it back, move it again, and then return once more to UK laboratories after experiencing issues that were never considered during the initial decision-making process.
The question is not whether overseas laboratories can produce quality work.

Many absolutely can. The real question is what happens when things do not go to plan. That is where the true cost of outsourcing often becomes visible.

Technical Skill Is Not Usually the Problem
One of the biggest misconceptions in the industry is that overseas laboratories produce poor-quality work.
That is not necessarily true. Many technicians overseas are highly skilled.

Some laboratories employ exceptionally talented ceramic technicians, CAD designers, implant specialists, and removable prosthetic technicians. The issue is rarely technical ability. The issue is the support structure surrounding the work.

A beautifully made restoration is only one part of a successful patient outcome.

Communication, compliance, traceability, accountability, problem-solving, and support are equally important.

When everything goes smoothly, outsourcing can appear highly effective. When a problem arises, the situation can quickly become very different.

Who Do You Speak To When Something Goes Wrong?
Imagine a patient sitting in the chair waiting for an implant restoration to be fitted.

• The case does not fit.
• The shade is incorrect.
• The emergence profile needs modification.
• The occlusion requires adjustment.
• You need an answer immediately.

With a local UK dental laboratory, you pick up the phone.

• You speak to the technician.
• You speak to the department manager.
• You speak to the owner if necessary.
• A solution can often be found within minutes.
  
  

When your laboratory is located on the other side of the world, that becomes significantly more difficult. If it is midnight in their country, you may need to wait several hours before receiving a response.

• Your patient does not care about time zones.
• Your reception team does not care about time zones.
• Your diary certainly does not care about time zones.
• The patient simply wants their treatment completed.
  
  

Time differences can work wonderfully when cases are progressing smoothly through production.
The same time differences become a major disadvantage when immediate support is required.

The Regulatory Difference Matters
One factor that is often overlooked is compliance. In the UK, dental laboratories operate within a strict regulatory framework. At Bremadent Dental Laboratory, we have successfully passed our DAMAS audit for 2026.

This process involves extensive quality management systems, documentation, traceability procedures, manufacturing controls, and compliance requirements. We also operate within MHRA regulations and UK healthcare legislation.

• Every restoration must be traceable.
• Every material must be documented.
• Every process must be monitored.
• Every prescription must be managed appropriately.
  
  

Not every country follows the same standards. Not every country has equivalent regulatory requirements.
Not every laboratory is audited to the same level. This does not automatically mean overseas laboratories are unsafe.
However, it does mean that practices should fully understand the regulatory differences before making decisions based solely on price.

Material Traceability Is Often Overlooked
One question every practice should ask is simple.

• What materials are being used?
• Can they be traced?
• Can they be verified?
• Can documentation be provided if requested?
  
  

Within the UK, laboratories are increasingly expected to demonstrate material traceability and compliance.
When restorations are manufactured overseas, obtaining detailed information can sometimes be more difficult.
Most dentists would never knowingly place a restoration made from questionable materials.

However, without proper traceability, how can anyone be completely certain? The vast majority of patients never ask where their crown, denture, implant restoration, or orthodontic appliance was manufactured.

That may change in the future as awareness continues to increase.

Global Events Can Affect Your Patients
One lesson the world has learned over the past few years is that global supply chains are not always predictable.
Wars.

• Political instability.
• Trade disputes.
• Transport disruption.
• Port delays.
• Air freight restrictions.
• Customs backlogs.
• All of these factors can affect delivery times.
  
  

When your laboratory is based locally, most of these risks are significantly reduced. When your work travels thousands of miles across multiple countries, every additional step introduces another potential point of failure.

• A delayed shipment is not simply an inconvenience.
• It can lead to cancelled appointments.
• Disappointed patients.
• Lost chairside time.
• And additional administrative workload.
  
  

The Hidden Cost of Customs and Import Duties
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding outsourcing is that overseas manufacturing will always remain cheaper.

• That is not necessarily true.
• Costs evolve.
• Exchange rates fluctuate.
• Import duties change.
• Taxes increase.
• Shipping costs rise.
  
  

Over time, the financial gap often narrows considerably. We have experienced this ourselves.
At Bremadent, we purchase certain burs directly from a manufacturer in China. The quality has been excellent.
In fact, when we switched suppliers, we saw a dramatic improvement in longevity.

Previously, our denture department was using approximately 120 burs during a comparable period.
Today, we use around 30 burs over approximately six weeks. The quality difference has been significant.
However, something interesting has happened.

• The costs have steadily increased.
• Postage costs have increased.
• Import charges have increased.
• Taxes have increased.
• Currency fluctuations have increased.
• The products are priced in US dollars.
  
  

What initially looked substantially cheaper has gradually moved much closer to UK pricing. The quality remains excellent, which is why we continue using them. However, the financial advantage is nowhere near as large as it once was.

The same principle applies to outsourced laboratory work. Today's saving may not be tomorrow's saving.

The Value of Local Accountability
One advantage of working with a UK dental laboratory is accountability.
If a problem occurs, there is nowhere to hide.

• The laboratory owns the issue.
• The technician owns the issue.
• The management team owns the issue.
• A resolution can be discussed face-to-face if necessary.
• Cases can be collected.
• Patients can be accommodated.
• Technicians can review adjustments.
• Shade assessments can be performed.
• Chairside support can often be arranged.
• These services are difficult to quantify on a price list.
  
  

However, they become incredibly valuable when treatment challenges arise.
Many practices only realise the importance of local support after they no longer have it.

What About Communication?
Communication is one of the most underrated factors in restorative dentistry.
A successful restoration is not simply a product. It is the result of collaboration between clinician and technician.
The best outcomes often come from detailed conversations.

• Photographs.
• Videos.
• Shade discussions.
• Occlusal considerations.
• Implant planning.
• Material selection.

A local laboratory becomes an extension of the dental team. The closer that relationship becomes, the better the results usually are.

Distance naturally makes communication more difficult. Not impossible. But more difficult.

Every additional layer between clinician and technician introduces opportunities for misunderstanding.

When Outsourcing Can Work
To be fair, outsourcing is not always the wrong decision. Certain workflows may suit overseas production.
Some practices may have excellent relationships with overseas laboratories. Some cases may be highly suitable for centralised manufacturing models.

The goal of this article is not to suggest that all outsourcing is bad. The goal is to encourage practices to evaluate the full picture. Price is important. But it is only one piece of the puzzle.

• Support matters.
  
• Compliance matters.
• Communication matters.
• Traceability matters.
• Accountability matters.
• Patient experience matters.
  
  

The Real Question Practices Should Ask
The real question is not whether you can save money today.
The real question is what happens tomorrow if something goes wrong.
Who will answer the phone?
Who will investigate the issue?
Who will remake the case?
Who will support your patient?
Who will help protect your reputation?

In our experience, these questions often become more important than the original invoice. The cheapest restoration is not always the most economical restoration. The lowest laboratory fee is not always the lowest overall cost.

When you factor in chairside time, patient confidence, communication, support, remakes, logistics, and accountability, the equation becomes far more complex.

1. Dentistry has always been built on relationships.
   
2. Relationships between patients and clinicians.
3. Relationships between clinicians and laboratories.
4. Relationships built on trust, reliability, and shared responsibility.
   
   

Those relationships are often hardest to measure, yet they frequently deliver the greatest value.

We provide a trusted laboratory service delivering consistent quality, saving chairside time, and supporting predictable patient outcomes.

📞: 0208 520 8528 

 📧: [email protected] 

📍: 25A St James Street, London, E17 7PJ