How to Calculate ROI from a Better Prosthetic Laboratory

What 20% of Cases Requiring Rework Means

When a laboratory has 20% reworks (a standard traditional laboratory), every tenth or even fifth case has to be returned for correction. This has become a "industry norm" instead of an anomaly.

What happens then:

• Patient waits an additional 3–5 days for correction (instead of seven days, they wait 12 days total).
• Additional finalization appointment — the patient has to come back a second time.
• Laboratory cost: materials, time, energy, logistics — an average of 500 PLN net loss per case.
• Clinic cost: doctor's time (45 minutes × 100 PLN/h = 75 PLN), logistics, patient dissatisfaction.
• Patient cost (psychological): frustration, annoyance, lack of trust in the clinic.

This is not "normal" or "standard" — it is systemic waste of money. This is the standard in practices working with traditional laboratories, but it doesn't mean it has to be the norm.

Numbers for a Single Case

One case requiring rework:

• Laboratory cost (materials + time): 600 PLN gross ≈ 490 PLN net.
• Margin instead of profit: the laboratory loses 490 PLN instead of earning.
• Clinic costs (doctor's time, assistant, logistics): 150 PLN.
• Lost revenue (patient waits, chair waits): 100–200 PLN.
• Total loss per case: 740–850 PLN.

But wait — that's not all. A patient who went through a rework is a patient who:

• Gives a poorer review (instead of 5 stars, 3–4).
• Does not refer you further (no recommendations = no new patients).
• May even write a bad online review (which costs new patients).

Loss from a "bad review" from one case: 1–2 patients annually missed (because people read reviews). This is 1000–3000 PLN revenue annually per rework. When you add this to direct costs, one rework is truly a lot of money — it's like paying a double invoice.

Scaling to Monthly and Yearly

Traditional Laboratory (20% reworks):

• 80 cases/year = 16 cases for correction (almost one case per week).
• Loss per case: 850 PLN (without bad review costs).
• Total: 16 × 850 PLN = 13,600 PLN/year.
• Add bad reviews: −1–2 patients annually × 2000 PLN revenue = −2000–4000 PLN.
• Total real loss: 15,600–17,600 PLN/year.

Digital Laboratory with PID (2–3% reworks):

• 80 cases/year = 1.6–2.4 cases for correction (almost one every two months).
• Loss per case: 850 PLN.
• Total: 2 × 850 PLN = 1700 PLN/year.
• Add bad reviews: no significant losses, because 98% of satisfied patients = more referrals.
• Total real loss: 1700 PLN/year + GAIN from better reviews: +2000–4000 PLN.

Difference: 15,600 – 1700 = 13,900 PLN/year in savings on reworks alone. This is about 1160 PLN/month, which adds to your income — every month, systematically.

What Changes with a Better Laboratory

1. Reworks drop from 20% to 2–3%

Why? A digital laboratory with a verification protocol (e.g., PID) minimizes the risk of misfit. This isn't magic — it's a process: standardization of input data, verification of the concept before production, and quality control before shipping.

2. Deadlines are predictable (±1 day instead of ±5 days)

The patient knows they return in 10 days. The laboratory declares 10 days and delivers in 10 days. This changes the clinic's schedule — higher efficiency, less waiting.

3. Prosthodontics are cleaner (details, transitions, occlusion)

Digital work with a milling machine / 3D printer has higher accuracy. The patient sees the difference: better transitions, easier to clean, better comfort in the mouth.

4. Digital workflow instead of paper-based

The model comes via scan, goes back via scan, communication is digital. No lost models, no communication errors, no paper documents.

5. Additional possibilities (wax-up, mock-up, digital corrections)

Decisions made earlier, before final production. Patient satisfied because they knew what they were getting.

Decision Calculator

Does changing laboratories make economic sense? Check:

Question 1: What percentage of your cases require rework?

• If >10% — change makes sense, it should be a priority.
• If <10% — your laboratory is OK, but check question 2.

Question 2: What percentage of patients return to you due to laboratory delays?

• If >20% — change makes sense, this is a serious problem.
• If <20% — the laboratory is reliable with schedules.

Question 3: How much does changing laboratories cost you? (testing, process disruption, education):

• Typically 3000–5000 PLN (one month of test work).

If you answered YES to questions 1 or 2 + your test cost is <5000 PLN:

ROI calculated under these conditions:

• Test cost: 4000 PLN.
• Annual savings (reworks): 13,900 PLN.
• ROI: (13,900 – 4000) / 4000 = 247% — recouped in 1.5 months.

This is an investment that traditional laboratories avoid, but which actually pays off in 3–6 months. There's no reason to wait.

FAQ

What if the laboratory raises the price for "better quality"?

By saving 13,900 PLN annually on reworks, you can pay +200–300 PLN per case and still save 6000–9000 PLN/year.

Is changing laboratories always a risk?

Rather, it's a verification. You do tests on 20–30 cases, check the results. If it doesn't fit — you go back. But if your current laboratory has >10% reworks, the risk is greater than changing.

Is PID standard or marginal?

PID is an approach used by modern digital laboratories. It involves data standardization, project verification before production, and quality control. Laboratories working in this model — including deltalabs. — report below 3% corrections.