As we previously reported, lead has been found in some crowns made overseas. The ADA released this list of questions to help patients learn about the crowns their dentists use. You may want to review these and come up with answers, then educate your team on how to respond. By showing your patients that you can respond to sticky questions with confidence, you’ll earn their respect. Here are the questions:
• Do you fashion your own crowns, bridges, and other dental materials in the office or purchase them from a dental laboratory?
• Where is the dental lab located?
• Does the laboratory outsource crowns or bridges to a foreign country?
• What materials are going to be used in my restoration?
• What other options do I have?
You probably have concerns about whether your lab outsources dental work. The ADA offers a tip sheet of questions that you can ask your laboratory, complete with the reasoning behind the questions. Get the tip sheet here.
According to the ADA website, research into the issue will continue. One article released on the organization’s website states, “The ADA Standards Committee on Dental Products intends to address specific requirements that test for the concentration or composition of the pigments used by dental laboratories to pigment and glaze porcelain materials.”
In related news, Representative Greg Wren of Montgomery, AL has initiated a bill that will require dentists to tell patients if dental work is outsourced overseas. Read the full story here.