ANSWERS

How do dental labs pickup and deliver cases?

Dental labs handle case logistics three ways: scheduled courier pickup on a set route (most common for labs within 50 miles of a practice), prepaid overnight shipping via FedEx or UPS for cases sent farther out, and digital case submission for fully scanned cases.

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Why it works this way

The three logistics channels every lab runs

Dental case logistics fall into three buckets: local courier, overnight shipping, and digital file transfer. The split matters because each one has a different turnaround clock and a different failure mode. A 2024 NADL operator survey found roughly 60% of full-arch and removables cases still ship physically (impressions, bite registrations, opposing models), while crown and bridge has moved past 70% digital intake among labs serving practices with intraoral scanners.

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Do dental labs charge separately for shipping?

Most established labs build return shipping into the case fee rather than line-iteming it. Dani Dental includes prepaid overnight return shipping in the case price for accounts outside the Phoenix courier zone. Local courier pickup and delivery is included at no charge for practices on a scheduled route. Some discount labs charge shipping separately, which can add $15-30 per case and makes total cost harder to predict across a monthly invoice.

How fast can a dental lab turn around a single crown?

Turnaround depends on the channel. A monolithic zirconia crown submitted as a digital scan can ship in 5-7 business days at Dani Dental. A layered porcelain crown with custom shade work runs 7-10 business days. Physical impressions add 1-2 days for transit and pour-up before the technician opens the case. Rush turnaround (3-4 days) is available on most crown and bridge work for an upcharge, scheduled by the technician directly.

What happens if a case is lost in shipping?

When a physical case goes missing in carrier transit, Dani Dental reorders the case at no charge and works directly with the practice to coordinate a rescan or new impression. The carrier claim is the lab's problem, not the dentist's. This is one of the reasons digital submission is preferred for crown and bridge: scan files do not get lost. For full-arch and removables where physical components still ship, the lab tracks every package and flags non-delivery within 24 hours.

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Read the full guide on all procedures

This answer is one piece of a larger workflow. The pillar page covers materials, turnaround, and how we build the case to your specification.

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