The AIM Blog
Notes from the bench.
Quality control, digital workflows, and craftsmanship — straight from the people doing the work.
September 29, 2026
Dental Lab Turnaround Time: What to Expect and What to Ask
Most labs advertise a turnaround number. Far fewer will tell you what it covers, what pushes it out, or what happens when a case needs a second look. Here is what standard and rush turnaround look like in practice, and the questions worth asking before you book the seat appointment.
September 21, 2026
Dental Lab Case Submission Checklist: Before You Send a Scan or Schedule Pickup
A useful dental lab case submission checklist answers three questions: What is being requested? Are the relevant records included? Has the timing been confirmed? Use those questions as a final handoff check before submitting a digital case or arranging pickup. The aim is a clear, reviewable brief, not a longer form for its own sake.
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September 8, 2026
What 2026's Digital Dentistry Trends Mean for Your Practice (And Your Lab Partner)
Dentistry is changing faster than most practices can track on their own. Between AI-assisted design, new material science, and shifting patient expectations, staying current is no longer optional. It is part of protecting the outcomes you promise your patients.
September 5, 2026
75 Years of Precision: What a Dental Lab Looks Like When It Never Cuts Corners
In 1951, the Brooklyn Dodgers were still a year away from their only World Series championship. Harry Truman was in the White House. And in Brooklyn, a dental laboratory opened its doors with a single conviction: that every restoration deserved to be made right, every time.
August 19, 2026
The Communication Habit That Prevents Most Remakes Before They Happen
Most remakes aren't a lab failure or a dentist failure — they're a communication gap between the two. Here's the habit that closes it, and why it matters more than any piece of equipment.
August 18, 2026
Why Turnaround Time Is the Wrong Way to Judge a Dental Lab
A fast turnaround sounds like a good sign — until it isn't. Speed alone doesn't tell you whether a case will fit, hold up, or need to be redone. Here's what to actually measure instead.
August 10, 2026
Why "Trust Us" Isn't Enough: What a Real Case Study Should Show You
Any lab can say they do great work. Fewer can show it in a way that actually holds up to scrutiny. Here's what separates a case study that means something from one that's just polished marketing.
August 6, 2026
The Real Cost of a Remake (And Why It's Bigger Than You Think)
Remakes look like a simple redo. A New Margin, A New Shade, A New Lab Fee. The real cost lives in the chair time, the schedule disruption, and the patient trust you don't get back. Here's what to actually evaluate in a lab partnership before you need the answer.
August 5, 2026
The Hidden ROI of Going Digital (It's Not What Most Practices Expect)
Most practices weigh digital scanning against its price tag. That's the wrong comparison. The real return shows up in chair time, remake avoidance, and case turnaround — costs most practices are already absorbing without realizing it. Here's how to actually calculate the ROI.
July 21, 2026
The Dental Impression Checklist for Better Restorations
Every successful case starts with attention to the details that are easy to overlook during a busy clinical day. A few moments spent reviewing an impression before it leaves the practice can make all the difference in the final result. Below is a simple dental impression checklist — five checks you can build into your workflow before every case submission
Read more →June 29, 2026
What AIM's Guarantee Actually Covers
90-day returns, a 10-year craftsmanship warranty, and a no-argument remake policy — here's exactly what each one means in practice.
June 22, 2026
Going Digital: What to Expect When You Switch to Intraoral Scanning
No impressions, no shipping delays, no distortion. Here's what actually changes for your practice when you send digital scans instead of physical impressions.
June 15, 2026
The 20-Micron Margin: What Quality Control Actually Means at a Dental Lab
Too small to see with the naked eye — but the difference between a restoration that seats perfectly and one that doesn't. Here's how AIM's QC process actually works.