Dental Lab Case Submission Checklist: Before You Send a Scan or Schedule Pickup

For a busy dental team, case information can pass through several hands. The dentist may provide the prescription, an assistant may organize records, and an administrator may coordinate the schedule. A short shared checklist gives everyone the same stopping point before the case leaves the practice.

This guide is an administrative planning aid. The prescribing clinician determines the clinical requirements, and your laboratory should confirm the records needed for the specific restoration and workflow.

1. Start with the prescription

Read the prescription as if you were receiving the case for the first time. Is the requested restoration clear? Have the relevant tooth numbers, material direction, shade information, and special instructions been recorded where applicable? If a decision is still open, identify it as a question for the lab rather than leaving the team to infer your preference.

Separate essential requirements from discussion points. For example, a confirmed restoration type belongs in the prescription; a request to discuss material options should be framed as a request for review. This keeps a preliminary conversation from being mistaken for authorization to proceed with a specific choice.

Use the practice's approved case identifier consistently. The prescription and accompanying files should clearly belong to the same case. Follow your established secure submission process for patient information, and keep that information out of social messages or public comments.

2. Confirm the records for this case

Different cases call for different records. Before sending, confirm the required scans, impressions, photographs, or supporting information with the lab. A general checklist should not replace restoration-specific instructions or the scanner manufacturer's guidance.

For digital submissions, review the file list alongside the prescription. Check that the intended files are present, that the most recent versions are identifiable, and that any supporting records requested by the lab are included. If you have replaced a file, make the replacement clear so the receiving team does not have to choose between versions.

For a physical case, check that the enclosed records match the accompanying documentation. Follow the lab's packing and handling instructions. If the case combines physical and digital records, tell the laboratory that both are coming and how they relate to the same submission.

3. Make special instructions easy to find

Avoid burying the most important request in a long paragraph. Put a concise case summary at the beginning, then list the details that need particular attention. If you are including a reference photograph or another supporting file, explain what you want the lab to consider in that reference.

A useful summary might say that this is a new case, identify the requested restoration, and flag an item that needs discussion before work begins. It should not suggest that an unresolved clinical decision has already been made. The purpose is to direct the conversation, not to replace professional judgment.

One designated contact can also make the handoff easier to manage. Identify who should receive questions and how that person can be reached through the practice's normal channels.

4. Confirm timing before making a promise

Distinguish the patient's appointment date from the date you need the case back at the practice. Include the relevant dates and ask the lab to confirm feasibility. A requested date is a request until the laboratory agrees to it.

Do not assume that an advertised general turnaround applies to every case. The restoration type, required records, delivery arrangements, and any clarification needed can affect planning. If the schedule is tight, raise that issue before treating the case as routine.

Keep the confirmed arrangement with the case record so team members can find the same information. If the appointment changes, update the lab rather than relying on the original schedule.

5. Choose the appropriate submission route

AIM's website provides routes to schedule a case pickup and submit a scanned case. Use the route that fits the records you are sending. For a mixed submission, explain that some records are digital and others are being collected.

Before a pickup, confirm the collection details and follow the instructions supplied for your case. Before submitting a scan, check the case details and attachments one final time. If you are uncertain about a file or a required field, ask AIM before assuming the handoff is complete.

For an overview of the available services, review AIM's products and services. For scanner-related questions, start with AIM's digital dentistry information and confirm the appropriate process with the team.

6. Close the loop after sending

Keep a record of the submission or pickup arrangement. Make sure the person responsible for the case knows where to look for a reply. If the laboratory asks for clarification, keep the response attached to the same case conversation.

A sent file is a completed transfer step; it is not, by itself, confirmation of every case detail or deadline. Treat receipt, clarification, and agreed timing as separate items to track. That distinction helps the practice understand what is settled and what still needs a response.

A short checklist for your team

• The prescription states the requested work and identifies open questions.
• The case identifier is consistent across the documentation and files.
• The records requested for this case are included and clearly versioned.
• Special instructions and the practice contact are easy to find.
• The requested return date is clear, and timing has been confirmed.
• The correct submission route is selected, with receipt and follow-up tracked.

Ready to send your next case?

Schedule a case pickup or submit a scan through AIM's website. Include your case details and any questions that need to be resolved before work begins.

Sources and editorial note

AIM website and its linked case-submission routes were reviewed September 21, 2026. This checklist is an original administrative planning aid; confirm case-specific clinical requirements with the prescribing clinician and AIM.