Customer story
Crown & Bridge Specialists
Crown & Bridge Specialists is a mid-sized dental laboratory in Chicago focused on fixed restorations. With 40 years in business, they've built their reputation on quality and reliability.
Results
Identified QC as the primary bottleneck, added staff to that stage...
Average case time reduced by 2 days after workflow adjustments...
Monthly reporting now takes minutes instead of days...
At a glance
- Industry
- Crown & Bridge Lab
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Employees
- 45
- Specialization
- PFM, Zirconia, E.max, Full-Cast
- Years in Business
- 40+
GuideLab's analytics showed us exactly where cases were getting stuck. We identified bottlenecks we didn't even know existed and cut our turnaround time significantly.
Challenges & solutions
- Challenge
- Despite decades of experience, they couldn't pinpoint why some cases took longer than others or which stages caused the most delays.
- Solution
- GuideLab's analytics dashboard revealed production patterns, stage durations, and technician productivity—giving leadership the data they needed to optimize.
Data-Driven Decisions for a Traditional Lab
40 Years of Expertise, Now Measurable
Crown & Bridge Specialists has been producing quality fixed restorations since 1984. Owner Robert Kim learned the craft from his father and has watched the industry evolve from full-cast gold to digital zirconia. But one thing hadn’t changed: managing by gut feel.
The Visibility Problem
“I knew we were good at what we do, but I couldn’t tell you exactly how long a zirconia crown took versus a PFM, or why some weeks were better than others,” admits Robert. “We had experience, not data.”
Analytics That Matter
GuideLab’s reporting tools changed that:
- Stage Timing: See exactly how long cases spend in each production phase
- Technician Metrics: Track productivity without micromanaging
- Clinic Reports: Know which partners send the most volume and remakes
- Trend Analysis: Compare this month to last month, this year to last year
Actionable Insights
The data revealed that quality control was the biggest bottleneck—cases were waiting there longer than any other stage. Robert added a second QC technician and average turnaround dropped immediately.
Details:
- Industry: Crown & Bridge Lab
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Employees: 45
- Specialization: PFM, Zirconia, E.max, Full-Cast
- Years in Business: 40+
“I wish we had this data 20 years ago. Now I can see exactly what’s happening in my lab and make changes based on facts, not feelings.”
— Robert Kim, Owner & Master Ceramist
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