Evaluate a dental CAD outsourcing partner on published pricing, whether revisions are unlimited, turnaround in hours by case type, native 3Shape or exocad files, patient data security, and a trial case. Be wary of hidden pricing, per-revision billing and vague "fast turnaround" claims.
Outsourcing CAD design means handing off a piece of your production process to someone outside your building. That's a reasonable thing to be careful about. Here's a practical checklist for evaluating any vendor before you send a real case — not marketing claims, but the specific questions that actually predict whether a partnership will work.
The checklist
Is pricing published, or hidden behind "contact us"?
A vendor willing to publish per-unit or per-arch rates upfront is telling you something about how they operate. Pricing that requires a sales call before you see a number often means rates vary by negotiation leverage rather than a fixed rate card.
Are revisions unlimited, capped, or billed separately?
This is one of the biggest hidden-cost variables. A vendor charging per revision round can end up costing more than a higher headline rate with unlimited revisions included, especially in your first few cases while they learn your preferences.
What's the actual turnaround time, by case type?
"Fast turnaround" is not a turnaround time. Ask for specific hours by case type — crown & bridge, implant, full-arch — and whether that number is a guarantee or an average.
Do they work natively in your software?
3Shape and exocad are the two dominant platforms — see how they compare if you're not sure which your lab should standardize on. A vendor that requires file conversion between formats introduces both delay and a potential source of design errors that a native workflow avoids.
How do they handle patient data and file security?
You're sending patient scans, images, and case details to a third party. Ask directly: is data transmitted over an encrypted connection? How long are files retained? Is data shared with or sold to any other party?
Is there a contract or minimum volume requirement?
A vendor confident in their quality usually doesn't need to lock you into a contract before you've seen a single completed case. Minimum volume requirements can also be a poor fit if your case volume is still variable.
What does their quality control process actually look like?
"We check every case" is vague. Ask what a QC checklist actually covers — margin fit, contacts, anatomy, emergence profile — and whether it's a standing process or an informal review.
Will you get the same designer or team each time?
Consistency compounds. A vendor that rotates whichever designer is free that day means relearning your preferences every case. A small, consistent team means corrections should drop as they learn your standards.
The fastest way to answer most of this: send a single trial case. A vendor's actual invoice, turnaround, and revision handling on a real case tells you more in one round than any sales conversation.
The vendor scorecard
The checklist above is easier to apply when you score every vendor against the same sheet. Use this as a side-by-side comparison, and treat a red flag in any row as a reason to ask more questions.
| What to check | What good looks like | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published per-unit or per-arch rates in writing | Rates only after a sales call, or "it depends" |
| Revisions | Unlimited, or a clearly stated cap | Billed per round, or undefined |
| Turnaround | Hours by case type, stated up front | "Fast turnaround" with no numbers |
| Software | Native 3Shape and exocad workflows | File conversion required |
| Data handling | Specific answers on transmission, access and retention | "We take security seriously" and nothing else |
| Contract | None, or a short and clear one, with a trial case possible | Minimum volume before you see a result |
| Quality control | A named checklist covering margins, contacts, occlusion and file accuracy | "We check every case" |
| Point of contact | One person or small team who learns your preferences | A rotating pool and a ticket queue |
Fill this out for each vendor you are considering, using their written answers rather than a sales call.
How to run a trial case that tells you something
A trial only helps if you judge it the same way every time. A simple process:
- Pick a representative case. Not your easiest one and not your worst. An implant case on the system you use most is a good test because it exercises the scan body library and emergence profile.
- Send complete files. Scan, opposing arch, bite registration and written instructions, including margin and contact preferences. Incomplete files make any vendor look slow.
- Get the quote and turnaround in writing first. Then you are measuring against a number, not a recollection.
- Time it. Note when the case went out, when the vendor confirmed scope, and when the finished files arrived.
- Review the design in your own software. Check margins, contacts, occlusion and emergence profile, and note every change you would ask for.
- Send the corrections and watch the response. How fast and how cleanly a vendor handles revisions says more than the first delivery does.
- Compare the invoice with the quote. They should match.
Questions to ask about patient data
You are sending scans and case notes that can identify patients. Ask these directly and expect specific answers:
- How are files transmitted and stored, and is the connection encrypted?
- Who at the vendor can open a case file?
- How long are files kept after delivery, and can you ask for deletion?
- Is any data shared with another party?
- Where HIPAA applies to your practice or lab, will the vendor sign a business associate agreement? See the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIPAA resources for the rules, and check with your own advisor on what applies to you.
How Dentlyworks answers the checklist
It would be odd to publish a vendor checklist without answering it ourselves. Here is where Dentlyworks stands on each point, so you can hold us to it:
| Checklist item | Dentlyworks |
|---|---|
| Published pricing | Yes. Flat per-unit and per-arch rates on the pricing guide and rate card |
| Revisions | Unlimited, included in every price |
| Turnaround | 1 to 2 hours for crown & bridge, implant, removable and smile design; 4 to 6 hours for full-arch |
| Software | Native 3Shape and exocad workflows; files returned as STL or a full editable construction file |
| Contract and minimums | No contract, no minimum volume, no setup fee; start with one trial case |
| Quality control | Internal check for margin, occlusion and file accuracy before delivery |
| Ambiguous cases | Flagged and confirmed with you before design starts |
| Point of contact | A single point of contact for every case |
| Data handling | Case files handled confidentially and not kept longer than necessary; ask us for specifics on any case |
Turnaround runs from receipt of complete, usable scan files and instructions.
If any answer here falls short of what your lab needs, say so before you send a case. The point of the scorecard is to find out early.
A note on offshore vs. US-based vendors
Location alone isn't the right filter. What matters is whether the vendor understands US lab conventions — margin preferences, documentation standards, and communication expectations that differ from lab to lab and region to region. Ask directly about their experience working with US labs specifically, rather than assuming competence or its absence based on where a vendor is based.
Red flags worth walking away from
The checklist above tells you what to ask. These are the answers — or non-answers — that should give you pause regardless of how the rest of the conversation goes:
Vague answers about who actually designs your case
If a vendor can't or won't describe their team structure — in-house designers vs. a rotating freelance pool — that's worth pressing on. It directly affects whether your case gets someone who's learned your preferences.
Reluctance to put turnaround and pricing in writing
Verbal assurances that don't show up in an email or contract have a way of quietly shifting once you're a recurring customer. Get the numbers you're quoted in writing before sending a real case.
No clear answer on file retention or data handling
"We take security seriously" isn't an answer to "how long do you keep patient scans, and who has access to them." A vendor handling PHI-adjacent data regularly should have a specific, rehearsed answer to this.