Dental practice owners often miss out on the amazing ROI that 3D printing technology brings to their business. Your practice could earn an extra $20,000 yearly by using this technology, which could boost your practice's value by €100,000 or more. Every €1,000 increase in your annual earnings typically adds €5,000 to €8,000 to your practice's worth .
The real-world benefits go well beyond just the money. You can make nightguards in-house for as little as €5 with dental 3D printing materials, which saves you a lot compared to lab fees. The technology gives you incredible precision and accuracy in dental restorations while you retain control of your production process. Your patients will be happier and more loyal because they get their dental appliances faster.
This piece will show you how 3D printing can boost your dental practice's profits. We'll get into the most profitable applications and help you decide if this technology lines up with what your practice needs.
The financial effects of adding 3D printing to your practice go well beyond the initial investment. Your practice's financial health can benefit substantially in many ways over time.
Your practice's value depends on earnings, not revenue. Most dental practices are worth 5-8 times their EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization). This means your practice's value typically ranges from 5-8 times your annual earnings. Each additional €1,000 in annual earnings could increase your practice's value by €5,000-€8,000.
Plus, dental 3D printing directly affects this equation. You reduce costs while keeping or increasing revenue by bringing production in-house.
This change doesn't just save money—it builds value in your practice.
Your EBITDA benefits from in-house dental 3D printing in several ways:
You drastically cut external lab fees, which usually make up 5-15% of a practice's overhead. New revenue opportunities emerge through faster turnaround times and expanded services. Your team can handle more cases without adding staff thanks to improved efficiency.
Practices using this technology see EBITDA increases of 3-5% in their first year. A practice earning €1 million annually could add €30,000-€50,000 in earnings and boost its value by €150,000-€400,000.
The numbers look even better for specific applications:
Dental 3D printing materials have become cheaper while maintaining high quality. A practice that makes just 20 nightguards monthly can save over €20,000 yearly by bringing this single application in-house.
These savings boost your bottom line directly and increase both your annual earnings and practice value. Dental practices usually recover their 3D printing equipment costs in 6-18 months, depending on case volume.
Dental 3D printing shows clear economic benefits that deliver great returns. Let's look at the most profitable ways to use this technology in your practice.
Occlusal splints and nightguards are perfect candidates to produce in-house. Labs typically charge €76-150 for these appliances, but you can print them for just €5-10 each [1]. Certain printers produces eight splints in under an hour [1], which means patients get same-day service instead of waiting two weeks. These custom-printed guards fit the patient's teeth perfectly and provide better protection and comfort for people with bruxism or TMD [2].
The biggest savings come from orthodontic applications. Lab-made aligners cost €600-2000 per case and take up to eight weeks to arrive [3]. Your in-house production costs run €286-400 and you can deliver them in just an hour [3]. This saves up to €1700 per case [3]. You can quickly replace lost or broken retainers, which makes patients happy since they don't have to wait days or weeks [4].
Patient past same-day clear aligners
The numbers for surgical guides look impressive too. External labs charge €238-400 per guide with two-week wait times [5]. In-house printing costs just € 1.91-6 [5]—that's 98% less. These guides help ensure surgical precision, cut down operative time, and reduce complications during implant placement [6]. Custom whitening trays also come out quickly and cheaply, which spreads bleaching agents evenly and protects the gums from irritation [2].
Temporary crowns showcase another valuable use case. Clinical studies show 3D-printed temporary crowns have a 98% survival rate [7]. Patients are much happier with how they look [7], especially since they get them the same day instead of waiting weeks [8]. These provisionals work great for teeth with unclear prognoses or to test new vertical dimensions [7].
Making a choice between in-house and outsourced 3D printing needs a good look at your practice's unique situation. Many factors beyond just costs will shape the right decision for your practice.
Having your own 3D printer gives you direct control of production workflow. A basic dental printer costs between €5,000-15,000, but most practices earn this back within 6-18 months by saving on lab fees. Today's dental 3D printing materials are much easier to work with. Staff members can learn to operate these machines with simple training thanks to their easy-to-use interface.
You should think about upkeep needs and space to store materials. Your team will need time for design work and post-processing, but these tasks take just 15-30 minutes per appliance.
Outsourcing might save more money if your practice handles fewer than 5-10 appliances each month. You could start by letting others handle the design while you do the printing. Your team can take on more tasks as they build confidence.
Very complex cases might need specialized labs with deeper expertise, at least until your team builds similar skills.
More practices now share equipment costs with their neighbors. Several offices can pool money for high-end equipment and split the costs of maintenance and materials. This setup cuts down each practice's financial risk while keeping most benefits of having your own production.
This works best when 2-4 practices are close enough to move models and finished products easily between locations.
Let's help you decide if dental 3D printing makes financial sense for your practice. This checklist will give you a full picture of your readiness for this technology.
Start by assessing your current lab expenses. Lab costs work best when they stay below 10% of your practice's production [9]. Nationwide, practices spend about 5.8% of collections on lab work [10]. Dental practices that spend more than €2,000 monthly on outsourced appliances like nightguards, surgical guides, and models see faster returns on 3D printing investments.
Your current case volume plays a key role in positive returns. Most practices need at least 15+ restorative or orthodontic cases monthly to break even within 6-18 months [11]. The key is to analyze which appliances you keep ordering and their lab fees to calculate your potential savings.
Lab delays can hurt your reputation, disrupt your schedules, and create bottlenecks [12]. Each delayed appointment means lost revenue [12]. In-house production solves these problems when lab turnaround times affect your patient's satisfaction.
In-office production lets you deliver restorations the same day or next day [11]. This boosts treatment acceptance rates. Digital workflows with additive manufacturing deliver better accuracy than traditional methods [13].
Dental 3D printing makes same-day dentistry easy and gives you an edge. Modern patients value practices that cut wait time sand offer convenient treatment options [13].
☐ We spend more than €2,000 monthly on outsourced dental appliances.
☐ We handle 15+ eligible cases monthly.
☐ We face frequent lab delays affecting patient satisfaction.
☐ We want to increase case acceptance with faster treatment options.
☐ We want to separate our practice with same-day services.
What it means: 2-3 checks point to potential ROI; 4+ checks suggest high probability of strong returns.
Dental 3D printing proves to be a smart investment that boosts your practice's value and enhances patient care. Every €1,000 you earn annually can add €5,000-€8,000 to your practice's worth. This technology turns your lab expenses into profit margins and builds equity with each appliance you print in-house.
Numbers tell a compelling story. You can now produce nightguards for €5-10 instead of paying €75-150. Surgical guides cost under €25 rather than €200-300. Clear aligners come at a fraction of outsourced costs. These savings add up to major improvements in your bottomline. Most practices see their investment pay off in 6-18 months, based on their case volume and applications.
Money aside, patients love getting their dental work done faster - in hours instead of weeks. Your practice stands out by offering same-day services that patients value. The technology has become easier to use, which makes getting started simpler than before.
Your practice's specific needs will guide this decision. Quick returns come to practices that spend over €2,000 monthly on outsourced appliances or handle more than 15 eligible cases each month.Bringing production in-house helps practices that struggle with frequent lab delays and patient satisfaction.
You can either set up your own printing system or share costs with nearby practices. Dental 3D printing gives you complete control over production and cuts down overhead costs. The real question isn't if you should get this technology - it's when and how you'll use it to get the best results for your practice.
[1] - https://dental.formlabs.com/eu/indications/splints-and-occlusal-guards/
[2] - https://davejohnsondentallab.com/3d-printing-custom-trays-applications-benefits/
[3] - https://dental.formlabs.com/eu/indications/thermoformed-clear-aligners-retainers/
[4] - https://www.novodentalcentre.com/digital-dentistry/3d-printing/
[5] - https://dental.formlabs.com/eu/indications/surgical-guides/
[6] - https://www.shining3ddental.com/blog/7-applications-of-dental-3d-printing/
[7] - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-68354-2
[8] - https://capitoldental.com/3d-printing-dental-temporary-crowns/
[10] - https://www.dentalbuyeradvocates.com/valuation/lab-costs/
[11] - https://associateddl.com/how-3d-printing-is-revolutionizing-the-dental-industry/
[13] - https://amfg.ai/2025/03/31/how-3d-printing-enables-same-day-dentistry/
September 12, 2025
Jens Linard
Tech Tips
Wondering if dental 3D printing makes financial sense for your practice? Learn how to assess readiness and get the full picture before you invest.
Sweeth offers complete 3D printing solutions for dental professionals to design and produce aligners, veneers, and custom dental appliances in-house—streamlining workflows with expert support.
