Lab turnaround time
Also called: turnaround time, lab turnaround, TAT, in-lab days
Lab turnaround time is the number of working days a dental lab needs to finish a case, counted from the day it receives everything it needs to the day the case leaves. It varies by type of work. Delivery time is extra, and so is any time a case waits for an answer.
How it shows up between practice and lab
Turnaround is the number a practice books seat appointments against. A practice that counts calendar days, or forgets delivery, books the patient too early.
The clock starts when the lab has a complete case. A missing shade or bite can add days that neither side planned for.
Labs help by publishing turnaround by type of work, with their closures. Practices help by putting the seat date on the Rx, so the lab can see a tight case.
Read more in dental lab turnaround times and how to protect chair time when lab cases run late.
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