Entry #9

~$125,000 for a Gallon of Optibond

“Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” – Warren Buffett

 

 

Have you ever done the math to calculate how much certain dental materials actually cost when compared to other typical items and substances we all use daily?  A gallon of Optibond Solo Plus, one of the most popular and highly rated bonds on the market, would cost about $125,000 if you were to purchase a gallon of it.  Optibond Solo Plus is the brand of bond that I use in my practice.

A typical 5ml vial of Optiobond runs $163.95 if you were to purchase through Safco.   

There are 3,785.41 ml in a gallon.  Meaning it would take 757.09 bottles of Optibond to fill up a gallon.

757.09 bottles of Optibond x $163.95 = $124,123.60

 

Just some insight – to get us all thinking about how much we are actually spending…and how much we are actually getting.  Bond is a necessary part of restorative dentistry.  However, at the end of the day, is it really that much different than a $1 bottle of super glue?  I’m not saying we should all start using super glue for our patient’s restorations (please do not do that), but it is worth thinking about how certain costs are derived. Costs of the supplies are passed on to the dentists, which are passed on to our patients, which effects healthcare as a whole.

That’s all.

 

Kaizen,

-DeAngelo