Dental Laboratories NAICS 339116

Jul 2, 2025 - Dental Industry Organizations Seek Tariff Exemptions

• Major dental organizations are urging the Trump administration to exempt dental equipment and medical devices from tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, and Canada. US dental laboratories may see an increase in demand if tariffs boost the price of imported products. Many dental products were already subject to existing duties on Chinese products, and the proposed duties (and any reciprocal tariffs) on Mexican and Canadian products will drive up the cost of dental equipment and supplies further, the Dental Trade Alliance, American Dental Association, and National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL) argue. These actions “will cause economic consequences felt first by [manufacturers], then by dentists, oral surgeons, emergency room physicians, commercial dental laboratories and other oral health professionals as those costs are passed on, and eventually to consumers, who will see cost for oral healthcare increase to offset the duties being assessed on these FDA regulated medical devices,” a letter from the group to the Trump administration says.
• The spot price of gold increased from about $1,800 per ounce in October 2023 to over $3,300 in early July, an 86% increase. The pricing and availability of raw materials for dental labs can vary and affect operations and profitability. Prices for precious metals that are components of many dental alloys, including gold, platinum, palladium, can be volatile and driven by global market conditions. The spot price surged to a record $3,444.01 per troy ounce on June 15, 2025. "Trump's election win has provided one of the most favorable scenarios for gold due to the likelihood of elevated US fiscal spending and increased geopolitical uncertainty," says Michael Haigh, head of commodities research at French bank Société Générale.

• New networked technology allows dental laboratories to expand their reach directly into dental practices, according to additive manufacturing technology firm Desktop Metal. Networked scanners, for example, allow dentists to scan patients and use the digital data to directly order restoration services from a dental laboratory, or print-ready digital files from laboratories can be sent from a laboratory to the practice, where products can be printed chairside in the dental practice on networked 3D printers. Dentists can order a full range of simple to complex restorations, removables, and appliances including bite guards, crowns, veneers, dentures, and more.
• Dental laboratory industry employment and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first five months of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Dental lab industry sales are forecast to grow at a 4.5% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, faster than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.