Dental Laboratories NAICS 339116

Feb 22, 2026 - Trump Administration's Tariffs Struck Down By US Supreme Court

• The US Supreme Court ruled in late February 2026 that President Trump exceeded his authority when imposing tariffs using a law reserved for a national emergency. The decision only invalidates tariffs implemented using a 1977 law called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). IEEPA tariffs represent about half of the import taxes that the government is collecting each month, according to National Public Radio. Dental laboratories are likely to benefit if the cost of goods imported from countries that were hit with tariffs decreases. The Trump administration can use other laws to impose duties on goods from other countries , however, and President Trump issued an executive order shortly after the Supreme Court ruling that implements a new tariff under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act. Section 122 allows the president to institute a "temporary import surcharge" of up to 15% if he finds there are "large and serious United States balance of-payments deficits" or to "prevent an imminent and significant depreciation of the [US] dollar in foreign exchange markets." The tariffs can last for up to 150 days, after which Congress may have to take action to extend them, according to NBC News, and the law is also not clear on whether the administration could restart the tariffs immediately after the 150 days with another executive order. The new tariff will result in a major decrease to tariffs applied to most key trading partners, according to NBC News. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, however that the administration would also open Section 301 investigations on "most major trading partners" on an "accelerated timeframe." The investigations could allow the administration to impose tariffs under that section of the 1974 law if it finds that "the rights of the US are being denied under any trade agreement," or whether any trade agreement is "unjustifiable and burdens or restricts United States commerce." Other approaches to tariffs also remain available: The Trump administration has already used Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act to impose tariffs on goods determined to be a national security threat. Section 232 has been applied it to goods ranging from aluminum to bathroom vanities, according to Business Insider.
• The spot price of gold increased from about $1,800 per ounce in October 2023 to over $4,300 in early November, an 139% 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 has remained above a record $4,242 per troy ounce set on October 16, 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 decreased slightly and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first eight 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.