Summary
Dental Care Alliance (DCA) operates more than 400 practices across the U.S., representing $35.8M in annual outside lab spend. Before Dandy, that spend was distributed across 403 separate lab suppliers—an arrangement that made oversight nearly impossible.
After selecting Dandy as a Diamond Preferred partner, DCA gained real visibility into lab performance. Through the Dandy Hub, the organization can now track performance at the case level, understand remake drivers, and act on issues as they arise.
Over the course of six months, Dandy deployed more than 160 intraoral scanners across 147 offices. In that time, order volume grew 13x, while remaining transparent and traceable. Using Dandy Hub, clinical leaders were able to track scanner adoption rates across practices and providers while business leaders were able to see the impact of lab consolidation play out in real time.
The Challenge
Operating at scale without visibility
As DCA expanded through acquisition, their lab ecosystem became increasingly fragmented. More than 400 practices worked with roughly the same number of labs, each operating with its own standards, pricing, and processes. In practice, that resulted in inconsistent quality, limited negotiating power, and very little ability to compare outcomes across locations.
Previous attempts at consolidation had already fallen short. DCA had introduced preferred vendor programs that were intended to improve pricing, however clinicians continued to work with the labs they trusted regardless of corporate agreements.
Additionally, DCA’s labs either didn’t provide reporting or offered high-level remake rates with no clear methodology behind them. Numbers didn’t align with what providers were seeing day to day, which made it difficult to coach teams, identify issues, or hold vendors accountable.
While lab partners often promised transparency during the sales process, in practice, that visibility rarely materialized.
“It was a mess, and it was all over the table.”
– Dan Gast, VP of Procurement at DCA
The Solution
A system that makes data usable
To address these issues, DCA leveraged the Dandy Hub—a centralized platform that surfaces performance data in real time.
For the first time, DCA could see every case submitted across its network, with remake rates broken down by office, by provider, and by reason. Metrics weren’t abstract or self-reported; they were tied directly to case-level data.
Procurement teams could track vendor performance against commitments; finance could review spend and trends; clinical leaders could identify variability across offices and use it to guide provider coaching. Instead of assembling reports manually, teams could access insights on demand.
FROM SKEPTICISM TO ADOPTION
Russell’s perspective shifted as he began working with the platform. When providers raised concerns about lab quality, teams could review actual case histories and remake data—bringing evidence into conversations that had historically relied on opinion. That shift made it easier to identify root causes and resolve issues.
“It’s not just like, here’s the data. It’s like, what can we do with it?”
– Clayton Russell, VP of Strategic Operations
A PARTNERSHIP THAT EXTENDS BEYOND SOFTWARE
Dandy invested heavily in supporting adoption across DCA’s network. More than 750 clinicians were trained through hands-on onboarding, supported by over $500,000 in training investment. Dandy deployed 160+ scanners, provided $150K in lab credits, and contributed over $100K in event sponsorships.
Those investments helped remove friction at the practice level, where adoption ultimately happens. Clinicians could test workflows, build confidence, and integrate digital processes without significant upfront risk.
At the same time, Dandy took a proactive role in managing performance. When the Hub surfaces an issue—such as elevated remake rates at a specific office—Dandy’s team investigates, identifies root causes, and deploys targeted support, often before DCA needs to step in.
“Dandy’s a reliable partner. They do a great job supporting the offices. It’s enjoyable to work with Dandy”
–Dan Gast, VP of Procurement
The Outcome
Visibility becomes leverage
With the Hub in place, DCA moved from reactive vendor management to a more proactive, data-driven model.
147 practices are now actively ordering through Dandy, with adoption driven largely by provider demand rather than mandates. Leadership is able to closely monitor scanner adoption rates and remake rates are fully transparent, tracked in real time, and tied to documented root causes.
Internal workflows have also improved. Accounts Payable can manage invoicing centrally; leadership can access reporting on demand; procurement teams can monitor performance continuously rather than retrospectively.
Looking ahead
For DCA, the conversation has shifted—from whether data exists to how it can be used.
The organization is now working with Dandy to develop new KPIs that extend beyond lab performance, including how scanner adoption impacts chair time and whether that capacity translates into additional patient revenue.
That shift reflects a broader evolution in the partnership—one that moves from vendor management toward collaborative problem-solving.
“You can go onto the Dandy Hub and it has all of your metrics, your KPIs, your remakes, all your offices. Nobody else has that.”
–Dan Gast, VP of Procurement
