The Gold Standard

Start Discussion
Categories: Restorative Dentistry;
The Gold Standard 

What dentists look for in scrap metal refining

In an area of practice that often receives little attention until it’s time to ship it out, dental scrap refining tends to operate quietly in the background. Yet for many practices, the process raises familiar questions: How materials are handled, how values are determined, and how to know whether the final settlement reflects the true contents of what was sent.

What follows are firsthand perspectives from dentists who have worked with Scientific Metals, sharing what they’ve observed, what they’ve tested, and what ultimately shaped their refining decisions.


How long have you worked with Scientific Metals, and what can you tell me about your experience?
Dr. Michael Cohen—founder, Seattle Study Club
Scientific Metals has proven itself to be a reputable and trustworthy company for our more than 250 clubs and 7,000 members for almost 10 years now. Our club directors and members say it is the most trusted name in dental scrap refining.


How important is trust and honesty in dentistry?
Dr. Gordon Bell—Hallam, Pennsylvania
Scientific Metals is the one bright pillar in this sphere, as I have had far too many negative experiences over the years. I’m so glad to know there are still ethical business people out there.

Dr. Woody Oakes—The Profitable Dentist
Scientific Metals has no sales reps who get a percentage of the scrap value. This means dentists get a higher reimbursement. It’s really that simple.


How did you know for certain that Scientific Metals was giving you a better deal on your refining?
Dr. Ed Char—Honolulu, Hawaii
I cut each and every crown in half and sent half to Scientific Metals and half to the refinery our dental distributor partnered with that I had used for years. Both companies had the same breakdown/analysis, but Scientific Metals had a 30% higher payout. I asked Scientific Metals why, and they said it’s simple: They have no salesperson commissions or hidden fees.


Have you ever had a bad experience with a refiner?
Dr. Casey Culberson—Mill Creek, Washington
I decided to try a new company that was promoting very low fees. I assumed I would get back the most money from the company that had the lowest fees. After getting back the results, I realized that was a big mistake—a very small check and no callback for a month. Don’t get fooled by really low fees.


Have you ever tried a refiner who promised lower fees?
Dr. Erik Svans—Phoenix, Arizona
I had used Scientific Metals for several years and was very happy. But one year, I sent a jar of scrap to a refining company that promised lower fees, figuring the company that charged the least would mean more money in my pocket. The settlement offer came back at around $2,900. I was immediately skeptical as the amount was much lower than I usually received from Scientific Metals, and gold prices were at all-time highs. So I asked the company to send back the melted bar and forwarded it to Scientific Metals. The settlement offer came back at $4,700, even though the other company claimed lower fees. The lesson was that the assay is where the money is won or lost, not in the promised fees.


Aren’t all scrap refiners the same?
Dr. George Clayton—Brentwood, Tennessee
A few months ago, I divided my scrap into two equal piles and sent one batch to Scientific Metals and another batch to another refiner with a ‘lower fee.’ Both companies had a very similar assay (between 36%–38% gold and 33%–34% palladium); however, I was perplexed that the settlement prices were wildly different. After a closer inspection, I learned that while both companies had a similar refining fee, the refinery my dental supply rep recommended had another charge they called an “accountability charge”—which was about an additional 30% in addition to their refining fee. Scientific Metals did not have that accountability charge.


Have you ever used a refiner that charged hidden fees?
Dr. Kelly Waggener—Santa Rosa, California
Our dental supply rep brought in a refiner they had partnered with, and after they took our scrap, we received an email that our metal had been melted and processed, and our scrap settlement was $3,017. We did some research and learned that, on top of the 10% refining fee, there was an additional charge of about 30%, and that the total fees amounted to about 38%. This seemed very high, and we asked the company to send us our metal back. We then sent the metal in the form of a melted bar to Scientific Metals, who did not have the additional 30% fee, and we received $4,450 for the same bar. I encourage everybody to let Scientific Metals appraise their scrap.
Need some refining?
For more information on refining, please contact Scientific Metals at 888-949-0008 or visit scientificmetals.com.
This content is sponsored by Scientific Metals.
For more information, visit scientificmetals.com.
More In Restorative Dentistry
Learning to Trust Bulk Filling for Class II Restorations
Learning to Trust Bulk Filling for Class II Restorations
Dr. David Clark
CE Credits: 1.5
Mastering Posterior Dentistry
Mastering Posterior Dentistry
Dr. John Nosti
CE Credits: 2
Online CE: Oral Surgery
Online CE: Oral Surgery
by Dr. Nareg Apelian
May 2025
The Global Mercury Ban That Will Reshape Dentistry Forever
The Global Mercury Ban That Will Reshape Dentistry Forever
January 2026
Dentaltown Magazine
February 2026
Dentaltown Magazine February 2026 Read Current Issue Read Archived Issues
Sponsors
Townie Perks
Townie® Poll
Do you still use film?
  
Related Articles
Product Profile: GrandioSO 4U
Product Profile: GrandioSO 4U
March 2026
The Global Mercury Ban That Will Reshape Dentistry Forever
The Global Mercury Ban That Will Reshape Dentistry Forever
January 2026
Why I Made the Switch: Omnichroma
Why I Made the Switch: Omnichroma
by Dr. Victor Cedillo Felix
October 2025
Site Menu
Message Boards Magazine Continuing Education Podcasts Pods & Blogs Classifieds Dental News Events Townie® Poll Ebooks Townie Choice Awards
Company Info
Contact Us Advertise With Us Howard Farran DDS, MBA Policies and Agreements
Site Help
The Dentaltown Team, Farran Media Support
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: support@dentaltown.com
©2026 Dentaltown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450