If you’ve finally accumulated some dental scrap in your lab or office and you’re looking for a way to sell your dental scrap for cash, you’ve come to the right place. Cora Refining, a dental scrap refinery serving dentists and dental labs for nearly 50 years, is a full-service dental refinery. We process all dental scrap in-house to ensure that the lots are refined accurately, efficiently, and meet our quality standards. We maintain full control over the entire refining process.
If you want to send your dental scrap in for refining but aren’t sure how to get started, we’ve created a quick step-by-step guide to walk you through the process. Our system is a simple and efficient way of getting your scrap safely to our dental refinery for quick payment.
Step 1 – Request a shipping container
If you have at least $100 worth of scrap, we will provide a free shipping container and pay for the FedEx® shipping charges (if you are unsure of the value of the material you’d like to send, please contact us either by email or phone). We have an assortment of sizes for various types of dental scrap. We recommend using our shipping containers (rather than a box) since they have a proven track record for durability.
The easiest way to request a shipping container is to visit our website and click on the Shipping Container tab or call us at 800-844-2040.
Select from the following containers:
The Mini Canister
Our mini canister is used for shipments of 8 ounces or less of dental solids (e.g., crown and bridge, buttons, ingots, or other small dental material).
Mini Jar
The mini jar holds 8 oz – 16 oz of crown and bridge, ingots, or other small dental material. This container is easy to store if you accumulate your dental scrap slowly. Many dentists and oral surgeons prefer the mini jar.
Small Canister
The small canister has been our workhorse container for many years. The slightly larger size holds 1 – 2 lbs of small dental materials (including jewelry, solids, and grindings). A great choice for small dental labs.
The Large Canister
The large canister, approximately the size of a coffee can, holds 2 – 6 lbs of small dental scrap. This is ideal for larger amounts of grindings as well as jewelry and other dental solids.
The Hat Box
The hat box (similar to the size and shape of vintage hat boxes) holds 10 – 40 lbs of dental scrap including grindings, sweeps, and filter bags as well as solids.
The Standard Drum
The Standard Drum is used for large quantities of materials including 40 – 100 lbs of dental materials. Grindings, floor sweeps, and vacuum bags are some of the items typically sent in the standard drum.
Jumbo Drum
Many people also refer to this drum as the “carpet drum.” If you work in a lab that uses precious metals and you’re planning on getting a new carpet for your lab, be sure to request a carpet drum for your old carpet and send it in for refining. Frequently, there is metal embedded in the fibers that can be reclaimed. The carpet drum can also be used for very large filters.
Step 2 – Fill out your scrap receipt
When you’ve received and filled your shipping container, you’re ready to send it. Every container arrives with a pre-addressed FedEx® shipping label and a scrap receipt. All you need to do is to fill the container with your dental scrap and fill out the scrap receipt.
Scrap Description: When scrap arrives at our dental refinery, we check over the contents to ensure that it matches what you wrote in the scrap description section. We want to make sure that the content we see, matches what you indicated was in the container. If there are any discrepancies between what’s in the description and what we find, we will call you before we proceed.
Method of Payment: We pay by check. Unfortunately, due to shipping restrictions, we can no longer pay in gold coins.
Step 3 – Ship your package
We use FedEx® for shipping, as we have found them to be the most reliable. Your shipment is fully insured when using our shipping label.
You can call us at 800-844-2040 and request a FedEx® pickup. Please note, we will need a 4-hour window when someone will be at the office/lab to give the package to the driver.
To issue a pickup, visit our website and click on the FedEx® pickup tab. Enter your information, and we will take care of the rest.
Alternatively, you can use a FedEx® drop box. If you’re not sure where the nearest drop box is, you can visit the FedEx website to find one closest to you.
That’s it! Now, you get to sit back and relax. We will call you when your dental scrap arrives at our location. You will get another call from us when the assay is complete. We will let you know the amount and double check your address to ensure that all the information is correct.
How long will it take to refine the dental material?
Although each lot is different, we can give you some general timeframes:
- Crown and Bridge, Buttons, Jewelry, etc. – 7 business days
- Grindings and Filings – 7 – 10 business days
- Up to 1-2 months for carpets
Are you ready to maximize your dental scrap returns? Get started today with a free refining kit.