Outsourcing gets talked about as a single decision — hand off aligner production to someone else, or don't. In practice, treatment planning and manufacturing are two distinct services, and you don't have to outsource both together. If you already have manufacturing in place, or you're not ready to commit to a full production relationship, outsourced treatment planning on its own is worth understanding as its own option.
What Outsourced Treatment Planning Actually Covers
A dedicated treatment planning service takes a case from submitted records to an approved, production-ready plan, without touching manufacturing at all:
- Case review — prescription details, 3D scans (.STL files), photographs, and X-rays are reviewed by the planning team.
- Plan development — an orthodontist-led team builds the treatment plan, sequencing tooth movement across the full course of treatment.
- Interactive review — the plan is delivered as an interactive 3D model so you can walk through the proposed movement stage by stage.
- Approval and revisions — you approve the plan as-is or request changes before anything moves to production, wherever that production happens.
Once approved, the finalized plan can go to your own in-house lab, an existing manufacturing partner, or back to the same outsourcing provider if they also offer manufacturing.
Planning-Only vs. Full End-to-End Outsourcing
| Treatment Planning Only | Full End-to-End | |
|---|---|---|
| What's included | Case review, plan development, approval | Planning plus manufacturing, packaging, shipping |
| Best fit for | Practices or labs with existing manufacturing capability | Practices or labs with no in-house production |
| What you still handle | Manufacturing, packaging, shipping | Nothing beyond patient records and approval |
When Planning-Only Makes Sense
Outsourcing treatment planning on its own tends to make sense when you already have a manufacturing relationship you're happy with and just need clinical planning capacity — whether that's because you don't have an in-house orthodontist to build plans, or because case volume has outpaced your current planning team. It also works well for testing a new planning partner's quality before considering a broader relationship.
Route Overflow or All Your Planning to Us
Use AlignerHub for treatment planning only, manufacturing only, or both — whatever fits your current setup. First treatment plan is free.
Talk to Our TeamCommon Questions
Can I outsource treatment planning without also outsourcing manufacturing?
Yes. Treatment planning and manufacturing are separate services. If you already have a manufacturing relationship or in-house production capability, you can outsource planning on its own and keep production where it already is.
How long does an outsourced clear aligner treatment plan take?
With AlignerHub, treatment plans are typically delivered within 3–5 days of receiving full patient records, regardless of whether cases are submitted individually or in batches.
What records do I need to submit for outsourced treatment planning?
Prescription details, 3D scans (.STL files), photographs, and X-rays, submitted through the planning partner's portal.
Is outsourced treatment planning free?
With AlignerHub, the first digital treatment plan is free. After that, treatment planning is a $70 fee per case.