If you’re a dentist, oral health clinic, orthodontist, dental hygienist, or similar, you will understand the importance of outfitting your premises with the very best quality dental supplies.
Purchasing your instruments, equipment, consumables, and other supplies online is incredibly convenient and, if you shop savvy, can save you considerable money in the long run as well. There are, however, some things you must be aware of.
As with any other type of product or service, buying dental supplies online can be a bit of a minefield. You need to be able to trust your supplier and know that you are getting exactly what you are paying for. If a deal sounds “too good to be true”, it probably is.
Buying Dental Supplies Online – Tips
∙ Choose a Reputable Supplier
This is crucial. The right supplier for you will carry an array of products from the manufacturers and brands you know and trust. From Ansell gloves to 3M Scotchbond, Baxter to Caredent, Cybertech to Microdont, Bausch to Monoject, and everything in between, experienced dentists and associated professionals know which products they prefer and why.
In most cases, a good signifier of a reputable dental distributor is a comprehensive catalogue and a well-managed, up-to-date website. Product listings should be organised, have descriptive text and image/s, and be easy to navigate. Contact details (including a phone number and physical address) should be clearly displayed and all payments must be conducted via a secure gateway (on a URL with a https:// prefix).
∙ Purchase the Best Quality You Can Afford
Yes, dental supplies can be expensive. Don’t you, and especially your patients, deserve the best? This doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the most expensive
option, but it does mean committing to buying quality.
Not all products are equal. While you may be able to get away with using cheaper paper bibs, for example, other supplies and materials must be of the highest quality you can afford. This means buying from well-known brands with a solid track record and significant research and development underpinning them.
Be very wary of non-genuine or substandard dental equipment/products. The best dental product suppliers and distributors will never carry these. It’s also illegal for products to carry inauthentic branding.
∙ Don’t Bulk Buy on your First Order
Bulk purchasing can save you an enormous amount of money over time. Don’t, however, make your first order with a new dental supplier a bulk order. Placing a small, “tester” order is a good idea to ensure the overall experience is what it should be in terms of ordering processes, delivery, payment system, customer care, and product quality. A positive experience in all these aspects will offer the encouragement and peace of mind you deserve to build an ongoing relationship with the supplier.
∙ Ensure Direct Customer Support
You may be buying online, but that should not mean sacrificing human-to-human customer service and support. If you wish to speak to a person in real-time, whether over the phone or via email, live messaging, or other, you should be able to. Reputable suppliers worth your patronage will offer outstanding customer care. Steer clear of any online company that does not offer this (including clear contact details).
Shopping online for your dental supplies with the right distributor is convenient and cost-efficient, and it can be a one-stop-shop for all of your clinic needs. Do some research and make a wise decision – and where possible, shop local!
