3 Ways to Streamline your Online Dental Supply Purchasing

March 20, 2022

When you go online to buy supplies for your dental practice, there is no shortage of options. The challenge is sorting through all of the possible options to find the vendors and products you want at a reasonable price point. Once you start doing price, quality, and convenience comparisons across multiple sites, you realize just how time-consuming this process can be. 

Here are three tips that will help you streamline your online dental purchasing, saving time, money, and hassle.  

1.    Choose the Right E-commerce Marketplace

Aim to simplify the entire shopping experience, making it your goal to buy as many supplies from one source as possible. Note which vendor-specific products are indispensable in your practice, and which are more flexible to change. Search for your favorite products on several e-commerce sites. Is it easy to navigate the website? Can you find most of the products you need? How do the prices for products and shipping compare side by side? What is the return policy? 

Supply Clinic was started by a periodontist who wanted to make buying supplies easier and more affordable for other dental practices. Supply Clinic is a free online marketplace for dental supplies that lets dozens of vendors compete for your business on one website, saving on average, 33%. Instead of buying from many different sites, you can browse thousands of products and purchase from multiple vendors in a single credit card transaction. Each vendor ships its items directly to you, and once you receive an item, you have 14 days to return it.

2.    Avoid “Gray Market” Dental Supplies 

Dental equipment and supplies undergo extensive testing before being sold on the market. Reputable suppliers will display certifications that ensure the quality of their products on their product pages. Protective eyewear, for instance, should meet certain quality standards, such as CSA Z94.3.  

Be aware that there are retailers that sell gray or counterfeit dental equipment at below-market prices. These sellers don’t buy products directly from manufacturers or authorized dealers, and their products have questionable quality and safety. Only buy supplies from retailers that show they work with legitimate manufacturers and distributors

We don’t allow gray market products to be sold on Supply Clinic. Our number one concern is patient safety, so we verify the authorized sales channels for all of our vendors. 

3.    Reach Out to Customer Support

If you have questions about a product or an issue with an order, you want to be able to talk to a real person as soon as possible. Look for an e-commerce site that offers excellent customer service. Before you place your first order with a company, contact the customer support team with a question and see how responsive and helpful they are. 

We take customer service seriously at Supply Clinic. You can contact our team, we're here to help you save.