The average dental practice spends more than $50,000 or better than 6 percent of its income on supplies every year.
While these supplies are essential, excess spending on them can seriously hamper your practices’ success. Income unnecessarily wasted on supplies is money not going to grow the practice, secure the best staff, or upgrade vital technology.
Fortunately, dentists can purchase from top dental supply companies without breaking the bank. Keep reading to learn about the best dental supply brands and how to buy them for less.
Top Dental Supply Companies
There are a handful of top dental brands that dentists know and swear by. These reliable, trustworthy companies include the following.
Mydent International
Mydent has been an industry leader since 1985. It produces over half of the consumables used in dental surgery and related work. It offers:
Infection control products
Disposables
Preventatives
Impression materials
Equipment
Metrex
Also established in 1985, Metrex specializes in moderately priced, high-quality dental equipment. It consistently ranks high on the list of dental supply companies trusted and respected by dental professionals.
Metrex specializes in:
Enzymatic detergents
Disinfectants and sterilants
Hand hygiene products
Infection control products
Carestream
Carestream tops the list of dental equipment suppliers focused on dental technology. The company is a known innovator in areas such as:
Intraoral and extraoral imaging equipment
CAD/CAM options
Imaging analysis software
Practice management systems
Kerr
Kerr has been a mainstay in the dental industry since 1891. Known for superb customer service, the company offers resources related to:
Dental diagnoses
Creative treatment options
Restoratives
Digital imaging solutions
Instruments and equipment
Infection control
DMG America
DMG is famous for its emphasis on efficiency in dental operations. It primarily provides impression materials and preventatives. They make:
Preventatives
Impression materials
Digital technology
3M Oral Care
3M Oral Care is a division of Fortune 500 company 3M. It holds a secure place among dental supply manufacturers and is a reliable problem solver for the industry.
Sultan Healthcare
Sultan specializes in top-quality impression and restorative materials and supplies. They produce:
Restoratives
Operative supplies
Preventatives
Infection control products
Septodont
Septodont joined the ranks of top dental supply companies in 1932 and never left. It is a world-wide distributor of dental products the world over. It specializes in:
Restoratives
Pain management
Endodontics
Other Popular Dental Brands
While the companies above may be industry leaders, there are a few other brands worth knowing, as well. These include:
Patterson Dental Supplies
Patterson is known for its broad range of products, great customer service, focus on advancing dental technology.
Midwest Dental Supply
Midwest specializes in X-ray and other digital technologies. They also offer design and IT support.
Darby Dental Supplies
Darby is famous for its massive product line and top-notch customer service.
Pearson Dental Supplies
Pearson caters primarily to specialist dental practitioners, such as:
Orthodontists
Endodontists
Prostodontists
Periodontists
Oral surgeons
Henry Schein
Schein boasts more than 1 million customers worldwide and is famous for its:
Software and technology options
Business design support
Supply chain management solutions
Benco Dental Supplies
Benco has been a key player in the dental market since 1930. It offers a full range of products and services.
Choosing Dental Suppliers For Your Practice
Choosing where to buy dental supplies for your practice can be challenging. Certainly, any of the big names in the industry are likely to provide decent service and products. But there’s a great deal more to consider.
First, there is the question of scope. As noted above, many suppliers specialize in just a few types of products. The average practice, however, may need supplies across diverse categories including:
Impression materials
Cements and liners
Infection Control
Anesthetics
Preventatives
Acrylics, Reline and Trays
Burrs and Diamonds
X-ray products
Equipment
Disposables
Working with numerous suppliers can make dentists’ lives more difficult. It can:
Increase the time and effort spent on inventory
Increase the time and effort spent on ordering and billing
Create confusion and inconvenience relating to deliveries
Increase the likelihood of running out of or overstocking key items
Using a single, centralized supplier that stocks all the major brands can help. Practices often find they save time, money, energy, and frustration.
Many such suppliers also offer an auto-ordering option. Setting up recurring automatic orders for items used at a consistent rate can further reduce the hassles and time involved in keeping your practice well-stocked.
Securing Cost Savings
In addition to using a single supplier, practices can often secure cost savings by identifying compatible brands. Many suppliers produce cross-compatible products. House brands may be more affordable than name brand products while offering comparable quality.
For example, Midwest Dental Supply offers an RA #6 round carbide bur. Other suppliers offer the same carbide bur under a different brand name for significantly less.
Similarly, most cuspidors bowls are designed to use a single, universally-sized evacuation trap. Buying dental brand name replacements can be pricey. Purchasing a nearly identical product from an alternate supplier can save a surprising amount of money with no sacrifice in quality.
Dental Branding And Your Practice
America’s top dental supply companies have earned their names and reputations. But buying from them directly is often not in the best interests of a practice.
Alternative, centralized suppliers can simplify your ordering needs and save you money. Whether you buy brand-name items through these suppliers or swap in equivalent, less-expensive products, you owe it to your practice to explore your options for efficient, cost-effective supply acquisition today.
Contact the experts in dental supplies and equipment and discover what they can do for you, now.
