Choosing the Right Dental Products for Your Practice

Dental practice managers have a unique job to do because they’re the ones who are ultimately responsible for bridging the gaps between dentists and patients. The former want to make sure they have everything they need to focus on the task at hand, while the latter want to know that they are always in the best possible hands. 

The key is to make sure that you secure a consistent, reliable supply from a nationwide supplier of quality dental products. Only then will you be able to deliver for everyone involved. Let’s take a closer look at how you can do it in practice. 

Examine the quality 

If you always opt for the very cheapest instrument or piece of cleaning technology, the chances are that you may be unwittingly cutting corners when it comes to quality. The issue here is that, while your initial outlay will be lower, you’ll soon burn through it and then some due to downtime, repairs, and the cost of replacement items. 

Focus on ergonomics and comfort 

No dentist or hygienist wants to be working with instruments that don’t give them the required range of motion. The same is true of the adjustable stools and chairs that they need in order to do their jobs. The key point here is that they will have the experience to know what will do the job throughout a busy day of appointments, whereas you may only see a snapshot and think that everything is fine. 

Ask for feedback from the dentist  

This point follows naturally from the last and is all about sharing knowledge, rather than siloing it. If you want to make sure that you get the best possible result, you want to hear from the dentists and the assistants themselves. They will be able to tell you the pros and cons of instruments and adjustable items, allowing you to make far better use of the practice budget as a result. Ideal when you want to make sure everyone is always pulling in the same direction. 

Build your budget around value 

Just because something is cheap and low-cost doesn’t mean it offers value, and the same is true of something high-tech and innovative. Value is all about making sure the things you purchase for your practice actually benefit your practice, and that’s what is going to help you build real momentum. It’s easy to think that you need a fancy piece of tech that ultimately proves to be a gimmick, so slow things down and be a little more pragmatic so that you can see the bigger picture. 

Always check safety compliance  

With so many different e-commerce supply channels right now, it is hard to know where to turn when you want simple consumables and PPE. The solution is to purchase everything your practice needs from a specialist supplier of dental products, and preferably one with decades of combined experience and nationwide reach. That way, you will be able to place orders safely in the knowledge that you will get a consistent supply without interruptions or compromises. 

Look to leverage new technology  

Imaging technology and preventative treatments can both make a real difference to the level of positive patient outcomes, provided you are suitably equipped. Remembering that investing in something new will bring with it additional costs, such as staff training and a new set of consumables and supplies, is important here. The last thing you want to do is unwittingly leave yourself underresourced and unable to meet the needs of certain patients due to a shortage or an avoidable oversight. 

Think about the patient experience 

Last but by no means least, taking some time to step back and think of everything from the point of view of your patients is absolutely essential. You can check whether what you’re doing is going to help them, whether it will put them at ease, and if it will make it less tempting for them to try out another local practice. By putting patients first, you can make sure that your practice is always ready to offer the expert helping hand that every busy professional or family wants from their local dentist. 

Now that you know how to approach things, it’s over to you to start making the choices and placing the orders that will take your practice to the next level. Just what you want to hear when it’s time to set the tone for a business that will quickly become a real staple of the local community.