Tips to judge a company by its worth to you, not to their investors
Many people today are comfortable with shopping online. However, dentists who depend on their equipment for their practice, dentists still rely on buying from large distributors for purchases due to the struggle of comparing prices, finding more affordable solutions, and the fear that what they purchase online won’t be the quality they need. Catalogs help solve these issues, especially when combined with supplier websites with notable names and access to some of the top brands dentists rely on for their practice.
Dentists that are engrossed in the latest technologies will keep up with their favorite dental suppliers, and one of the best ways to find the best prices is through their catalogs. Catalogs provide the most popular brands and give insight into the best products to use in any practice situation. Critics that write for these catalogs can give deep insights into the latest products, making catalogs an invaluable resource to use. Many dental suppliers will also give out significant discounts to those subscribed to their catalog, which can help save time and money when looking for the right products for your practice.
| Name | Company Type | BBB Rating | Fortune Rank | Forbes Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Schein Catalog | Public | A+ | #242 (Fortune 500) | #365 America’s Largest Public Companies 2018, #432 America’s Best Employers 2019, #1248 Global 2000 2019. |
| Patterson Dental | Public | A+ | #510 (Fortune 500) | #357 America’s Best Employers 2017 |
| ADA Catalog | Public | C- | N/A | N/A |
| SmartPractice Catalog | Public | A+ | N/A | N/A |
| Darby Dental Supply | Public | NR | N/A | N/A |
Table 2: Comparison of Important Features
| Name | Product Catalog | Delivery Service | Partnerships | Product Varieties | Marketing Design |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Schein Catalog | 46,000+ | International reach and 2,600 sales consultants | Leading dental care providers and manufacturers | 46,000+ | Detailed index and array of Henry Schein services |
| Patterson Dental | 46,000+ | 96% accuracy rate with one-day ground delivery service through UPS | N/A | 46,000+ | Colored table of contents that outlines its brand categories, available stock, and pricing |
| ADA Catalog | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Reviews of brand products, dental drugs, employee policies, updates on oral diseases, and OHSA training guides |
| SmartPractice Catalog | Expanded catalogs | N/A | Healthcare providers and consumers | Dental gloves and office supplies | Wide range of medical supplies, promotional posters |
| Darby Dental Supply | Over 40,000 | Several warehouses and distribution centers across the US | N/A | Over 40,000 | Intricate marketing designs, high-quality images, special promotions for their line of Darby products |
But how do you know if you’re getting the right price? Judging which catalog to subscribe to can be difficult, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the supplier name. To judge a catalog, you have to judge the supplier, and some pointers you can take before you purchase from a website are these factors:
Background Checks – Conducting a background check on a supplier can help give you a better perspective on their practices. Search for their names through rating companies such as BBB, Fortune, and Forbes for their ratings, among other dental suppliers. Look at Glassdoor and Indeed ratings to view how former employees worked for the company. Also – doing a basic search through their website can give you valuable information on their priorities as a business.
Value for Money – If their website gives you the option to compare prices, then their marketing and web design teams have you in mind. If you know the brand you want, then their compare options will give you the best insight into the value of the products you’re getting. If their catalogs give discounts, you can begin to consider the costs you pay for the products you normally use and re-plan your finances accordingly.
Customer Support – Dental suppliers that give dental services need to prioritize their business around customer satisfaction. If they supply servicing and repair options, their support is almost guaranteed.
Trusted Brands – Most importantly, if they don’t have the brands you need, then it’s safe to say that they most likely will be unreliable in terms of service. Brands such as 3M, Kerr, and Ivoclar Vivadent have earned a high reputation for their quality, and companies that provide these brands have a deep insight into the quality of those products.
1. Henry Schein Catalog
Company Type: Public Company
BBB Rating: A+, Not BBB Accredited
Fortune Rank: #242 for Fortune 500
Forbes Rating: #365 America’s Largest Public Companies 2018, #432 America’s Best Employers 2019, #1248 Global 2000 2019.
Henry Schein, one of the most trusted dental suppliers by Dental Townies and associates alike, has a huge reputation for partnering with leading dental care providers and manufacturers for quality dental supplies. The company employs over 2,600 sales consultants to help dentists with their practices every day. As a North American company, they’ve gained an international reach of over 190 countries and have a hold of over 46,000 products. Their catalog features an in-depth index of all dental products and a vast array of Henry Schein services offered just to dentists.
2. Patterson Dental
Company Type: Public Company
BBB Rating: A+, Not BBB Accredited
Fortune Rank: #510 for Fortune 500
Forbes Rating: #357 America’s Best Employers 2017
Patterson Dental features an extensive product portfolio that showcases over 46,000 products, harnessing the power of their business to deliver a 96% accuracy rate with their one-day ground delivery service through UPS. Patterson Dental runs fulfillment centers throughout the United States, serving both the dental and animal health sectors. Patterson’s catalog promotes a colored table of contents that outlines its brand categories, available stock, and pricing.
3. ADA Catalog
Company Type: Public Company
BBB Rating: C-, Not BBB Accredited
Fortune Rank: N/A
Forbes Rating: N/A
The ADA has standardized dental protocols that establish safety practices for all dentists. The ADA has benefited over 160,000 dentists with their membership benefits and publications that focus on improving the welfare of patients by providing oral care benefits. Their catalogs feature basic guidelines for dentists to follow and reviews of brand products, dental drugs, employee policies, updates on oral diseases, and OHSA training guides.
4. SmartPractice Catalog
Company Type: Public Company
BBB Rating: A+, Not BBB Accredited
Fortune Rank: N/A
Forbes Rating: N/A
SmartPractice offers a wider range of medical supplies that focuses on various industries. SmartPractice promotes healthier practices by working with healthcare providers and consumers. Their strategic commitment to improving health has led the company to have key partnerships with their brands. For dentists, their brand selections for dental gloves and office supplies give their business a more industrial edge that caters to the marketing of business operations rather than the technology of their business. For dentists in need of basic office supplies and promotional posters, SmartPractice caters to those needs with its expanded catalogs.
5. Darby Dental Supply “Dentalog”
Company Type: Public Company
BBB Rating: NR, Not BBB Accredited
Fortune Rank: N/A
Forbes Rating: N/A
Darby Dental, which acquired SmartPractice, focuses on dental supplies and technology with an added twist to their mission; they focus on lower prices that help to minimize administrative expenses and improve inventory management for their business. Darby Dental contains over 40,000 product varieties throughout several warehouses and distribution centers across the United States. This makes the dental supply market competition among companies such as Henry Schein and Patterson Dental. Darby Dental’s catalog, known as their “dental,” features intricate marketing designs that are visually pleasing to the eye, high-quality images, and special promotions for their line of Darby products at affordable prices.
