Dentists nationwide are looking for ways to reduce overhead and gain control of costs in a competitive market. But, how can a busy practice find time to price compare on the supplies and small equipment? Through membership in his dental association, here's how one dentist used a free price comparison service to do the work for him -- and find big savings in a few quick steps.
PROVO, UT – December 2, 2019 – Curve Dental, a leading provider of cloud-based dental solutions, today announced a partnership with The Dentists Supply Company (TDSC), an online dental supply company dedicated to providing members of organized dentistry with savings on dental supplies and small equipment. The partnership provides discounted pricing for TDSC shoppers and Curve customers which could save up to 24% as compared to MSRP.
Will your practice be in compliance in 2020? Multiple state and federal agencies are charged with regulating dental practices, and it can seem challenging to stay ahead of regulatory compliance processes. As you shop and prepare for the year ahead, it’s critical to be informed of environmental regulations that impact your practice.
Does your team have the tools that are needed to practice safely?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sets and enforces standards that address injury and illness prevention, hazard communication, permissible exposure levels and much more. But, it’s each dental practice owner’s responsibility to apply these standards through consistent protocols, clear communication and trusted supplies.
Sacramento, Calif. — An administrative law judge has partially ruled in favor of the Federal Trade Commission’s complaint that dental products distributors conspired not to provide discounts to buying groups. According to the FTC, the judge’s initial decision has held that two of three respondents named in the complaint violated U.S. antitrust laws by conspiring to refuse to provide discounts to, or otherwise serve, buying groups representing dental practitioners.
When managing your day-to-day overhead, it can seem challenging to allocate spending to upgrade, enhance or expand your dental equipment. However, being strategic about when to purchase higher-dollar items can help you realize the most value. By filling your supply and equipment needs before the end of this year, you can categorize to your advantage before next year’s tax time and get your practice running at peak efficiency.
The Dentists Supply Company continues to deliver big benefits to members of organized dentistry. With 20% average savings compared to MSRP*, shopper savings on dental supplies have already added up to more than $5 million.* In addition to controlling their overhead costs, practices of every size are streamlining and saving time by shopping TDSC.com.
Want to save on supplies and small equipment, but don’t have the time to comparison shop? The Dentists Supply Company will do the work for you. Through TDSC’s free service, association members can submit invoices from their current suppliers and let experts find the savings potential on their behalf.
If you’re attending the ADA’s annual meeting in September, be sure to come see The Dentists Supply Company. Visit booth 1945 of the exhibit hall to connect with TDSC experts, learn how to save big on supplies and play to win prizes.
In June, The Dentists Supply Company’s online shopping site, tdsc.com, celebrated the second anniversary of its launch to CDA’s full membership.
Now, there’s a new milestone to celebrate: In July, tdsc.com reached $5 million in combined shopper savings driven by the recent expansion to association members in 47 states. The expansion has accelerated real savings for all members, as more shoppers has meant more collective buying power through negotiated pricing. While savings vary by product, practices of every size are consistently seeing an average savings of 20% compared to manufacturers’ suggested retail prices on a broad selection of dental supplies and small equipment.
The Dentists Supply Company is now available in 47 states, offering consistent and competitive supply pricing to more than 100,000 members of organized dentistry. More shoppers means more savings for practices of every size. And association members are enthusiastically sharing how consistent supply pricing, 24/7 online shopping convenience and authorized product sourcing have made tdsc.com one of their favorite ways to shop.
With The Dentists Supply Company’s expansion this year, members of organized dentistry nationwide are enjoying the benefits of collective buying power. Through tdsc.com, shoppers continue to see 20% average savings compared to MSRP* on dental supplies and small equipment. However, the online savings are often even greater when compared to the prices shoppers have been paying other suppliers.
The California Dental Association made a bold move when it launched The Dentists Supply Company in 2017. CDA established TDSC as a subsidiary solely focused on helping association members reduce overhead, gain control and stay competitive in a dynamic marketplace.
Members of organized dentistry in 47 states can save significantly on dental supply purchases through The Dentists Supply Company starting June 1. The national presence for TDSC follows three phased rollouts that started in late 2018 and marks the latest move to extend tdsc.com savings to all 50 states by the end of the year.
The Dentists Supply Company has now launched in 47 states, offering consistent and competitive supply pricing to tens of thousands of members of organized dentistry. More shoppers means more savings for practices of every size. And member dentists are enthusiastically sharing how low costs, online convenience and confidence in product quality are making tdsc.com their favorite way to shop.
The Dentists Supply Company is now delivering supply savings to association members in 24 states. This rapid growth means even stronger collective buying power, but it’s also called attention to the nationwide need for consistent, competitive pricing.
If you’re attending CDA Presents in Anaheim May 16-18, make the Member Benefits Center, booth 1102 in the exhibit hall, your first stop. Connect with experts, learn how to save big on supplies and play to win prizes from The Dentists Supply Company, TDSC.
Can your practice do good while also doing well? Yes it can! Choose dental supplies and small equipment that are designed to be kind to our planet, your patients and your dental team. And let The Dentists Supply Company help you save big on green products from trusted brands.
On April 1, tripartite members in three additional states gained access to significant dental supply savings through tdsc.com, the shopping site of CDA’s newest subsidiary The Dentists Supply Company. Access and savings will reach another 10 states in May, meaning that over two months tdsc.com will effectively double its footprint with savings reaching approximately 40,000 new association members.
When members of organized dentistry purchase supplies through The Dentists Supply Company, they can rest assured that the products are authentic and supplied by a trusted, authorized source. In other words, there are no gray-market goods that could risk patient safety.
The Dentists Supply Company continues to grow and offer members unparalleled savings to members of organized dentistry. In fact, shopper savings on dental supplies through tdsc.com have already surpassed $3 million dollars. And the site’s top 10 shoppers have collectively saved $150,000 so far.* While this membership benefit is helping dentists to see a big difference in supply dollars, it’s not the only reason they’re choosing tdsc.com.
Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Without intervention, this infectious disease can cause lasting impacts on total health and quality of life, even into adulthood.
While “brush and clean in between to build a healthy smile” is good advice for any age and at any time, February is both National Children’s Dental Health Month and Gum Disease Awareness Month. By encouraging little patients and their parents to take an active role in preventive care and by creating comfortable dental visits, your team can help establish good lifelong oral health habits.
The Dentists Supply Company’s announcement of its Western-states expansion in November generated publicity in several national dental publications and a regional business journal. The articles highlighted the expanded supply offerings to nine additional states, allowing association members of organized dentistry to benefit from 20 percent average savings on a broad online catalog of supplies. California dentists have already saved more than $2.6 million on their supply purchases through tdsc.com.
With The Dentists Supply Company’s recent expansion, members of organized dentistry in 10 states are now enjoying collective buying power on dental supplies through tdsc.com. Shoppers continue to see 20 percent average savings compared to MSRP*; however, the online savings are often even greater when compared to the prices they’ve been paying other suppliers.
The Dentists Supply Company continues to expand its online catalog of supplies and small equipment to meet the needs of its growing shopper base. The selection spans everything from adhesives to X-ray materials, plus a few new items designed to bring smiles to the entire practice team. Newly-added to tdsc.com is a TDSC Merchandise category, which includes fun items to wear and give.
CDA members racked up $2 million in total savings on dental supplies in 2018 through tdsc.com, the shopping site for CDA’s newest subsidiary, The Dentists Supply Company.
The $2 million savings milestone reached in September demonstrates the tremendous member interest in TDSC and doubled the $1 million savings milestone that members reached in May.
On the heels of that savings milestone came two major announcements.
What could your practice do with an extra $10,000 each year? For many dental practices, supplies now commonly equate to 6‑7 percent of collections. An office with $800,000 in income that spends 6.5 percent on supplies ($52,000) could save $10,400 per year by cutting 20 percent of its supply costs.
The California Dental Association recently expanded its e-commerce site, The Dentists Supply Co., to nine states.
TDSC allows CDA members to purchase dental supplies directly from distributors and leverage the purchasing power of the dental association. The results, it says on its website, are an estimated 20 percent savings on supplies. Read more at bizjournals >
The Dentists Supply Company has announced plans to roll out access to its shopping site, tdsc.com, to tripartite members in nine Western states. The roll out is the first phase of TDSC’s nationwide expansion, which will allow members of organized dentistry to benefit from 20 percent average savings on a broad online catalog of supplies from authorized vendors, plus free shipping.
Through The Dentists Supply Company, a CDA subsidiary, shoppers continue to see an average savings of more than 20 percent compared to manufacturers’ suggested retail prices. While that level of supply savings has attracted many CDA members to tdsc.com, it’s how the difference is stacking up over time that’s really impressive.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is the price at which the product’s producer recommends it be sold to consumers. Depending on wholesale cost, competition and other factors, suppliers often sell products for less than MSRP; however, dental practices too often pay in excess of this suggested price.
In most areas of practice, dentists want their offices to exceed expectations. The friendliest staff. The best treatment outcomes. The happiest patients. However, your practice should endeavor to conform to the norm in at least one area: overhead expense ratios. Managing variable expenses, like dental supplies, means that your practice can keep more of what it earns.
Have you taken the time to scrutinize your practice’s dental supply purchasing processes? While it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of appointments and office activity, it’s important to make time to evaluate your ordering choices and opportunities. For many general dentists, supplies now equate to 6 to 6.5 percent of collections or more. So, a practice with $800,000 in billings that is purchasing at the average rate could save more than $10,000 per year just by reducing supply costs by 20 percent.
Have you heard the story about the woodcutter who was so busy chopping down trees that he didn’t take time to sharpen his ax? Perhaps you’ve even become a woodcutter in your own practice. It can be challenging to exit the whirlwind of activity to take the steps that make your practice more effective and efficient.
Practices of every size can struggle with bringing variable expenses under control. With the optimal cost of dental drugs and supplies averaging 6 to 8 percent of collections, focused purchasing can have a significant impact on practice efficiency and net operating income.
CDA’s newest subsidiary, The Dentists Supply Company, is coming to CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry in San Francisco. At the Member Benefits Center inside the convention’s exhibit hall, attendees will be able to experience tdsc.com, a site designed to deliver members 20 percent average savings1 and free shipping on dental supplies. The TDSC team will also be on-site with exciting promotions and giveaways exclusive to the San Francisco convention.
In your life outside the practice, you’re constantly confronted with the choice between name brands and alternate brands — from orange juice to cough syrup to tissues to appliances. While you could pay less for one carton of 100 percent juice than you’d pay for another, the idea that you should get “the best” for your sick spouse at home likely sways your choice.
Any workplace expectation is not likely to be adopted to your standards if it’s simply assumed to be known or is casually communicated. When it comes to inventory management, in addition to assigning accountable individuals to specific roles, be sure that documented expectations are included in your onboarding and training processes.
Your team works best when each member’s individual skills have a chance to shine in service to the practice. And while clinical skills may be easy to see, different “soft skills” are also needed for successful practice operations.
Searching for better prices can seem like a daunting process, even with the convenience of 24/7 shopping sites in place of brick-and-mortar stores or paper catalogs. While practices are constantly seeking ways to reduce overhead, it can be hard for staff to find time to research the best value for dental supplies and small equipment.
So, how can you efficiently evaluate your ordering and find ways to save? Ask an expert to do it for you.
TDSC, an e-commerce site that offers discounts on dental supplies for association members in California, is helping to shake up the $10 billion dental equipment market by offering dentists a higher level of control over their supplies. The site, which hit a $1 million milestone in shopper savings in May, is garnering media attention from national dental publications and regional business journals.
Through tdsc.com, a website designed to deliver group purchasing discounts on dental supplies to CDA members, shoppers are seeing 20 percent average savings compared to manufacturers’ suggested retail prices.
For many practices, supplies now commonly equate to 6–7 percent of collections. An office with $800,000 in income that spends 6.5 percent on supplies ($52,000) could save $10,400 per year by cutting supply costs 20 percent.
The shared strength of organized dentistry supports members in almost every aspect of their professional lives: a louder voice in government, exceptional insurance coverage due to a broad premium base and exciting conventions with hundreds of educational opportunities to serve thousands of attendees. Now, the newest benefit of membership is delivering direct benefits. TDSC, an online source for dental supplies, shares savings that leverage collective buying power.
When CDA’s subsidiary The Dentists Service Company launched the TDSC Marketplace last year, it was with a bold mission: to deliver practice-changing savings on dental supplies to CDA members. Now the group purchasing benefits realized through tdsc.com are supporting members in reducing overhead and streamlining purchasing operations.
When balancing your practice’s dental supply budget, it can seem like there’s never a good time to allocate dollars to upgrade, enhance or add to your equipment. Relatively small equipment can come with a significant price tag. So how do you discern when to purchase higher-dollar items and how to get the most value?
Also known as “the law of the vital few,” the Pareto principle, named after an Italian economist, is often expressed as 80 percent of effects coming from 20 percent of causes. You’ve likely observed this phenomenon in your own practice — whether it’s a large percentage of revenue coming from a relatively small number of procedures or a high percentage of new patients coming in from one of your many marketing efforts. However, one of the areas in which the Pareto principle is most evident is in your dental supply budget.
One year after clicking the “place order” button to purchase dental supplies online through The Dentists Service Company’s Marketplace, James Stephens, DDS, added up his 12-month savings — $13,000 total. Stephens, who owns a Palo Alto practice with his wife and business partner Susan Park, DDS, was among the first dentists to test the new TDSC Marketplace in February 2017, and he knew at the time that CDA was about to change the way dentists buy supplies.
While you may not suffer from metathesiophobia, the persistent and unwarranted fear of change, you might still get palpitations when leaving your “comfort zone.” Change can sometimes create feelings of anxiety and insecurity in even the most seasoned dentists and harmonious practice teams. In the evolving dental marketplace, change is inevitable, and having the ability to adapt to that change means your practice also has the ability to compete. Because your team probably gravitates toward its comfort zones too, changes large and small require a strategic approach.
