Why Price Comparison Matters More Than You Think
For a practice spending £15,000 per year on dental supplies, a consistent 15% saving adds up to £2,250 annually. Over five years, that's £11,250 — enough to fund a significant equipment purchase or several months of marketing.
The practices achieving these savings aren't doing anything exotic. They're simply comparing prices across their existing suppliers at the point of ordering, rather than defaulting to whoever they ordered from last time.
This guide explains exactly how to do it.
Step 1: Know Your Suppliers
Before you can compare, you need active accounts with multiple suppliers. Most UK practices already have this — typically two to four supplier accounts built up over the years. If you only use one supplier, the first step is to open a free account with at least one alternative.
The main UK dental suppliers are:
- Henry Schein — largest range, strong account management
- Kent Express — UK-focused, competitive on many categories
- Dental Sky — frequently the lowest price on consumables and PPE
- DHB Dental — competitive on own-brand products
- Wrights Dental — established with a broad general catalogue
Step 2: Build a Standard Product List
Comparing prices is only useful if you're comparing like-for-like. Create a list of the exact products your practice orders regularly — by SKU or product name, not just category. "Nitrile gloves medium" isn't specific enough. "Dental Sky Smart Blue Nitrile Gloves Medium, Box of 100" is.
A standard product list also makes it easier to track price changes over time and to spot when a supplier has increased their price without announcement.
Step 3: The Manual Method (And Why It Doesn't Scale)
The traditional way to compare dental supplier prices is:
1. Log in to Henry Schein's website
2. Search for the product
3. Note the price
4. Log out
5. Log in to Kent Express
6. Search for the same product
7. Note the price
8. Repeat for every other supplier
9. Compare your notes
10. Place the order with the cheapest supplier
11. Repeat the process for every other product you need
For a typical order of 15–20 products across three suppliers, this takes 60–90 minutes. Most practice managers don't have that time, which is why most practices don't compare systematically.
Step 4: The Faster Method
Dentago was built specifically to eliminate steps 1–9 above. By connecting to your existing supplier accounts, it shows you real-time prices from all your suppliers in a single search.
Here's how it works:
1. Search for any product on Dentago
2. See every connected supplier's current price side by side instantly
3. Add to cart from whichever supplier is cheapest
4. Repeat for every product you need
5. Check out once — all orders are placed simultaneously
The process that took 90 minutes takes under 15.
What to Look For When Comparing
Don't just compare headline price. Factor in:
- Pack size. £12 for 50 units vs £20 for 100 units — the second is cheaper per unit.
- Delivery cost. Some suppliers charge for delivery below a threshold. Factor this in.
- Delivery time. If you need something tomorrow, the cheapest supplier that delivers in 3 days isn't the best choice today.
- Stock availability. A price is only useful if the product is actually in stock.
Dentago shows pack size, stock status, and delivery information alongside price, so you're comparing the full picture rather than just the headline number.
Step 5: Track Price Changes Over Time
Supplier prices change. A product that was cheapest on Kent Express in January may now be cheaper on Dental Sky. The practice that checks once and never looks again will eventually be paying more than they need to.
Set a reminder to do a price audit on your top 20 most ordered products once per quarter. Check whether the supplier you're ordering from is still the cheapest for each one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ordering everything from one supplier for convenience. Consolidation is not the same as efficiency. The convenience of one order from one supplier typically costs 10–20% more than ordering each product from the cheapest source.
Ignoring promotions. All major UK dental suppliers run promotions that can significantly undercut their standard account pricing. If you're not paying attention to these, you're missing savings opportunities.
Not passing negotiated prices. If you negotiate a better price with a supplier on a specific product, make sure that price is actually being applied to your invoices. It's not uncommon for negotiated prices to not transfer correctly to account systems.
Comparing by brand rather than product. Two products with different brand names may be clinically identical. Clinical equivalents that are slightly cheaper are worth knowing about — your principal dentist can advise on which substitutions are appropriate for your practice.
Getting Started Today
The fastest way to start comparing UK dental supplier prices is to set up a free Dentago account. Connect your existing Henry Schein, Kent Express, and Dental Sky accounts, and you'll have real-time price comparison across all of them in a single search from today.
There's no cost, no contract, and no change to your existing supplier relationships.
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