So you have a dental practice or manage one and are looking for ways to save on supplies? Becoming a member of a GPO is one of the best options out there.
When choosing a dental group purchasing organization (GPO), here are some factors to consider:
Price
Look for a GPO that offers competitive pricing on the products and services you need for your dental practice. Traditional GPOs are known to allow minimal visibility into their pricing model, leaving you (the client) without bargaining power and increased expenses.
Don’t worry though, there are other GPOs out there that don’t hide their pricing structures and fees. If transparency is important to you, go with the latter of the two.
Either way, a GPO is likely to save you more money than buying your dental supplies on a marketplace.
SourceClub is a GPO that offers clients a subscription-based pricing model with no hidden costs or continual up-charges.
Product Selection
Ensure that the GPO offers a wide range of dental products that meet your practice’s needs. You should be able to find everything from basic dental supplies to specialized equipment.
Most dental GPOs have exclusive access to products and established relationships with vendors. This allows members to purchase products and services from a single source rather than dealing with multiple vendors.
Quality
Find a dental GPO that works with reputable manufacturers and suppliers to ensure that the products they offer are of high quality and meet your expectations.
Research the vendors being used by the GPO and if the products they offer are what you’re looking for.
A GPO might have the option to integrate your purchases with management software. This will let you place orders directly from their software platform, saving you time and reducing errors.
SourceClub offers its members a procurement software built for dental organization to help keep them organized and make purchasing easy.
Flexibility
Choose a GPO that allows you to customize your orders to fit your practice’s unique needs and budget. You should have control over the specific products, quantities, and delivery times that work best for you.
Another flexibility dental GPOs can offer comes in the forms of their contracts. Look into contract terms and find one that allows you and your practice to adjust your orders based on your changing needs.
Service
A successful GPO provides excellent customer service, including responsive support, on-time delivery, consulting, and a user-friendly platform for ordering and tracking your purchases.
In addition to dental supplies, many GPOs offer other services to help dental practices run more efficiently, such as:
- Practice Management: GPOs can offer software and other tools to help dental practices manage patient records, scheduling, billing, and other administrative tasks.
- Group Insurance: Some GPOs offer group insurance plans that can help dental practices save money on health, life, and disability insurance for their employees.
- Continuing Education: Many GPOs offer access to training and education resources to help dental professionals stay up-to-date on the latest techniques and technologies in the field.
- Marketing Support: Some GPOs offer marketing services to help dental practices attract new patients and grow their business.
These services can be appealing to you, but note that the dental GPO can charge additional fees for practice management, regulatory compliance, liability insurance, education, and training services. These fees tend to vary and fluctuate in price depending on the GPO, manufacturer, and agreement terms if that’s something you’re interested in.
When choosing a dental GPO, look for one that can provide you with the products, services, and support you need to run your practice efficiently and cost-effectively.If you’re ready to take the next step in your dental purchasing process, SourceClub is here to help. Let us find the best prices on all of the equipment you need.
