Author: Alistair Mayoh – Marketing Director Kemdent
Running a dental laboratory means regularly and concurrently organising equipment, materials, and vital products, whilst managing relationships with suppliers. Whether the work required is restorative, orthodontic, or something else, laboratories – and their inventory – are fundamental for success in every dental workflow.[i] Consistent success and strong foundations are established by partnering with a trusted manufacturer. Working with one primary organisation offers multiple benefits, so determining who this supplier should be requires careful consideration.
Cohesion is integral
Third-party suppliers often offer a plethora of different brands’ products, which inevitably come with variations in user-instructions and formulations. This naturally offers a wider selection, but may compromise dependability and predictability of support services due to the vastity in options.
Conversely, working directly with a specific manufacturer offers cohesion and control, ensuring they can meet a range of your laboratory needs. Partners that can offer the products and materials you require, alongside great professional support, are always going to deliver the most valuable supply of products and materials.[ii]
Invaluable support
Nobody knows a product better than those that designed and made it – the manufacturers can offer tailored advice on their products, and assistance using them too. Being holistically familiar with the functionality, design, and production of their products, manufacturers have hands-on experience with specifications, capabilities, issues, and more – placing their expertise as superior when providing tailored advice to laboratories.
Their comprehensive product knowledge allows for more accurate troubleshooting and technical diagnosis, in a more direct and rapid manner. These solutions are also likely to be more personalised to customer needs and lab business patterns. The speed of resolution is hastened with access to bespoke technical documentation, specific engineering knowledge, and bypassing intermediaries.
A long-term trusting partnership
There is potential to build a long-term relationship when working with a manufacturer directly, which inevitably leads to the loyalty ‘benefits’ that come with it. As the relationship develops, clients may also see themselves privy to preferential treatment and support. Stronger partnerships can assist with laboratory management such as in cases of training with new equipment or updating workflows, as manufacturers can support in adapting efficiently.
Finally, maintaining a trusting dynamic can offer the opportunity to leverage the expertise and experience of both the manufacturer and the partner to improve products – refining the products and adhering better to professional needs as solutions evolve.
Streamlining the delivery process
Whilst it may seem practical and appealing to choose the cheapest option from respective suppliers, it’s important to note unfulfilled perks. A strong business needs both competitive prices and dependability. Collating delivery to one schedule reduces additional delivery costs and offers multiple other benefits. For example, it streamlines the process by reducing both the risk of error, and the cost – being significantly more economical than paying delivery fees per supplier.
Furthermore, consistency in price structure means more accurate and simplified inventory organisation which reduces the risk of stockouts or excess stock (and subsequent expiring products), avoiding the added waste of money and time.[iii] Maintaining familiarity with consistent product lines makes it easier to run a congruent workflow throughout the laboratory – where variables are hence minimised.
Reputation matters
Many laboratories now understand that working directly with a reliable manufacturer can offer long-term value. Working with multiple suppliers may quickly become disjointed and uncoordinated, opposing the stability of a dependable partnership who offers consistency, and control of orders.
Working with a manufacturer that has attained a good reputation within the industry is integral for longstanding partnerships. This indicates reliability in service and both the extent and quality of products. Selecting a trustworthy source positively impacts both holistic patient care and your practice.
One exceptional source for all your laboratory requirements is Kemdent. The leading manufacturer offers over a century of experience in supplying first-class dental materials and products to customers around the globe. Its synonymity with quality extends to the unrivalled calibre of customer service and support. Renowned among dental professionals, Kemdent proudly offer British-manufactured solutions that consistently meet exacting standards. Kemdent also takes responsibility in protecting the environment, collaborating with government initiatives to reduce its waste.
Ultimately, selecting where to source your laboratory products is a strategic decision that will essentially build the foundations of your business. The right manufacturer will offer more than merely your high-quality products and materials, but be your partner in support and advice, streamlining your workflows. In a field where precision and quality are indispensable, a reliable manufacturer on your side is vital.
For more information about the leading solutions available from Kemdent, please visit www.kemdent.co.uk or call 01793 770 256
[i] Göncü, K. K., & Çetin, O. (2022). A Decision Model for Supplier Selection Criteria in Healthcare Enterprises with Dematel ANP Method. Sustainability, 14(21), 13912. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113912
[ii] Antoniadou, M., & Zoniou, A. K. (2025). Dentists’ Preferences for Resin-Based Restorative Materials: Product Choice, Purchasing Behavior, and the Role of COVID-19.
[iii] Admin (2025) Avoid these dental procurement mistakes: Dentstock, Dentstock Your Partner In Dental Sourcing. Available at: https://dentstock.co.uk/common-procurement-mistakes-dental-practices-make-and-how-to-avoid-them/#:~:text=on%20clinical%20supplies.-,Common%20Procurement%20Mistakes,over%2Dordering%20and%20reduce%20waste. (Accessed: 30 July 2025).
