DentalAce Review: Where should I shop for dental care products?
Hello DentalAce Community,
As the #1 Online Portal for dental care here in Vienna and the surrounding areas, we have prepared at least one expert article for you about particular dental care procedures and specialties since 2018 in an effort to provide you with as much knowledge about the clinical aspects of dentistry and dental care as possible.
However, we all know that the clinical aspect is only one side of the coin because in between dental checkup visits and other dentist-performed procedures lie the tasks of daily dental care routines at home which each and every one of us much handle with the utmost care and diligence.
This is of course only possible with the right utensils and dental care products and since that is the case, we would like to provide you a comprehensive overview of where you can get the right dental care tools for you in the following blog article. To make it simpler for you, we have segmented the places where you can shop for dental care products by mode – online or offline – as well as by price level – from basic to premium. Thus, we hope that, after you finish your read, you will know where to look for the Rolls Royce of toothbrushes and where to go when you are feeling thrifty.
Where to shop for dental care products? Online or offline?
This is a question that more and more people pose to themselves nowadays because, while the traditional way of purchasing dental care products has and still is to go to the drug store around the corner and get them there, the continued proliferation of more and more convenient and safe online purchasing venues for dental care products is giving the brick and mortal drug stores a run for their money. Recent statistics collected by de.Statista.com clearly prove this trend by showing that while in 2009 only 41% of the Austrian population opted for shopping online for various goods including dental care products, that number grew to 61% by 2019 and continues to go up.Apparently, a continuously growing part of the population does not mind purchasing new dental care products without ever touching or seeing them beforehand. Traditional drug store chains and several online entrepreneurs have noticed that and have caused a significant increase in online purchasing options for dental care products in the past 5-10 years. Now, with this basic information about the dental care product purchasing market out of the way, let’s take a more concrete look at where exactly you can shop for your next pack of dental floss, your next tube of toothpaste, or your next tongue scraper.
Traditional and still right there when you need them – Drug and other brick and mortar stores
As already mentioned, the way to get your hands on new dental care products I the past was to stop by the corner drug store. Of course, many people still do that nowadays, and over time two large drug store chains have emerged as the market leaders in Austria to serve this clientele. Before we take a closer look at each one of them, let us also state the following up front: both of these chains have entered the 21st century and have also established user-friendly and intuitive online shops that are optimized for mobile devices in addition to their physical market presence.
Mode: Hybrid (Online Shop and Brick & Mortar Stores)
Price Level: Variable (from Affordable to Premium)
Assortment: All kinds of dental care products (e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Description: BIPA is currently the largest drug store operator in Austria and maintains roughly 600 stores that serve customers across the country. The dental care product assortment in BIPA stores is very broad and extensive and includes everything from toothbrushes, dental floss, and toothpastes up to dental whitening home kits and electric water floss machines. Needless to say, BIPA has very high visibility and mind share among the local population and their stores are visited by shoppers from virtually every price category because they offer lower-priced, often non-brand products for thrifty shoppers as well as brand-name products for dental care afficionados (e.g., modern ultrasound toothbrushes).
Mode: Hybrid (Online Shop and Brick & Mortal Stores)
Price Level: Variable (from Affordable to Premium)
Assortment: All kinds of dental care products (e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Description: dm – a shortcut for the German word Drogeriemarkt (drug store) – is the second-largest drug store operator in Austria with roughly 400 stores across the country. Just like BIPA, dm offers a very broad assortment of dental care products with multiple options at different price levels in each product category. Whether you are looking for a new toothbrush or for a fresh tube of toothpaste or for electric dental care equipment, you will more than likely find what you are looking for at a dm store. For more information, take a look at the dm website.
Mode: Hybrid (Online Shop and Brick & Mortal Stores)
Price Level: Variable (from Affordable to Premium)
Assortment: Electric dental care products (e.g., electric toothbrushes)
Description: MediaMarkt may be much better known for computers, software, and home entertainment technology and media, such as TVs, DVDs, and so on but it also offers a quite solid portfolio of dental care equipment. So, while you will not find dental floss or toothpaste at a MediaMarkt, you will almost certainly find your next piece of electronic dental care equipment among the many options on MediaMarkt stores’ shelves.
Don’t fret when facing dental care-related questions – Instead, go pay your neighborhood pharmacy a visit
Besides the above-mentioned and very well-known drug store chains, the good old trusted pharmacy is still and will likely always be a good place to go with any health-related questions and needs. Nowadays, an increasing number of pharmacies have noticed the online shopping trend and jumped on the bandwagon which is why they have built a strong internet presence in Vienna. One of the greatest benefits of pharmacies is their compounding capability which allows them to prepare special toothpaste mixes for individual patients based on detailed prescriptions by dentists. This is particularly helpful for patients with chronic conditions of, say, the gums which require prolonged treatment by a specific mix of medical ingredients that is not available in mass-produced toothpaste. The pharmacy segment gives shoppers the ability to switch between two modes, as they can visit their small neighborhood pharmacy for personal treatment based on year-long experience or quickly find and buy what they are looking for online, all depending on their particular need at any given moment. Now we will take a closer look at both options.
Mode: Hybrid (Online Shop and Brick & Mortal Stores)
Price Level: Variable (from Affordable to Premium)
Assortment: All kinds of dental care products (e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Description: Where do you go if you want to purchase high-quality medical products that have been vetted by medical professionals and deemed appropriate for handling medical issue and/or for satisfying daily hygiene needs? Well, to the drug store or pharmacy around the corner, of course! Some things never change, and this is one of them – even in the age of the internet, of smartphones, and of apps. The great thing about drug stores and pharmacies is that they not only carry all sorts of medicines and other products for the swift and effective alleviation of minor to semi-serious illnesses and injuries, but they also offer quite a solid assortment of dental care products, such as dental floss, all sorts of toothpaste, and specialty dental cremes (e.g., for patients suffering from gum inflammation). This is precisely the reason why it is still crucial to know where you can find the closest drug store or pharmacy to your location (home, office, hotel, etc.) at all times to swiftly handle any dental care or other health problems. If you happen to be looking for a handy list of drug stores in Vienna, then look no further. Additional bonus point for drug stores: some drug stores and pharmacies are even open at night and almost all of them have by now built a conveniently accessible and user-friendly online presence for their customers.
Mode: Hybrid (Online Shop and Brick & Mortar Stores)
Price Level: Variable (from Affordable to Premium)
Assortment: All kinds of dental care products (e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Description: In addition to brick & mortar drug stores and pharmacies, there are nowadays also quite a few online pharmacies and drug stores with very intuitive and user-friendly web portals and shops with potentially even a larger assortment of health products than their traditional counterparts and very fast delivery times. This is why a combination of brick & mortar neighborhood drug stores and pharmacies and of novel online drug store and pharmacy portals provides a previously unattainable level of coverage and security to their customers who can now avail themselves of any health products, including dental care products, that they may need at virtually any time and on any day. So, next time you need something from the drug store, do take a quick look online at one or more of the new online drug store and pharmacy portals to check out what they have to offer.
Looking for specialty and/or higher-end dental care products? – Then take a look at these online shops
Some of us like the more luxurious facets of life and do carry that attitude all the way through to their dental care and dental care products. To offer this customer segment optimal service, several new online shops and shopping platforms have either created their own luxury brand-name dental care product lines or partnered with manufacturers of such products. The reason for the premium status of these products is the fact that they can sometimes even be custom-made at the highest production standards, usually include special ingredients, and have developed their very distinct brand identities. This allows them to transform dental care from a basic health necessity into an experience and an opportunity for individual customers to express their own individuality in a fun way. We took a deeper look into some of the leading online platforms in this market segment and would like to introduce some of them to you in this following section.
Mode: Online Shop
Price Level: Variable (from Affordable to Average)
Assortment: Electric toothbrushes, dental cremes, toothpaste, etc.
Description: Flaconi is a very stylishly-designed online portal that offers various care and cosmetic products for face, hair, body, and teeth. All of Flaconi’s dental care products either belong to high-quality product lines with distinct brand identities or to some of the most well-known multinational premium brands such as Oral-B or blend-a-med. With this unique product offering including electric toothbrushes, replacement brush-heads, dental cremes, mouthwashes, and inter-dental brushes, Flaconi ideally caters to especially brand-oriented customers who want to express themselves through their choice of dental care products. From price level perspective, many of Flaconi’s offerings are definitely in the Premium category, though the portal also offers plenty of options for more price-sensitive customers who have more limited budgets.
Mode: Online Shop (with links to other Online Shops)
Price Level: Variable (from Affordable to Premium)
Assortment: Virtually every imaginable kind of toothbrush
Description: Dr.Best is known as the number 1 toothbrush manufacturer in Germany for a reason, because toothbrushes made by Dr.Best are way ahead of any competitor in terms of manufacturing quality and know-how, quality of used materials, brush-head design and flexibility. After decades of experience in the business and many years of testing with the goal of optimizing brush-head forms and sizes as well as bristle length, positioning, firmness, and thickness, the Dr.Best team has managed to create toothbrush options for virtually any kind of patient/customer. Whether you are suffering from inflamed gums, have sensitive teeth, or must wear permanent braces for the time being, Dr.Best will have the right toothbrush for you at a reasonable price.
Mode: Online Shop
Price Level: Premium
Assortment: Sustainable and “green” dental care products (e.g., dental cremes, toothbrushes, etc.)
Description: Have you ever wondered where you can purchase truly sustainable and “green” dental care products so that you can not only take care of your teeth but also help protect mother nature at the same time? Then come visit Manufactum online to have your question answered because the online shopping portal that Manufactum has created offers customers a broad range of completely environmentally-friendly dental care products such as toothbrushes made out of bamboo or toothpicks made out of silver. Dental care has never been this effective and environmentally friendly at the same time. Check out Manufactum and help significantly reduce the waste created from used dental care products.
Dental care on a limited budget? – These online shops can help you save
After taking a look at some of the leading players in the premium online shopping segment in the dental care space, let us go all the way to the other side of the spectrum now and take a look at where thrifty and price-oriented customers should take a look when shopping to meet their dental care needs. Since most online shoppers cannot really afford to disregard price in any purchasing decision that we make, including those concerning dental care products, several portals out there have decided to help these folks out by creating product offerings that are not only of a high-quality but that are also affordable. In this section, we will take a closer look at some of the leading portals in this category.
Mode: Online Shop
Price Level: Bargain
Assortment: All kinds of dental care products (e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Description: When looking for good-quality products of almost any kind (e.g., electronic devices, sport gear and equipment, childcare articles, etc.) at a more affordable price levels, then Auspreiser.at is the right place for you. A very intuitive and user-friendly online interface coupled with a cleanly- and invitingly-designed online shop with an efficient purchase check-out function and exceptionally competitive prices across all offered product categories, including dental care products, make Auspreiser.at a definitive “Go To” on your search for affordable dental care products. And the best part about it is that you will be able to get what you are looking for, save a pretty penny, and never even leave the comfort of your home.
Mode: Online Shop
Price Level: Variable (from Bargain to Premium)
Assortment: All kinds of dental care products (e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Description: Are you looking for a modern online shopping portal with an intuitive interface, flexible built-in filters, and short delivery times? Thanks to a broad presence across many European countries, including Austria, and a product assortment that covers virtually every facet of personal care, including dental care, Notino fits the bill perfectly. In the area of dental care, Notino stands out with a very comprehensive product offering that covers both very well-known brands (e.g., Colgate) as well as more niche, specialized brands (e.g., MEDIBLANC). Also, Notino bridges across all price levels and has plenty of products for premium shoppers who are looking to add more flair to their dental care routines as well as plenty more options for thrifty shoppers who need to check dental care products off their lists while staying within their budgets.
Mode: Online Shop
Price Level: Variable (from Bargain to Affordable)
Assortment: All kinds of dental care products (e.g., toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
Description: Idealo is, as the name already indicates, the ideal place to shop for dental care products online. This is because Idealo’s product assortment in dental care not only includes some of the most trusted brands out there (e.g., Elmex toothpaste) but also offers them to customers at exceptionally affordable prices. After adding the portal’s intuitive design and many versatile filter and search functions wrapped up in its nice design into the mix, it is difficult to argue against Idealo’s spot among the top online shopping destinations for dental care products. An additional bonus point for Idealo is the portal’s clearly stated offer of up to 50% savings for new customers who join the portal with a new account and/or subscribe to its free newsletter.
Well, with all of those options it is hard to argue that shopping for dental care products stands in the way of your daily oral hygiene! We hope that you liked this blog post and wish you all the best for your next dental care product shopping trip.
Oh, and since we are already talking about pricing, here is a brief reminder: DentalAce has a function which, for the first time, provides you with price transparency during your next dentist search. Thereby, you can show up for your next dental appointment without any worries about procedure pricing and costs.
For more interesting stories, take a look at our DentalAce blog on our web portal and subscribe for free.
All the Best & see you soon, Ace!
