When people list the things that they're most afraid of, going to the dentist often ranks somewhere near the top. There's something about lying motionless and slack-jawed in a converted office chair while a person wields sharp instruments in your mouth that gives a lot of people serious anxiety. That makes the sales process even more important. 

For a task that critical, Henry Schein Dental turned to FileMaker help. One of the major hurdles for the company was the sheer volume of products and services it offers. The practice provides tens of thousands of tools for both patients and physicians, from overheard lights to sterilization equipment, so consultants have a lot to remember when it comes to connecting with potential customers. 

And it's not just enough to know what something is called. When somebody is going to be poking something in their or somebody else's mouth, they're going to have a few questions about it. Carrying around bulky binders full of information was cumbersome and slowed the process down immeasurably. Instead, FileMaker lets sales executives have access to visuals and information about different products, as well as create PDFs and pertinent sales materials on the spot.

The change to this sort of custom database software also helped the company on the back-end. By parsing the information automatically compiled by FileMaker, representatives can easily see which items are selling the best and kept in constant stock. Having this information constantly available helps to streamline the product process, and saves tens of thousands of dollars in brochure costs for rarely-used products. 

Joe Baucom, Director of Marketing, Equipment and Techonology Group for the company, raved about the possibilities offered by using this kind of technology. 

"With the FileMaker Platform and FileMaker Go for iPad, our sales consultants have the right information, at the right time, for the right customer, every day," said Baucom. "The time savings from having 24-hour access to all literature, photos and catalogs has allowed our sales team to become more efficient and productive."

Henry Schein Dental might not ever be able to make going to the dentist as fun as a day at the amusement park. But with the help of FileMaker, they're definitely making the process of selling and marketing related tools as painless as possible.