Are you receiving the best pricing and service from your suppliers? That's the question SAC Health asked. When it became clear they weren't, they turned to us for a reliable, cost-saving solution.
The Member
SAC Health is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) serving communities across Southern California's Inland Empire. Their whole-person, team-based model of care provides a full range of medical, surgical, dental, behavioral health, and specialty services to underserved populations. SAC Health is the largest specialty-based and teaching health center (THC) FQHC in the United States: all their physicians are affiliated with Loma Linda University Health and are trained in over 35 different specialties. Across their multiple clinic locations, SAC Health completes over 180,000 patient visits annually.
The Challenge
SAC Health was reassessing its dental procurement strategy and evaluating its existing supplier relationship to ensure it had competitive pricing, reliable servicing, and high-quality products. The purchasing team sought stronger cost savings on both dental supplies and capital equipment while improving service responsiveness — key elements for supporting an expanding dental program across multiple locations.
Our Results
CNECT and Patterson Dental delivered a more competitive and service-focused solution for SAC Health by reviewing 12 months of dental spend and presenting an alternative that outperformed the member’s existing supplier. This resulted in a successful supplier transition, completion of Patterson’s PMDF and enrollment form, and a rapid expansion of the relationship — highlighted by Patterson winning a separate $125,000 handpiece RFP shortly after the transition.
This partnership delivered immediate value for SAC Health and secured meaningful cost savings: 37% off list pricing on dental supplies and 20% off capital equipment, along with improved service benefits including discounted servicing and priority status for equipment servicing requests. The organization now benefits from lower procurement costs, stronger service coverage, and a supplier capable of supporting both its clinical operations and long-term growth strategy.