Been there, done that. Always better to go with a reputable source. However, many spend less but understand getting less. Set up is cheaper but spare parts and maintenance might be hard to find. You might also have to install it yourself. If you are handy and do not mind heavy lifting, this is no problem. Other issues- the equipment may stop functioning or become unrepairable earlier than more commonly available products in the US. At that point, you either wait 6-8 weeks to pick up your new chair in a box at an ocean port near you or you buy something else to replace it sooner. Some of the radiation sources from overseas are not FDA approved as they leak radiation onto the user.
Smaller things such as light curing lights are not consistently good or bad. Buy them in sets of three, save money overall, and you will likely be happy with at least one. This will still save you more than $1000 for a single light from a US base supply company.
Do not buy any restorative products from non-fda suppliers/manufacturers. Materials fail or have seriously short shelf life when super cheap. This increases your redos and patient frustration. Net32.com is a generally acceptable source for these supplies.
Autoclaves- if you spore test weekly - will likely only present a problem when they break. Autoclave spare parts and service usually involve a service call. They might refuse to work on non-standard brands. Same with shakers- from overseas they are unpredictable- but you can always use a brush instead while you buy a new device.
OS instruments- they can and do break. Even when from the most reputable manufacturer. If you plan on putting any type of force on the instrument (ie. elevator, forcep) buy the best reputation instrument possible. When OS instruments break you might end up paying for/doing unscheduled hard tissue surgery.
Endo- foreign sold apex locators for less than $200 simply are too erratic and inaccurate to be useful. Rotary motor/handpiece/files- less stress from a major supplier but significant savings is possible. I would suggest using the files single use and not aggressively.
Disposables- buy from overseas but in huge bulk to save real cash. You will then have 3000 saliva ejectors, 2000 toothbrushes, and 2000 headrest covers eagerly awaiting your use while consuming closet space. Handpieces(yep-disposable when from overseas) buy in sets of 10 or 50 and toss them as they stop working. Be careful- when the burr spontaneously falls out of the chuck/handpiece separates at the neck you might end up paying for a chest x-ray or doing some unscheduled soft tissue surgery.
If everything works-great. When things break-frustrating. Everything breaks regardless of where is was built.
