Ordering · delivery · returns · compliance
Frequently asked questions
The questions our inbox actually receives, answered plainly. Every answer here matches our full policy pages — where a topic has a detailed page, we link to it.
Delivery & dispatch
How much does UK delivery cost?
UK standard delivery is £2.95 by Royal Mail Tracked 48, arriving in 2–3 working days, and is free on orders over £30. Express delivery (Royal Mail Tracked 24 or DPD Next Day) is £6.99 and arrives the next working day when dispatched same day. Full detail is on our shipping page.
Do you dispatch the same day?
Yes. Orders placed before 14:00 UK time, Monday to Friday are picked, packed and dispatched the same working day from our Birmingham warehouse. Orders placed after 14:00, at weekends, or on UK bank holidays dispatch the next working day.
Where do you ship from?
Everything ships from our own stock in Birmingham, United Kingdom. We are not a drop-shipper — in-stock lines are on real shelves, which is what makes same-day dispatch possible.
International orders
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We ship to the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most Commonwealth countries via DPD International or FedEx International Priority. Delivery costs and times are shown at checkout for your country.
Will I pay import duties or customs charges?
For deliveries outside the UK, prices are shown without UK VAT, and any import duties and local taxes are calculated and shown at checkout so there is no surprise bill on delivery. See shipping & delivery for the country detail.
Returns & refunds
Can I return a dental instrument?
If the instrument is still in its original sealed packaging and the seal is unbroken, you can return it for a full refund within 30 days of receipt — our voluntary window, which goes beyond the 14-day statutory cancellation period. You cover the return postage and we deduct no restocking fee.
Why can't I return an opened instrument?
Because we sell medical devices. Once the seal on an instrument is broken it cannot be restocked for hygiene reasons, so opened instruments are non-returnable for change of mind. Your rights over faulty, damaged or misdescribed goods are completely unaffected — see our returns policy.
What if an instrument arrives faulty or damaged?
Contact us and we will replace it or refund it, and we cover the return postage for faulty or incorrect items. Refunds are issued to the original payment method within 7 working days of us receiving the item.
Compliance & quality
Are your dental instruments CE marked?
Yes. Our dental instruments are CE marked as Class I medical devices under EU MDR 2017/745 and manufactured under an ISO 13485 quality management system. Certificates and the full provenance chain are documented on our compliance page. Chairside accessories that are not medical devices — bib holders, for example — are labelled as such on their product pages, and we never CE-claim them.
Who is Dental Bench?
Dental Bench is a trading style of Toolsmith Ltd, registered in England and Wales (Co. Reg. 16520777, VAT GB497504454), based at 39 Heather Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10 9TE. We supply chairside instruments, laboratory tools and consumables to dental practices, laboratories and dental schools in the UK and worldwide.
Trade accounts & students
Do you offer trade accounts for practices?
Yes. Practices, laboratories, hospitals, dental schools and group purchasing organisations can open a Dental Bench trade account, which includes free UK Tracked 24 delivery on orders over £100 ex-VAT, account-billed shipping invoiced monthly, and palletised delivery on UK orders over £2,000 ex-VAT.
Can students and individuals buy from you?
Yes. We sell single units at retail as well as in bulk on trade accounts, so dental students can buy exactly the instrument they need. Our dental student instrument kit guide sets out what is worth owning personally and what to leave to the school.
Instrument care
Are your instruments autoclavable?
Yes. Our instruments are surgical stainless steel and tolerate standard steam sterilisation cycles. Our autoclave care guide covers drying, corrosion prevention and cycle discipline, and the HTM 01-05 workflow guide covers the wider UK decontamination process.
How do I choose between similar instrument patterns?
Start with our dental instruments buyer's guide, which covers materials, provenance and care. For specific families we have detailed guides on extraction forceps, orthodontic pliers and scalers and curettes.
Still have a question?
Email info@toolsmithltd.co.uk or use our contact page. We answer trade and clinical questions from a real bench, not a script.