If you run a dental practice in Ontario, British Columbia or Alberta, you've probably noticed that the same box of nitrile gloves, saliva ejectors or patient bibs often costs less from a US dental supplier — until you see the cross-border shipping quote. My DDS Supply ships to US addresses, but dentists, hygienists and office managers across Canada still restock with us regularly. The way they do it is Shippsy, a US-to-Canada parcel service. Here's exactly how it works and how to get the most out of it.
What Is Shippsy?
Shippsy is a cross-border receiving service operated by Stallion Express, a Canadian courier. When you open a free account, you get your own permanent US shipping address at a Shippsy warehouse — in Sanborn, New York (near Niagara Falls) or Blaine, Washington (near Vancouver). You ship your dental supply order there, Shippsy brings it across the border and handles the customs paperwork, and you either pick it up at a Shippsy location in Canada or have it delivered to your clinic.
How to Order Dental Supplies to Canada from My DDS Supply
- Create a free Shippsy account at shippsy.com and choose the pickup location closest to your practice. Your dashboard will show your unique US address, including your personal account number.
- Shop myddssupply.com as usual. Add gloves, bibs, burs, impression material and anything else your operatories need to your cart.
- At checkout, enter your Shippsy US address exactly as it appears in your dashboard — including your unique account number. Leaving that number off is the most common reason a package sits unidentified at the warehouse.
- Declare your package in the Shippsy dashboard once it arrives at their US facility. You'll enter a description, quantity and value; your My DDS Supply order confirmation email has everything you need.
- Pay Shippsy's fee and any taxes or duties when they email you. Shippsy prepares the customs documents for you.
- Pick it up or have it delivered. Collect your order at a Shippsy branch, or pay an additional fee to have it sent to your office by Canada Post or UPS.
What Does It Cost to Ship Dental Supplies to Canada?
Your total landed cost has three parts:
- US shipping from My DDS Supply to the Shippsy warehouse, charged at checkout like any US order.
- Shippsy's handling fee, charged per package. Check Shippsy's pricing page for the current rate.
- GST/HST and any applicable duties, based on the declared value and the products' country of origin. Optional delivery from a Shippsy branch to your door is extra.
Because the handling fee is per package rather than a percentage of the order, the math gets better the more you order at once. On a bulk restock of disposables and infection-control products, the price difference on the products themselves can easily outweigh the handling fee.
Tips to Save More on Cross-Border Dental Supply Orders
- Consolidate into one monthly order. One larger order means one handling fee instead of several. Our Bulk Specials and Deals of the Week are a good place to stock up.
- Plan around the 50 lb mail-out limit. Shippsy only mails packages up to 50 lb within Canada; heavier shipments must be picked up at a branch. If you're ordering full cases of gloves, plan on pickup.
- Choose the right branch. Shippsy has pickup locations in the Greater Toronto Area and southwestern Ontario, Calgary, and Richmond, BC. Check their locations page for current addresses and hours.
- Keep your order confirmation handy. It lists every item and its price in USD, which makes declaring your package quick and accurate.
- Remember prices are in US dollars. Your credit card will convert to CAD at checkout.
What Canadian Dental Practices Order Most
High-volume disposables are the easiest products to bring across the border, and they're where per-unit savings add up fastest:
- Nitrile exam gloves and powder-free latex gloves
- Dental patient bibs
- Saliva ejectors and air/water syringe tips
- Dental face masks
- Carbide and diamond burs
- Alginate impression material and bite registration material
- Everything in infection control and disposables
Items to Leave Out of Your Order
Some products are regulated differently in Canada. Local anesthetics and other drugs fall under Health Canada rules and shouldn't be routed through a parcel-forwarding service, and Shippsy keeps its own list of items it won't clear through customs. Before you order anything beyond standard disposables, instruments and restorative materials, review Shippsy's prohibited items list and confirm the products meet your Health Canada and provincial requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does My DDS Supply ship directly to Canada?
We currently ship to US addresses. Canadian practices order through a US receiving address such as Shippsy, which then brings the package into Canada.
How long does it take to get dental supplies to Canada with Shippsy?
Add our standard US transit time to the Shippsy warehouse, then a few business days for Shippsy to bring the package into Canada. Ontario is typically fastest; BC and Quebec take a little longer.
Will I pay duties and taxes?
GST/HST generally applies to imported goods, and duties depend on the product and where it was made. Shippsy calculates what's owed and bills you before releasing the package.
Can I use the same Shippsy address for every order?
Yes. Your Shippsy US address is permanent, so you can save it in your My DDS Supply account and reuse it for every restock.
Can my office manager place the order?
Absolutely. Anyone on your team can order with the practice's Shippsy address, as long as the account number is included on the shipping address.
Start Your Next Restock
Canadian dentists don't have to pay domestic prices for everyday dental supplies. Set up your free Shippsy address once, then browse our full catalog of dental supplies and ship your next order across the border. Questions about an order going to Canada? Email us at help@myddssupply.com.