Assessment of the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices in an emerging Latin-American city

Kely Noemi Barrientos Molina; Luis Alexander Orrego-Ferreyros

doi:10.12688/f1000research.152631.1

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Assessment of the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices in an emerging Latin-American city

[version 1; peer review: 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]

Kely Noemi Barrientos Molina¹, Luis Alexander Orrego-Ferreyros¹

PUBLISHED 25 Jun 2024

Author details Author details

¹ Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Estomatología, Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Piura, Piura, 20001, Peru

Kely Noemi Barrientos Molina
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Funding Acquisition, Investigation, Project Administration, Resources, Writing – Original Draft Preparation

Luis Alexander Orrego-Ferreyros
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Project Administration, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

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Abstract

Background

Worldwide, e-commerce, as a business modality that uses information and communication technologies to make transactions of products and services, has become an indispensable part of the global retail market, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. E-commerce has experienced accelerated growth in recent years, driven by factors such as increased internet penetration, the expansion of mobile devices, user confidence and innovation of digital platforms. Dental offices have found e-commerce an opportunity to improve their competitiveness. The aim of the research was to establish the relationship between the indicators of efficiency maximization in sales and the type of modality of commerce used most by private dental offices within an emerging economy context in Latin-American city.

Methods

The study was classified as applied research with a non-experimental, correlational and exploratory design. The sample consisted of 34 private dental offices. A simple random probabilistic sampling was chosen. An instrument containing thirteen items including questions about payment, appointments or consultations, and advertising and indicators of efficiency maximization in sales, was used.

Results

The assessment of the relationship between the efficiency maximization indicators in sales and the commerce employed shows that, beyond cost reduction (PR=8, 95% CI [1.37; 46.81], p=0.021), the type does not have a statistically significant impact on the increase in clients, sales, revenues, and profit increase. (PR=3, 95% CI [0.28; 32.21], p=0.364).

Conclusions

E-commerce is significantly correlated with a reduction in operational costs.

Keywords

Dentistry, e-Commerce, Marketing of Health Services, Online Social Networking

Corresponding author: Luis Alexander Orrego-Ferreyros

Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Grant information: The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work.

Copyright: © 2024 Barrientos Molina KN and Orrego-Ferreyros LA. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

How to cite: Barrientos Molina KN and Orrego-Ferreyros LA. Assessment of the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices in an emerging Latin-American city [version 1; peer review: 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]. F1000Research 2024, 13:690 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.152631.1) First published: 25 Jun 2024, 13:690 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.152631.1) Latest published: 25 Jun 2024, 13:690 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.152631.1)

Introduction

E-commerce is a business modality that uses information and communication technologies to make transactions of products and services. Worldwide, e-commerce has become an indispensable part of the global retail market, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.¹^,² Revenue from online sales stood at around US$4.2 trillion in 2020 and is projected to increase to US$6.4 trillion by 2024.³^,⁴ Regionally, Latin America is home to approximately 300 million digital shoppers, a figure that is expected to grow by more than 20% by 2025.⁵^,⁶ The healthcare sector has not been immune to this trend, and there has been an increase in the supply and demand for online medical services, such as consultations, diagnoses, treatments, appointments, and payments.⁷ Within this sector, dental centers have found in e-commerce an opportunity to improve their competitiveness, attract new customers and retain existing ones.⁸^–¹⁰ E-commerce has experienced accelerated growth in recent years, driven by factors such as increased internet penetration, the expansion of mobile devices, user confidence and innovation of digital platforms.¹¹ Dental offices have found e-commerce an opportunity to improve their competitiveness.¹² The aim of the research is to establish the relationship between the indicators of efficiency maximization in sales and the type of modality of commerce used most by private dental offices within an emerging economy context.

Methods

Type and design study

The study is classified as applied research with a non-experimental, correlational and exploratory design. Our study has adhered to the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines for cross-sectional studies. The study was approved with Official Letter from the Research Ethics Committee of the School of Stomatology N° 0105-2023-/UCV/P dated December 20, 2023. We adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Participants

The sample consisted of 34 private dental offices. The study outlined precise inclusion and exclusion criteria, focusing on dental offices situated in Abancay, Peru. We selected establishments that not only operate in this region but have also incorporated e-commerce into their operational workflow and have been active for a minimum of one year. We defined a dental office as practicing e-commerce if it incorporated all the following four elements simultaneously: digital wallet payments, interbank transfer payments, electronic scheduling of appointments or general consultations, and advertising through social media. If any of these elements were only partially implemented, the dental office was classified as conventional. The study sought to cover a broad spectrum of participants, ranging from solo practitioners to large dental clinics with several professionals and dentists. Also, dental offices in the process of liquidation or closure, as well as those unwilling to participate in the study or constrained by privacy policies from disclosing relevant data, were not considered. Simple random probabilistic sampling was utilized.

Instrument and procedures

An instrument devised by the researcher, comprising thirteen items, and including questions related to payment methods, appointment or consultation scheduling, advertising, and indicators for maximizing sales efficiency, was utilized.²⁰ This instrument was subjected to a content validation process by three experts, resulting in an Aiken's V of 1.0. Given the small population size in the city, a post-hoc calculation of Cronbach's alpha was conducted. This analysis yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.732, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.533 to 0.855, indicating acceptable internal consistency.

To initiate the selection process and commence the research execution, we requested the registration of operating licenses from dental practices from the Provincial Municipality of Abancay. Upon selecting the dental offices, the research objective was succinctly explained to the owner, general manager, or administrator of the practice. Written consent was obtained from all participants. Subsequently, the instrument was administered.

Statistical analysis

The data were stored in a Google Sheets and subsequently analyzed using JASP 0.18.3. To present the characteristics of the dental offices, including the study's primary variables, descriptive tables were generated for the descriptive statistics section. Numerical variables were characterized using central tendency statistics and dispersion measures, contingent on the data's normality. The Shapiro-Wilk test was employed to assess the normality of the data. For categorical variables, both absolute and relative frequencies were calculated. Bivariate analyses were performed to examine the research objective, utilizing Fisher's Exact Test and Pearson's Chi-square (χ²) test. Logistic regression was applied to estimate proportion ratios. The analysis was conducted with a 95% confidence level (p<0.05).

Results

The analysis of dental offices in the context of study, as outlined in Table 1,¹⁹ reveals distinctions between centers using conventional commerce strategies and those leveraging e-commerce. The demographic study of center directors shows an equitable gender distribution across both groups, with a slight male dominance in the conventional sector. E-commerce centers tend to be larger, employing more dental surgeons and assistants, which suggests a tendency towards higher operational capacities. These centers also display a diverse range of specialized dentistry services, indicating a differentiation strategy facilitated by online platforms.

Table 1. Characteristics of the service offer by dental offices studied.

Characterization of dental offices	Type of commerce used in the dental office
Characterization of dental offices	Mainly conventional (n=18) n (%)	E-commerce (n = 16) n (%)
Head dentist
Female	8 (44.4)	8 (50.0)
Male	10 (55.6)	8 (50.0)
Age of the head dentist (in years) (mean; s.d.)	39.0 (± 10.0)	37.9 (± 7.42)
Size of the dental office
Number of dentists working at the center
One dentist	8 (44.4)	2 (12.5)
Two to three dentists	10 (55.6)	10 (62.5)
More than three dentists	0 (0.0)	4 (25.0)
Number of dental assistants
No dental assistant	6 (33.3)	1 (6.2)
One dental assistant	11 (61.1)	11 (68.7)
More than one dental assistant	1 (5.6)	4 (25.0)
Number of administrative staff
No administrative staff	11 (61.1)	5 (31.2)
One administrative staff	6 (33.3)	10 (62.5)
Two administrative staff	1 (5.6)	1 (6.2)
Number of dental units
One dental unit	6 (37.5)	5 (31.2)
Two to three dental units	10 (62.5)	10 (62.5)
More than three dental units	0 (0.0)	1 (6.2)
Dental office operating time (in years) (median; RIC)	7.5 (5 ± 10)	7.5 (4.5 ± 13.5)
Focus
General dentistry	13 (72.2)	7 (46.7)
Specialized dentistry	5 (27.8)	8 (53.3)
Specialization of the dental office
Orthodontics	3 (60.0)	2 (25.0)
Implantology	1 (20.0)	2 (25.0)
Dental esthetics	0 (0.0)	1 (12.5)
Orthodontics, implantology	1 (20.0)	1 (12.5)
Implantology, esthetics	0 (0.0)	1 (12.5)
Prosthodontics, orthodontics	0 (0.0)	1 (12.5)

We established dental offices as engaging in e-commerce if they met the following three criteria: adoption of digital wallet payments, online appointment scheduling, and social media advertising. A comparative analysis highlights significant commercial differences, particularly in the adoption of digital wallet payments, online appointment scheduling, and social media advertising (Table 2).

Table 2. Trade-related characteristics of dental offices.

Trade-related characteristics	Type of commerce used in dental office
Trade-related characteristics	Mainly conventional commerce (n=18) n (%)	E-commerce (n=16) n (%)
Receive payment with digital wallet
No	8 (44.4)	0 (0.0)
Yes	10 (55.6)	16 (100.0)
Type of digital wallet
Yape^®	4 (40.0)	2 (12.5)
Yape, Plin^®	2 (20.0)	4 (25.0)
Yape, another	1 (10.0)	2 (12.5)
Yape, Plin, Izipay^®	2 (20.0)	5 (31.2)
Yape, Plin, another	1 (10.0)	2 (12.5)
Yape, Plin, Izipay, Agora^®, other	0 (0.0)	1 (6.2)
Time using digital wallet for payment (in years) (mean; s.d.)	1.23 (± 0.4)	1.2 (± 0.6)
Receive payment by interbank transfer
No	5 (27.8)	0 (0.0)
Yes	13 (72.2)	16 (100.0)
Time receiving payment by interbank transfer (in years) (mean; s.d.)	1.0 (± 0.6)	1.5 (± 0.6)
Make electronic scheduling of appointments or general inquiries
No	9 (56.2)	0 (0.0)
Yes	7 (43.7)	16 (100.0)
Time using electronic appointment scheduling (in years) (mean; s.d.)	1 (± 0.9)	1.3 (± 0.6)
Messaging type for electronic appointment scheduling
WhatsApp^®	4 (57.1)	10 (62.5)
WhatsApp, SMS	3 (42.9)	6 (37.5)
Advertising on social networks
No	10 (58.8)	0 (0.0)
Yes	7 (41.2)	16 (100.0)
Type of social networks for advertising
Facebook^®	3 (42.9)	4 (25.0)
Facebook, Instagram^®	2 (28.6)	3 (18.7)
Facebook, TikTok^®	0 (0.0)	3 (18.7)
Facebook, another social network	0 (0.0)	1 (6.2)
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok	2 (58.8)	5 (31.2)
Time spending advertising on social networks (years) (mean; s.d.)	1.2 (± 0.4)	1.2 (± 0.6)

Despite the operational and commercial advantages of e-commerce, the analysis on sales efficiency shows no significant differences in client increase, service sales, or revenue growth between marketing strategies, suggesting that other factors may influence these outcomes. However, e-commerce centers demonstrate a statistically significant advantage in cost reduction, highlighting the efficiency of digital strategies in operational cost management (Table 3).

Table 3. Relationship between sales efficiency maximization indicators and type of commerce used by dental offices.

Efficiency maximization indicator perceived	Type of commerce used in dental office		p-value
Efficiency maximization indicator perceived	Mainly conventional commerce (n=18) n (%)	E-commerce (n=16) n (%)
Increaseed customers			0.604^a
No	3 (75.0)	1 (25.0)
Yes	15 (50.0)	15 (50.0)
Increased sales of services			0.604^a
No	3 (75.0)	1 (25.0)
Yes	15 (50.0)	15 (50.0)
Increased revenues			0.604^a
No	3 (75.0)	1 (25.0)
Yes	15 (50.0)	15 (50.0)
Increased profits			0.229^a
No change (0%)	3 (75.0)	1 (25.0)
It has increased up to 25% more	9 (50.0)	9 (50.0)
It has increased up to 50% more	6 (66.7)	3 (33.3)
It has increased up to 75% more	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
It has increased up to 100% more	1 (0.0)	3 (100.0)
Cost reduction			0.013^b^,^*
No	16 (89.9)	8 (50.0)
Yes	2 (11.1)	8 (50.0)

a Fisher's Exact Test;

b Pearson's Chi-Squared Test (χ²).

* Statistically significant values.

Further examination of sales efficiency indicators like client increase, sales, and revenue growth suggests a potential association with e-commerce, albeit not statistically significant within the sample studied. Nonetheless, this association indicates a trend towards the positive impact of digital strategies on business performance (Table 4). Centers using e-commerce show a higher proportion (50.0%) of cost reduction compared to those using conventional marketing (11.1%).

Table 4. Relationship between sales efficiency indicators and type of commerce in dental offices.

Variable	Increase in customers				Increased sales				Increased revenues				Increased profits				Cost reduction
Variable	PR	95% CI		p	PR	95% CI		p	PR	95% CI		p	PR	95% CI		p	PR	95% CI		p
Commerce used by the dental office
Mainly conventional commerce	Ref.				Ref.				Ref.				Ref.				Ref.
E-commerce	3	0.28	32.2	0.36	3	0.3	32.21	0.36	3	0.28	32.21	0.36	3	0.28	32.21	0.36	8	1.37	46.81	0.021 *

* Value with statistical significance.

This highlights the effectiveness of e-commerce in optimizing resources and cost management, which is consistent with the nature of e-commerce and its potential to improve operational efficiency.

Discussion

Our research explores the transformative impact of e-commerce on dental offices within an emerging economy context, uncovering a significant trend towards operational cost optimization through digitalization. This finding resonates with broader academic discussions, such as those presented by Alalawi et al.¹³ and Miranda,¹⁴ who emphasize the crucial role of digital platforms in enhancing patient engagement and streamlining internal management processes. Our study builds upon these understandings, positioning e-commerce as a comprehensive tool that transcends patient communication to improve every operational aspect of dental practices, including appointment scheduling, payment processing, and patient education.

The strategic integration of e-commerce and digital marketing in dentistry is depicted not as a mere adoption of new technologies but as a critical overhaul of how dental practices interact with clients, manage internal operations, and market their services. Online management systems exemplify this transformation by facilitating appointment scheduling and improving patient interactions, thus reflecting the modern image of practices that meet digital consumer expectations. Digital payment methods further this modernization by offering secure, efficient transactions, enhancing the professional image of the services provided. Moreover, our analysis highlights the role of social media in promotion as essential for deepening community engagement and meeting diverse patient needs. This multifaceted digital approach enables dental practices to stand out in a competitive market, stressing the importance of choosing digital tools that match patient behaviors and preferences thoughtfully.¹⁵^,¹⁶

Contrasting our observations with studies like those by Liu Y et al.,¹⁷ which delve into consumer behaviors related to payment methods, our findings highlight the complexity of incorporating digital payments in the dental industry. It emphasizes the need for a strategy that aligns with patient preferences to boost operational efficiency and practice credibility.

While discerning, our study acknowledges its limitations, primarily its focus on an emerging economy context and the specific temporal frame of data collection, potentially impacting the universality of our results. Nevertheless, our research provides critical insights into e-commerce's role in reducing operational costs in dental practices, advocating for the proactive embrace of digital technologies.

Future research should extend beyond these limitations through longitudinal studies and an expansion into various geographical regions. This broader approach would deepen our understanding of e-commerce's influence on the dental sector across different cultural and economic landscapes. Our study underscores the urgent need for dental practices to adopt digital technologies, not just in response to current trends but as a crucial strategy for enhancing operational efficiency and resource management.¹⁸ Further exploration into how digital technologies can be effectively integrated, along with the development of marketing strategies that meet contemporary consumer expectations, will ensure dental practices not only maintain a competitive edge but also build a robust foundation for sustainable growth.

Ethics and consent

The study was approved with Official Letter from the Research Ethics Committee of the School of Stomatology N° 0105-2023-/UCV/P dated December 20, 2023. We adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written consent was obtained from all participants.

Data availability

Underlying data

Figshare: Dataset ecommerce. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.25953208.v2.¹⁹

Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC-BY 4.0).

Extended data

Figshare: Questionnaire ecommerce. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.25996660.²⁰

Data are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC-BY 4.0).

References

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2. Jain V, Malviya B, Arya S: An Overview of Electronic Commerce (e-Commerce). J Contemp Issues Bus Gov. 2021; 27: 665–670. Publisher Full Text Reference Source
3. Khan AG: Electronic Commerce: A Study on Benefits and Challenges in an Emerging Economy. Glob J Manag Bus Res. 2016; 16. Reference Source
4. Patrnogic Aparicio M, Tello Ghersi VA: Efectos del COVID-19 sobre las condiciones de competencia en los mercados. Universidad del Pacífico; 2021. Reference Source
5. Lotitto E, de Astarloa BD : The landscape of B2C e-commerce marketplaces in Latin America and the Caribbean.2023. Reference Source
6. Whitepape R, Arias I: Accelerating Digital Payments in Latin America and the Caribbean.2022. Reference Source
7. Schmalzried HD, Liszak J: A Model Program to Reduce Patient Failure to Keep Scheduled Medical Appointments. J Community Health. 2012 Jun 6; 37(3): 715–718. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text
8. Ali Hassan S, Bhateja S, Arora G, et al.: Marketing in dentistry. J Manag Res Anal. 2020 Sep; 7(3): 98–100. Publisher Full Text
9. Herrera Serna BY, López Soto OP, Williamson LO: Social Media Marketing Strategy Applied to Oral Hygiene. Int J Odontostomatol. 2017 Sep; 11(3): 279–285. Publisher Full Text Reference Source
10. Mary VA, Kesavan R, Mirnalini M, et al.: Dentistry in digital world: A conspectus. Int J Appl Dent Sci. 2020 Oct 1; 6(4): 167–170. Publisher Full Text Reference Source
11. Bădîrcea RM, Manta AG, Florea NM, et al.: E-Commerce and the Factors Affecting Its Development in the Age of Digital Technology: Empirical Evidence at EU–27 Level. Sustainability. 2021 Dec 23; 14(1). Publisher Full Text Reference Source
12. Nabilla MA, Nurlaela AN: Digital Marketing Strategy to Attract New Customer for Dental Clinic (Case Study: Bandung Dental Center). Int J Curr Sci Res Rev. 2023 Jul 12; 06(07). Reference Source
13. Alalawi A, Aljuaid H, Natto ZS: The Effect Of Social Media On The Choice Of Dental Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study In The City Of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2019 Oct; 13: 1685–1692. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text Reference Source
14. Miranda MGP: Dental advisores and sms notification system utilizing predictive analytics. Int J Adv Res Comput Sci. 2019 Apr 20; 10(2): 46–48. Publisher Full Text Reference Source
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16. Freire Y, Sánchez MG, Suárez A, et al.: Influence of the use of social media on patients changing dental practice: a web-based questionnaire study. BMC Oral Health. 2023; 23: 23. Publisher Full Text
17. Liu Y, Dewitte S: A replication study of the credit card effect on spending behavior and an extension to mobile payments. J Retail Consum Serv. 2021 May; 60: 102472. Publisher Full Text Reference Source
18. Meira TM, Prestes J, Gasparello GG, et al.: The effects of images posted to social media by orthodontists on public perception of professional credibility and willingness to become a client. Prog Orthod. 2021 Dec 8; 22(1): 7. PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text | Free Full Text
19. Orrego-Ferreyros LA: Dataset ecommerce. [Dataset]. figshare. 2024. Publisher Full Text
20. Orrego-Ferreyros LA: Questionnaire ecommerce. figshare. 2024. Publisher Full Text

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Version 1

VERSION 1 PUBLISHED 25 Jun 2024

Author details Author details

¹ Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Estomatología, Universidad Cesar Vallejo, Piura, Piura, 20001, Peru

Kely Noemi Barrientos Molina
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Funding Acquisition, Investigation, Project Administration, Resources, Writing – Original Draft Preparation

Luis Alexander Orrego-Ferreyros
Roles: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Project Administration, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Competing interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Grant information

The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work.

Article Versions (1)

version 1

Published: 25 Jun 2024, 13:690

https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.152631.1

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© 2024 Barrientos Molina KN and Orrego-Ferreyros LA. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Barrientos Molina KN and Orrego-Ferreyros LA. Assessment of the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices in an emerging Latin-American city [version 1; peer review: 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved]. F1000Research 2024, 13:690 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.152631.1)

NOTE: If applicable, it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article.

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Reviewer Report 15 Oct 2024

Kamel Mouloudj, University Yahia Fares of Medea, Medea, Algeria

Approved with Reservations

https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.167417.r325094

Dear Author,

I would like to commend you on your insightful paper, which effectively explores the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices within an emerging Latin-American context. Your research is particularly relevant given ... Continue reading

Dear Author,

I would like to commend you on your insightful paper, which effectively explores the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices within an emerging Latin-American context. Your research is particularly relevant given the rapid growth of e-commerce, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strengths:
* The focus on e-commerce in the dental sector is both timely and necessary, as more dental offices are exploring online modalities to enhance their services and competitiveness.

* Your study employs a clear non-experimental, correlational, and exploratory design, which is well-suited for your research objectives. The adherence to STROBE guidelines enhances the credibility of your findings.

* The use of appropriate statistical methods, including Fisher's Exact Test and logistic regression, strengthens your analysis and provides a solid foundation for your conclusions regarding operational cost reduction and sales efficiency.

* The validation of your instrument by experts and the assessment of internal consistency through Cronbach's alpha demonstrate thoroughness in your research design.

Suggestions for Improvement:
1- While your introduction provides a solid context for the study, it could benefit from a more comprehensive review of existing literature on e-commerce in healthcare and specifically in dentistry. This would help to position your findings within the broader academic discourse.

2- The discussion section could delve deeper into the implications of your findings. For instance, exploring how dental offices can leverage e-commerce beyond cost reduction to improve client engagement and retention would add valuable insights.

3- Consider updating your references to include more recent studies and data, particularly from the last few years. This will enhance the relevance and currency of your work.

4- While the study provides useful insights, the small sample size of 34 dental offices may limit the generalizability of your findings. A discussion of this limitation and suggestions for future research could strengthen your paper.

Overall, this paper makes a significant contribution to understanding the relationship between e-commerce and sales efficiency in the dental sector. With some minor revisions, I believe it will serve as a valuable resource for dental practitioners and researchers interested in the intersection of digital commerce and healthcare.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this important work. I look forward to seeing your paper indexed.

Best regards

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Yes
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Yes
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Partly
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

References

1. Bouarar A, Asanza D, Mouloudj S, Bouarar A, et al.: Elderly's Intention to Use Teledentistry Services. 101-116 Publisher Full Text

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Intention to Use Teledentistry Services

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above.

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Reviewer Report 19 Jul 2024

Prof. (Ad.) Dr. Supaprawat Siripipatthanakul, Faculty Member at Bangkok Thonburi University, Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand; Adjunct Professor, Manipal GlobalNxt University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia; Honorary Adjunct Professor, Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano State, Nigeria

Not Approved

https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.167417.r296144

Background
E-commerce has grown essential to the worldwide retail market, especially since the COVID-19 epidemic. Due to rising internet penetration, mobile device use, user confidence, and digital platform innovation, e-commerce has grown rapidly. Dental offices can compete better with ... Continue reading

Background
E-commerce has grown essential to the worldwide retail market, especially since the COVID-19 epidemic. Due to rising internet penetration, mobile device use, user confidence, and digital platform innovation, e-commerce has grown rapidly. Dental offices can compete better with e-commerce. The research sought to determine the association between sales efficiency metrics and private dentistry practices' preferred commerce methods in an emerging economy Latin American city.

Methods
The non-experimental, correlational, exploratory study was applied research. 34 private dental offices were sampled. A basic random probabilistic sample was taken. An instrument with thirteen questions about payment, appointments or consultations, advertising, and sales efficiency maximization was employed. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of the data. For categorical variables, both absolute and relative frequencies were calculated. Bivariate analyses were performed to examine the research objective, utilizing Fisher's Exact Test and Pearson's Chi-square (χ2) test. Logistic regression was applied to estimate proportion ratios. The analysis was conducted with a 95% confidence (p<0.05).

Results
Besides cost reduction (PR=8, 95% CI [1.37; 46.81], p=0.021), does not statistically affect client growth, sales, revenues, or profit. PR=3, 95% CI [0.28; 32.21], p=0.364.

Conclusions
E-commerce greatly reduces operational costs.

The strength is the topic is interesting. The weakness is that the methodology could be more detailed for clarification. Please ensure that the methods in the abstract include data collection (sampling technique, how to collect data, and analysis).

Please identify the population (definite or indefinite population), and how the researchers determine the sample size for n = 34 private dental offices in Peru. Please identify if the sample size determination was based on calculation or software, such as G-Power.

Discussions and conclusions could be more comprehensive. The paper could be up-to-date if references are added for scholarly papers in 2023 and 2024.

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

No
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

No
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Partly
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

No
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Partly
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise: Management (Business/Healthcare/Education), Contemporary Studies, Quantitative Research, and Qualitative Research.

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to state that I do not consider it to be of an acceptable scientific standard, for reasons outlined above.

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VERSION 1 PUBLISHED 25 Jun 2024

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Version 1 25 Jun 24	read	read

Prof. (Ad.) Dr. Supaprawat Siripipatthanakul, Faculty Member at Bangkok Thonburi University, Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand; Manipal GlobalNxt University, Nilai, Malaysia; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano State, Nigeria
Kamel Mouloudj, University Yahia Fares of Medea, Medea, Algeria

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Reviewer Report

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15 Oct 2024 | for Version 1

Kamel Mouloudj, University Yahia Fares of Medea, Medea, Algeria

2 Views Cite this report Responses(0)

Approved With Reservations

Dear Author,

I would like to commend you on your insightful paper, which effectively explores the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices within an emerging Latin-American context. Your research is particularly relevant given the rapid growth of e-commerce, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strengths:
* The focus on e-commerce in the dental sector is both timely and necessary, as more dental offices are exploring online modalities to enhance their services and competitiveness.

* Your study employs a clear non-experimental, correlational, and exploratory design, which is well-suited for your research objectives. The adherence to STROBE guidelines enhances the credibility of your findings.

* The use of appropriate statistical methods, including Fisher's Exact Test and logistic regression, strengthens your analysis and provides a solid foundation for your conclusions regarding operational cost reduction and sales efficiency.

* The validation of your instrument by experts and the assessment of internal consistency through Cronbach's alpha demonstrate thoroughness in your research design.

Suggestions for Improvement:
1- While your introduction provides a solid context for the study, it could benefit from a more comprehensive review of existing literature on e-commerce in healthcare and specifically in dentistry. This would help to position your findings within the broader academic discourse.

2- The discussion section could delve deeper into the implications of your findings. For instance, exploring how dental offices can leverage e-commerce beyond cost reduction to improve client engagement and retention would add valuable insights.

3- Consider updating your references to include more recent studies and data, particularly from the last few years. This will enhance the relevance and currency of your work.

4- While the study provides useful insights, the small sample size of 34 dental offices may limit the generalizability of your findings. A discussion of this limitation and suggestions for future research could strengthen your paper.

Overall, this paper makes a significant contribution to understanding the relationship between e-commerce and sales efficiency in the dental sector. With some minor revisions, I believe it will serve as a valuable resource for dental practitioners and researchers interested in the intersection of digital commerce and healthcare.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this important work. I look forward to seeing your paper indexed.

Best regards

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

Yes
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

Yes
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Yes
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

Yes
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Partly
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

References

1. Bouarar A, Asanza D, Mouloudj S, Bouarar A, et al.: Elderly's Intention to Use Teledentistry Services. 101-116 Publisher Full Text

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Intention to Use Teledentistry Services

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above.

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Reviewer Report

8 Views

19 Jul 2024 | for Version 1

Prof. (Ad.) Dr. Supaprawat Siripipatthanakul, Faculty Member at Bangkok Thonburi University, Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand; Adjunct Professor, Manipal GlobalNxt University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia; Honorary Adjunct Professor, Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano State, Nigeria

8 Views Cite this report Responses(0)

Not Approved

Background
E-commerce has grown essential to the worldwide retail market, especially since the COVID-19 epidemic. Due to rising internet penetration, mobile device use, user confidence, and digital platform innovation, e-commerce has grown rapidly. Dental offices can compete better with e-commerce. The research sought to determine the association between sales efficiency metrics and private dentistry practices' preferred commerce methods in an emerging economy Latin American city.

Methods
The non-experimental, correlational, exploratory study was applied research. 34 private dental offices were sampled. A basic random probabilistic sample was taken. An instrument with thirteen questions about payment, appointments or consultations, advertising, and sales efficiency maximization was employed. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of the data. For categorical variables, both absolute and relative frequencies were calculated. Bivariate analyses were performed to examine the research objective, utilizing Fisher's Exact Test and Pearson's Chi-square (χ2) test. Logistic regression was applied to estimate proportion ratios. The analysis was conducted with a 95% confidence (p<0.05).

Results
Besides cost reduction (PR=8, 95% CI [1.37; 46.81], p=0.021), does not statistically affect client growth, sales, revenues, or profit. PR=3, 95% CI [0.28; 32.21], p=0.364.

Conclusions
E-commerce greatly reduces operational costs.

The strength is the topic is interesting. The weakness is that the methodology could be more detailed for clarification. Please ensure that the methods in the abstract include data collection (sampling technique, how to collect data, and analysis).

Please identify the population (definite or indefinite population), and how the researchers determine the sample size for n = 34 private dental offices in Peru. Please identify if the sample size determination was based on calculation or software, such as G-Power.

Discussions and conclusions could be more comprehensive. The paper could be up-to-date if references are added for scholarly papers in 2023 and 2024.

Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature?

No
Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound?

No
Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others?

Partly
If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate?

No
Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility?

Partly
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results?

Partly

Competing Interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Reviewer Expertise

Management (Business/Healthcare/Education), Contemporary Studies, Quantitative Research, and Qualitative Research.

I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to state that I do not consider it to be of an acceptable scientific standard, for reasons outlined above.

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Assessment of the relationship between sales efficiency and e-commerce in private dental offices in an emerging Latin-American city

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keywords

Introduction

Methods

Type and design study

Participants

Instrument and procedures

Statistical analysis

Results

Table 1. Characteristics of the service offer by dental offices studied.

Table 2. Trade-related characteristics of dental offices.

Table 3. Relationship between sales efficiency maximization indicators and type of commerce used by dental offices.

Table 4. Relationship between sales efficiency indicators and type of commerce in dental offices.

Discussion

Ethics and consent

Data availability

Underlying data

Extended data

References

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