5 Ways to Streamline Supply Ordering for Your Dental Practice
According to Dental Economics magazine, the average dental practice spends approximately 6 percent to 6.5 percent of its expense budget on ordering dental supplies. That may not sound like much, but if you don’t keep a careful watch over your ordering process, you may find that your practice is above average in a negative way – your supplies’ budget percentage may slowly creep into the double digits.
If that happens continuously, it can damage your practice’s profitability.
This means that it’s vital to order the products you need with timely efficiency. Unused items or those that have expired equal wasted dollars. Fortunately, you can utilize these five ways to streamline your ordering process:
1. Every year, take careful stock of the tools you use the most.
Which supplies are you using 80 percent of the time? The answer may surprise you. It’s not unusual for dental practices to restock their supplies without focusing on the frequency of practice procedures. If you perform 5 fillings for every one root canal, then you need to be sure to shift your ordering process to account for the higher volume of fillings and fillings-related tools.
Dental Economics magazine indicates that by using this 80/20 rule (that you use 20 percent of your equipment 80 percent of the time) you’ll be able to see how it would benefit you to increase the number of certain items you purchase in bulk, and that can help you streamline your ordering process.
While some fluctuations with patient needs can be expected each quarter, this evaluation will help you fine-tune your purchasing needs and reduce waste.
2. Utilize the power of online ordering — but make sure the vendor’s website is easy to use.
There are several advantages to ordering supplies such as diamond dental burs over the internet.
However, when it comes to online ordering, not all company websites are equal. An inefficient website or one that is not user-friendly can actually cause you to spend more time ordering supplies than what should be necessary. Shipping concerns or problems with expedited delivery can add more headaches to the process.
This is one reason why we have made our website comprehensive, well-organized and easy-to-use.
If for some reason you can’t find what you need, you can contact our friendly customer service team. When you call our toll-free number at: 1-800-222-1851 you will be connected with one of our customer service staff in Charleston, SC. It’s our goal to provide our clients with an easy, efficient user experience.
3. Use reorder cards to avoid running low on a product.
According to RDH, a magazine for dental hygienists, a small reorder card can make a big difference in calculating needed inventory and purchasing it well before supplies run out.
Simply place a reorder card in the last box of an item, and at the end of the week, you can easily see what you have used and how many you have left. Compile this information and use the data to streamline your ordering process. This also helps ensure that you will never be in danger of running out.
4. “Try Before You Buy.”
Unused inventory doesn’t only take up valuable shelf space– it’s also an expensive waste. You need to be sure that the product you order lives up to its expectations. Before you place a large order for a certain item, purchase a small amount or request a sample of the product so that you can experience its quality first-hand.
Diatech allows you to sample our products so you can experience its quality for yourself. We can also show you the newest products and supplies that are more efficient than the ones you’re using.
5. Establish an effective communication system.
There are few things more frustrating than running out of an important item only to find out that a new supply order has not yet been placed.
This means you may have to have the products shipped overnight, which can easily become a huge expense for the dental practice. It’s best to use a single point of contact. Work with your health care team to establish who will do the ordering and when he or she will need to take inventory and have the information to place the order.
How we streamline your ordering process
We understand that when you need your dental tools you need them quickly and in the most efficient way possible. Even more important is the quality of those dental tools. Review our online dental supply catalog or talk to one of our customer service representatives. We’ll be happy to demonstrate the Diatech difference.
At Diatech, we manufacture superior and innovative products for the dental industry… for the dentist, dental hygienist, dental assistant, orthodontist, endodontist and lab technician. We stand behind our promise of uncompromised quality and the best in competitive pricing.
