Generally, the supply expenses for a healthy dental office should be between four and six percent of the total overhead. If your dental supply percentage is extremely high, here are four possible reasons why and ways you can reduce it. Read on for further insight.
You are paying overboard
A key reason why your dental supply bills are spiraling is that you're paying overboard. If you can purchase the same dental supplies at a lower price, why don't you? Many dental clinics blindly purchase from the large suppliers without ever looking for a better deal? The truth is that it does require time and effort to search for a better deal, but there's a better route. Look into joining a pharmaceutical buying group and enjoy increased buying power and better discounts from vendors derived from the collective buying power of the members.
Buying too much
Some dental supplies are likely to expire before they are made use of. You don't need 20 cases of impression material occupying your shelves simply because the sale representative informed you their company is conducting a special. Version 3 may be on the cards before long, and you may wish to try it; however, you are burdened with a whole year of version 1. Introduce an inventory control system in your dental clinic so that your buying is as lean as possible and typified by adequate stock, not too much.
Who is in charge of ordering?
Having more than a few people making orders for dental supplies will undoubtedly lead to a spiraling supply bill. The mindset might be that no one is accountable; therefore, it does not really matter whether the clinic orders seven cases of patient napkins three days consecutively. Appoint only one person to be in charge of ordering and come up with an incentive programme that rewards the ordering coordinator for maintaining the supply percentage below a certain mark.
Including non-dental items in the dental supply category
Office supplies are often mischaracterised as dental supplies, particularly if you make purchases from the same supplier who also doubles up as your dental items supplier. Office supplies are combined together with that of dental supplies on the same bill. Another major reason behind skyrocketing dental supply bill is implant parts. Transfer copings, screws, abutments, and analogues are costly and ought to be classified as lab cost. On the other hand, the 18 wrenches and 30 screwdrivers inside the plastic Tupperware container fall into the equipment classification.
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