Buying Stuff for Dental Clinics: A Simple Guide

What This Is About

Do you run a dental clinic? You need to buy lots of things. This guide will help. It shows how to get what you need at good prices.

Dental clinics use up to 30% of money on supplies. And 20% gets wasted! Let’s fix that.

How Buying Works in Dental Clinics

Step 1: Finding Good Sellers

You need to find people who sell dental stuff. Look for sellers like Henry Schein and Patterson Dental. They must follow FDA and OSHA rules.

Step 2: Ordering

When you order things:

• Make a list
• Check prices
• Click “buy”
• Don’t let just anyone buy things!

This stops mistakes. One clinic saved 76% of time by using a computer system for buying.

Step 3: Getting Your Order

When boxes come:

• Count everything
• Make sure it’s what you asked for
• Check if anything is broken

Step 4: Paying Bills

Pay bills on time. Keep track of what you spend.

Big Problems When Buying Dental Stuff

Problem 1: Staff Buying Without Asking

When staff buy things without asking, it wastes money. Fix this by:

• Having clear rules
• Making a list of OK sellers
• Having one person in charge of buying

Problem 2: Running Out of Things

Running out of things like anesthesia is bad! Patients get mad. Fix this by:

• Counting what you have
• Setting up alerts when things get low
• Always having extra of the most needed items

Problem 3: Prices That Change Too Much

Sellers might charge different prices each time. Fix this by:

• Checking prices from many sellers
• Making deals for set prices
• Joining buying groups for better deals

Problem 4: Breaking Rules

You must follow HIPAA and OSHA rules. If you don’t, you could pay $15,000 fines! Fix this by:

• Only buying from trusted sellers
• Checking that everything meets rules
• Training staff about rules

Best Ways to Buy Dental Stuff

1. Buy as a Group

Join with other dental offices to buy together. Use groups like HealthTrust. This gets you better prices.

2. Use Computer Programs

Use programs made for dental offices like:

• CureMint
• Dentrix
• Open Dental

These help track what you have and need. One office saved 30+ minutes on each order by using computers!

3. Set Up “Buy More” Warnings

Set your computer to tell you when supplies get low. For example:

• When you have only 2 weeks of PPE left
• When tooth cleaning paste is down to 5 tubes
• When you have only 10 mouth mirrors left

4. Train Your Team

Make sure everyone knows:

• Who can buy things
• How to ask for new supplies
• Why saving money matters

5. Check Your Sellers

Every few months, look at how your sellers are doing:

• Are they sending things on time?
• Is quality good?
• Are prices fair?

Drop bad sellers and find new ones.

Helpful Tools for Buying

Here’s a list of tools that can help:

94% of dental offices say using computer programs for buying helps them follow rules better.

What’s Coming Next in Dental Buying

New things that will help soon:

Smart Computers That Predict What You’ll Need

Computers will learn what you use and order it before you run out. They might see you do lots of fillings in winter and order more filling material.

Better Ways to Check Where Things Come From

New ways to make sure the things you buy are real and safe. This is called blockchain.

Earth-Friendly Dental Stuff

More biodegradable things that don’t hurt the earth, like:

• Cups that break down
• Bibs made from plants
• Cleaning stuff that’s safe for water

Questions People Ask

Buying for Special Dental Things

Buying for Implants

When buying for dental implants, you need special items:

• Implant parts from Dentsply Sirona
• Special tools
• Special cleaning things

These cost more so be extra careful about waste.

Buying for Kid Dentists

Kid dentists need:

• Smaller tools
• Fun stickers
• Special kid-size masks

Buying for Making Teeth (Labs)

If you make teeth in your office, you need:

• Special materials
• Tools for shaping
• Ovens for baking ceramic

Saving Money When Buying

Try these ways to save:

1. Buy Together: Join with other dentists to get better prices
2. Check Many Sellers: Don’t just buy from one place
3. Buy at Right Times: Some dental stuff goes on sale at certain times
4. Fix Instead of Replace: Some broken tools can be fixed
5. Buy Just What You Need: Don’t get extra features you won’t use

One dental office saved $36,000 a year by changing how they buy things!

Keeping Track of What You Have

Counting what you have is important. Here’s how:

1. Count Everything: Make a list of all dental items
2. Label Shelves: Put names on shelves so things go in right spots
3. Use Barcodes: Scan things when you use them
4. Do Surprise Counts: Sometimes count to make sure numbers are right
5. Check Use-By Dates: Don’t let things get too old

What to Do When Things Go Wrong

Sometimes problems happen:

Problem: Wrong Items Came

1. Take pictures
2. Call seller right away
3. Ask for right items to be sent fast
4. Keep track of this seller to see if it happens again

Problem: Ran Out of Something

1. Call other dental offices to borrow some
2. See if a seller can bring some today
3. Call patients to move some visits if needed
4. Make a better plan so it doesn’t happen again

Problem: Prices Went Way Up

1. Ask seller why
2. Look for other sellers
3. See if you can use something different
4. Join with other dentists to get better prices

Special Tips from Smart Dental Buyers

These tips come from people who buy for big dental groups:

1. “Buy the same brands in all your offices so you can move things between them if needed.”
2. “Make friends with your sellers. They might tell you about sales coming up.”
3. “Try new things in small amounts first before buying lots.”
4. “Keep some money saved for when amazing deals come up.”
5. “Use digital dental labs for some work to save on equipment.”

Wrap-Up: Main Things to Remember

Buying for dental clinics is important work. Do it well by:

• Planning what you’ll need
• Using computers to help
• Training your team
• Checking that you follow rules
• Looking for ways to save money

Good buying means:

• Happier patients (no waiting for supplies)
• More money saved
• Less stress
• Safer care

Start with small changes. Try one new idea from this guide each month. Soon, your dental office will be saving money and working better!