Overspending of dental supplies is a common occurrence in offices up and down the country. We often start off with good intentions and stick to our budgets, but as time goes on, we get distracted by the day to day events in the dental office and costs quickly creep up. Here are a few reasons why practices are spending too much and how to stop the rise.
No Hoarding
I can be all too tempting to keep a large store of your supplies and equipment in your cupboards, but it is important not to do this, as it can lead to overbuying of stock you already have.
Purchase Manager Could Be the Solution
We feel that if you put one person in charge of ordering dental supplies, you will likely see better stock management and costs reduce over time. If many people buy supplies, it can be hard to keep track of what has been purchased. This will also mean there is no accountability as to why the overspend is occurring. If you place one person in charge of supplies, you can set a target for them to adhere to and financially reward the purchasing manager for sticking to the budget, without having an impact on patient care.
Analyze Supply Invoices
After a long hard day, this can be a laborious task that you may not have the motivation to do. But, if you want to decrease costs, this is a necessary thing to do. You will be surprised at all the overcharging that is uncovered when you do in fact analyze your supply invoices.
Shop at Supermarkets for Non Dental Specific Products
Do you really need to order stationery and other non-dental specific products from dental suppliers? They are often cheaper if you shop at your local superstore, which will help you slowly bring down costs. This is a great way to save money in the long run, as the small savings do add up.
Try Online Dental Supplies Websites
We would encourage you not to order your supplies through a dental supply company that comes to your office, as they will likely add on a sizeable percentage for their time. You can save a lot of money by using dental supplies websites such as http://www.boomsupplies.com, so why not give them a try?