One of the trickiest things about running a practice is dental inventory. So much can go wrong — you can have an oversupply, undersupply, or even order the wrong supply. Determining how much of what equipment and products your practice comes with experience and knowing what mistakes to avoid.

Whether your head is spinning about your latest inventory check or you’re curious how you can improve your already solid system, Dental Intelligence is here to help with resources to help you establish and meet dental office goals. Explore these seven most common inventory mistakes so your practice can stop making them. 

1. Not Embracing Digital Methods

Say goodbye to writing down long serial numbers and say hello to QR codes. Tracking everything manually may seem logical, especially if that’s been your dental practice’s system for a long time. However, the digital methods now available are much more reliable.

Digital systems even alert you when a product is expiring or running low, taking some guesswork out of inventory. 

2. Not Sampling the Product

New products are exciting! They’re even more exciting if they come with a price reduction. Before you go buying in bulk, try ordering a sample first.

It’s smart to order samples ahead of time, so when the product is really needed, you’ll already know what you want to order. Over-ordering a product you’ve never used before is risky. Do yourself and your patients a favor by testing it out first.

3. Incorrectly Predicting Demand

Determining how much demand for specific equipment or products your practice will have over the next few months is challenging.

The most successful dental practices have strange dips or increases in demand that they can’t predict. To get as close as possible, consult your records to see how much you've used each product in the past. Pay attention to the time of year, your number of patients, and any changes your dental practice has recently gone through. This should help you come to an accurate prediction.

4. Only Considering the Purchase Price

It seems like a financially intelligent decision to look at the most affordable options for your inventory — and it is. That being said, it shouldn’t be the only factor you’re considering. Quality and aesthetics are important, too.

You should also note that the purchase price isn’t the only thing that influences the cost of inventory. Look at minimum order quantities, lead times, shipping costs, and shipping reliability. 

5. Forgetting to Rotate Inventory

Dental inventory is all about out with the old and in with the new. But that means the old does have to go out first. If you focus too much on the new products you order, the older products will expire. Keep track of what you have, what’s coming in, and when everything expires to save money and time. 

6. Going Overboard on Composite Shades

It’s a common practice in ordering processes to order a large variety of composite shades. Master kits, for example, hold up to 32 shades. However, dental practices usually only use two to three shades for up to 90% of their work. This renders most of those shades useless when they inevitably expire. 

To avoid wasting money and materials, order five to six shades. You’re more likely to use them up this way and get your money’s worth out of them. Your inventory list will also be easier to manage! 

7. Not Considering Temperature in Storage Areas

Before you focus on buying new inventory, make sure you’re taking care of what you have. You don’t need to refrigerate all products but take note of those that do need refrigeration.

Even if some don’t need to be kept cold, you should store all products at a safe temperature. Do your research and consider any storage requirements for your products. Keep an eye on that thermostat, but be aware of any hotspots and ventilation issues, too. 

Make Inventory Easier with These Tips and Staff Training

By eliminating these dental inventory mistakes from your process, inventory will be easier than ever. Once you have a good system, stick to it. Know your systems and protocols, and make sure your team knows them, too. 

If you’re worried about the precision inventory demands, consider hiring someone to take on that responsibility. That way, they can focus solely on dental inventory and ensure it runs smoothly. You can also use an existing staff member for this with the right dental staff training. 

Solidifying your inventory process benefits your practice, staff, and patients. Schedule a demo with Dental Intelligence today to find more tools that will transform your dental practice.