Every dentist or dental technician has lived the awkward moment at least once: the patient is in the chair or the case is on the bench, and the material you need has just run out. It is rarely carelessness; it is organisation. A well-kept stock does not mean full shelves, but the right products, in the right quantity, at the right time.
1. List the materials you use all the time
Start with a simple inventory: what you use every day, every week and only occasionally. Everyday consumables (gloves, masks, gauze, saliva ejectors, the filling materials you prefer) should never run out. Products you use rarely can be ordered when needed, without taking up space or expiring on the shelf.
2. Set a minimum level for each product
For every important item, write down the quantity below which you reorder. If you use a box of gloves every two days, the threshold cannot be “the last box”. Allow for the time it takes to receive an order and add a small buffer for busy days.
3. First in, first out
When new stock arrives, put it behind the old stock. “First in, first out” makes you use the products with the nearest expiry date first. It sounds like a detail, but with short-life materials it is the difference between a product used and a product thrown away.
4. One person is in charge of orders
In practices with several dentists or assistants, orders easily get lost between people: everyone assumes someone else ordered. Appoint one person to gather what is needed and place the order; the others simply tell them what has run out. A sheet on the cupboard door or a “to order” chat group is enough.
5. Check stock on a fixed day
A weekly check, always on the same day, takes a few minutes and prevents almost every surprise. Look at quantities, expiry dates and damaged packaging, and write down on the spot what needs ordering.
6. Don’t stock more than you can use
Too much stock ties up money and space and increases the risk of products expiring. If your supplier delivers quickly, it is healthier to order more often, in smaller quantities.
7. Stay in touch with a supplier who can advise you
When a new product appears or you need a material you have not used before, it helps to be able to ask someone who knows the field. A supplier who can tell you what alternatives exist saves you time and failed attempts.
In short
- know what you use daily and what you use rarely;
- set a minimum level for every key product;
- use what came in first;
- one person handles the orders;
- check stock on a fixed day;
- order often, in sensible quantities.
With these few habits, consumables stop being a worry and your time stays with your patients and your work.
