Success at your clinic comes down to your experience but also your equipment. To do your job as expertly as you’re trained to, you need the right tools for your practice. As you start looking to get your clinic set up, here are some ways you can make sure to get the right equipment and supplies:
Make sure you work with a reliable supplier
The first thing you want to worry about when opening a dental practice is choosing the best and most professional dental supplier that you can rely on. The last thing you’ll need in your dental practice is a supplier that doesn’t deliver on time. Additionally, a top dental supplier will offer competitive pricing, discounts, and freebies every now and then and will guarantee on-time delivery of the supplies.
Know what essentials are for your practice
Before you start buying supplies and equipment, you’ll want to plan ahead. Think about the services you will be providing and the type of extensive equipment you may need for that. Additionally, you should plan for all of the essentials that you simply can’t function without.
This will include little things like gloves, napkins, handpieces, carts, mirrors, and also larger items like a washer-disinfector and X-ray machines. Make a list of everything you will need to get started to make sure not to miss a thing you may need for your practice to run smoothly. Consider using inventory management software to keep track of these details.
Don’t be afraid of used or refurbished equipment
When shopping around, you’ll find that some of the larger medical equipment can actually be bought refurbished. This can save you a lot of money, as brand-new dental equipment can be pretty expensive in this day and age. Used equipment can look like new, so don’t worry about having your clinic look outdated.
While you may not be able to find newer designs for some equipment on the used market, if you don’t need the latest features, you’ll find plenty of options for your practice.
Delay some purchases
You don’t need to buy everything you’ll ever need all at once. While you want to make sure you have more than enough for your dental clinic to run smoothly for the first months, delay some purchases as you build up capital for your business. While you’ll need all of the more extensive equipment to get started, an abundance of the smaller supplies can wait.
Keep on top of current inventory
Once your practice is running and you have plenty of patients coming in, inventory will be going fast, especially when it comes to supplies that must be disposed of after each patient. Make sure you are on top of orders, so you’re never left without the necessities when you have patients to see.
Whether you have a dental clinic manager or an inventory manager, designate someone to handle each order so you can always have what you need when you need it. In some clinics, the dental assistants handle this aspect of the clinic. However, when your practice is busier than ever, you may find you need someone specific whose job is geared towards supplies and inventory.
In Conclusion
When you start setting up your practice and are looking around for supplies and equipment, plan ahead so you can ensure you have all the right materials needed for implants, fillings, root canals, and so on. While getting your practice started is pricey, you can save money while finding the goods that will get you going with your new clinic when you shop around smartly.
