Are you in charge of your dental office's supplies, but don't know how to stay on top of it, or on track while you're counting?

Are you new to the role and/or unsure of whether you might have missed something?

This article will go over all the basic necessities to maintain your dental office supplies at a sufficient level and give you some suggestions you might not have been aware of. 

How do I save money on dental supplies? 

Operating a dental office requires a substantial upfront cost for dental equipment and supplies.

Dentists spend a large percentage of overhead keeping those supplies stocked.

Many routinely purchase items from a dental supply distributor, never realizing they are overpaying for items.

Unlike manufacturers, distributors charge more for products, therefore increasing dentists' overhead costs.

Manufacturers save dentists money by cutting out the middleman and providing the lowest prices for dental supplies.

Basic Equipment Costs

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Masks are an important part of dental personal protective equipment (PPE).

With quality masks, you and your staff can reduce the spread of germs, bacteria, and other infectious particles present in patients’ mouths.

Masks are recommended by several protocols, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration Bloodborne Pathogens.

Dental workers need to be trained on how to keep infections under control and understand the role of disposable masks in disease prevention.

Sterilization pouches are a vital tool that help to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

These specialized pouches provide an extra layer of protection against infection by killing instrument germs and bacteria.

They provide a sterile environment that prevents cross-contamination, which can be potentially dangerous.

But how do sterilization pouches work?

Sterilization pouches use a combination of heat, humidity, and pressure to create an environment inside the pouch that eliminates microorganisms.

The pouch is constructed from solid paper and/or plastic material

This explanatory article on barriers is part of a series of articles that were created to help new office managers and patients understand the uses and best practices of barrier products for infection control. 

Interim guidance on infection prevention and control for suspect, probable, or confirmed monkeypox within Healthcare settings*

Symptoms of Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Symptoms of hand-foot-and-mouth disease usually include fever, mouth sores, and skin rash. The rash is commonly found on the hands and feet. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is common in infants and children younger than 5 years old. Most children have mild symptoms for 7 to 10 days.

Fever and flu-like symptoms

Children often get a fever and other flu-like symptoms 3 to 5 days after they catch the virus. Symptoms can include fever, eating or drinking less, sore throat, or feeling unwell.

Mouth sores

Your child can get painful mouth sores.

Norovirus:

• Is a small non-enveloped virus (27 nanometers); moderately to highly resistant to inactivation
• Worldwide infections number greater than 680 million recorded cases annually, with 200,000 deaths (from 2015 data)
• Is a very persistent virus in the environment (water and environmental surfaces)