Case Study: Smilebuilderz Spends 70% Less Time on Inventory Replenishment with eTurns

How Smilebuilderz Improved Inventory Control with eTurns TrackStock

eTurns TrackStock helped Smilebuilderz automate inventory replenishment using barcode scanning, giving the dental practice better visibility into inventory levels across its three locations. This helped the team control costs, manage inventory more efficiently, and keep essential supplies available for patient care.

With more than $30,000 to $40,000 in inventory typically on hand at each of its three offices in southeastern Pennsylvania, Smilebuilderz, a provider of orthodontic, periodontic, endodontic, oral surgery, and general dental services, found controlling inventory and containing costs an ongoing challenge.

Smilebuilderz’s inventory comes from multiple suppliers and includes everything from gloves and floss to the controlled substances that block pain during oral surgery. Multiple departments use items in that inventory, and they may be housed at any or all of the thriving practice’s three locations, said Joe Romero, Smilebuilderz’ Procurement and Project Manager.

Romero knew the practice needed a more precise picture of inventory, including processes and controls, and greater insight into optimal inventory levels for various items. And they needed to control costs. “Our question was: ‘Are we carrying too much of the wrong product? Are we not carrying enough of the product we need?’ So that’s where we started. We needed live, accurate data to reduce costs and have greater inventory control.”

A Supplier’s Recommended Solution 

During that search, a representative of health care products distributor Henry Schein, Inc., brought up inventory systems. “He asked me point blank, ‘Are you happy with your current replenishment software? Are you getting enough data? Is it efficient?’ To all those questions, I answered, ‘No, no, and no,’“ Romero said.

The representative specifically recommended eTurns’ TrackStock system and described its features, including automated procurement and inventory management processes.

The representative’s endorsement was enthusiastic, and Romero was intrigued – but cautious. "I needed the ability to streamline our ordering, tracking, and replenishment process, and have all the information across three locations, and data from 20+ vendors accessible from a single application," Romero said.

There was good news: Providing the ability to replenish inventory from multiple suppliers is a linchpin of the eTurns system.

Smilebuilderz Results with eTurns TrackStock:

• 70% less time spent counting and replenishing inventory

• 70 inventory counts per year, up from twice annually

• Better visibility into inventory levels through the dashboard

• Fewer stockouts

• Customized inventory reports

• Responsive customer support
  
  

70 Percent Decrease in Time Spent on Inventory Replenishment

In the first months after implementing TrackStock, Smilebuilderz’ inventory controller reported that the eTurns system reduced the time she spent counting, cataloging, categorizing, and maintaining inventory by 70 percent. That frees her to do other work, including fine-tuning the practice’s use of the eTurns dashboard.

Faster Inventory Counts with Mobile Scanning

Before eTurns TrackStock, frequent inventory counts were nearly impossible for Smilebuilderz. The process required multiple spreadsheets, hand-counting, and manual calculations, Romero said. With TrackStock, Smilebuilderz can now perform weekly, monthly, quarterly, and six-month inventory counts based on item usage. Employees can quickly scan inventory using the TrackStock mobile app, which records details such as item location, supplier, and package quantity. The faster process has also reduced the need for additional staff and overtime during inventory counts.

“I don’t need as many people to do it, and I don’t pay overtime,” Romero said.

Customized Inventory Reports 

Because Smilebuilderz carries varied inventory, Romero said the practice needed to generate customized inventory reports. Whereas their old software could only deliver canned reports, he appreciated eTurns TrackStock’s user-defined fields, which let him assign inventory to cost centers, departments, or order cycles. While the old software could only assign inventory to one location, eTurns could assign inventory to a drawer within a shelf within a cabinet within a room.  

Quick Training and Implementation

Romero’s training focused on reading, understanding, and using the metrics the eTurns system provided. His staff merely needed to gain an understanding of how to track inventory, create an order, and then receive that order. Because the eTurns system is logical and easy to use, Romero said his staff needed only about four hours of training to do that.

Romero said he and the office manager were impressed with how smoothly the new eTurns TrackStock system was implemented, and they quickly gained confidence that TrackStock provided the capabilities Smilebuilderz had been looking for. 

Greater Control of Medications

With its old system, Romero often had to call multiple departments or offices to track down an order's origin among more than 20 vendors.

The new system has also been particularly helpful in tracking controlled substances. “With controlled substances, you really need to understand exactly what’s coming in and going out. We did not have that before,” Romero said. With eTurns, Smilebuilderz can precisely track the arrival, usage, and storage of all medications.

“Now, I can log in and get that information immediately, which I could not do before."

Joe Romero, Smilebuilderz’ Procurement and Project Manager