Purchasing

Placing an order

Prior to ordering from any vendor, the request must e entered into the Purchasing and Refund Approvals sheet. The PC has delegated authority to authorise purchases up to $250 in value. 

Receiving an order

Deliveries and invoices must be cross-checked against the order to ensure that the order has been correctly filled. 

• What to do when receiving an order - Unpack and tick off each item on the packed invoice to ensure each product is received. Initial the invoice. Remember to update the order status as arrived/backorder on the Purchasing and Refund Approvals spreadsheet.

• How to identify back order stock. What to do if you urgently need something on backorder - Log in to the vendor's ordering site and review back order items, seek urgent stock from Bite or local clinics/vendors

All invoices must be submitted to accounts using the process detailed here. Summarised below

1. Save to the relevant  Accounts folder on GDrive. 

2. Upload to HubDoc, or

   • Email as an attachment to

     1. bitedental.64db@app.hubdoc.com 

     2. tsdaccounts.9e98@app.hubdoc.com

3. if relevant to a patient, save to the patients "contacts" tab in Exact.

We place orders for Lab work from a number of providers, including 

When Lab work is ordered, the following process is followed:

1. The Dentist books the follow up appointment into Exact before the patient leaves the surgery. The dentist adds the term "Lab" and the lab name to the relevant appointment. Alternatively, the dentist must give all these details to Reception. 

2. The DA ensures that the Lab docket is completed before removing it from the surgery. All lab orders must exit the surgery in a plastic container with a docket, even digital requests. Orders to DDL MUST also include an expected price.

3. The DAs must take all Lab work to Steri and enter it into the Lab Tracking Spreadsheet.  Bite is here, TSD is here. Then:

   1. Take work for SSDL through to the Lab. (at Bite)

   2. Pack other work into a courier bag and give it to Reception.  (at Bite and TSD)

4. Reception is to arrange collection with the courier. and update the Lab Tracking Spreadsheet. Preferred couriers are listed in the Lab Tracker instructions tab

5. Checking the status of Lab work:

   1. Each morning at the huddle, the team is to look at the book for yesterday and the next two days to see if there are any Lab jobs at risk. 

   2. At the end of the huddle, as a back-up check, Reception must provide a printed copy of the appointment book for the following two days to each DA. The DAs are to follow up all Lab work, checking that it is on hand, or calling the Lab to ensure that it is on schedule.  Make relevant notes on both day sheets, initial them and hand them to Reception before 2pm for further action or filing. This gives 1.5 days grace to resolve issues. 

   3. Reception is to make any follow up calls to labs, update the Exact record, and make adjustments as necessary. File the day sheets. 

6. Receiving lab work:

   1. All lab work must be accompanied by an invoice, which the dentist must sign as evidence that it has been received and meets specification

   2. SSDL - Lab work will be given to Reception. DAs will update the Lab Tracker and the patient appointment record, noting that the work is in the cupboard, and move the work to:

      1. For Bite - the cupboard

      2. For TSD - the TSD box

   3. All others - Lab work will be received by the relevant practice. Reception staff will update the Lab Tracker and the patient appointment record, noting that the work is in the cupboard.

   4. Reception will:

      1. Upload the SIGNED invoice to accounts

      2. Upload a copy to the client file in Exact

      3. Enter the total in the case tracker

A list of vendors and service providers is here.