Supply Cost per Procedure

Excel Formulas › Dental Practice

All versionsSUMPRODUCT

The supply cost of a procedure is the sum of each item used times its unit cost. Comparing it to the fee gives the supply-cost percentage — a key overhead lever.


Quick formula: supply cost of a procedure:
=SUMPRODUCT(quantities, unit_costs)
Multiply each supply's quantity by its unit cost and sum. Divide by the fee for the supply-cost percentage.

Functions used (tap for the full reference guide):

The example

Items used for a filling.

AB
1ItemValue
2Σ qty × cost$18.40
3÷ $200 fee→ 9.2%

The formula

The formula:

=SUMPRODUCT(quantities, unit_costs) // sum of quantity × unit cost

How it works

How it works:

  1. List each supply used in the procedure with its quantity and unit cost.
  2. SUMPRODUCT(quantities, unit_costs) totals the supply cost in one cell.
  3. Supply % of fee = supply cost ÷ procedure fee — benchmark it (often ~6–8%).
  4. Multiply by monthly volume to budget supply spend.

Supply cost percentage flags the procedures and products worth a closer look. A filling at 9% supply cost versus a benchmark of 6–8% suggests either underpricing or an expensive material — both fixable. Building procedures from a unit-cost table with SUMPRODUCT makes the number exact and lets you test substitutions (a cheaper consumable, bulk buying) against the fee instantly.

Try it: interactive demo

Live demo

Supply cost and procedure fee.

Supply % of fee:

Variations

Supply % of fee

Cost ÷ fee:

=supply_cost / procedure_fee

Monthly supply spend

× volume:

=supply_cost * monthly_volume

Margin after supplies

Fee − supplies:

=procedure_fee - supply_cost

Pitfalls & errors

All consumables. Include single-use items, anesthetic, materials.

Unit cost. Cost per item used, not per box.

Zero fee. Supply % on a $0 fee gives #DIV/0!.

Practice workbook

📊
Download the free Supply Cost per Procedure practice workbook
A supply-cost sheet with the percent, monthly, and margin variants, plus 4 challenges with answers. No sign-up required.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate supply cost per procedure in Excel?
Sum quantity times unit cost: =SUMPRODUCT(quantities, unit_costs). Divide by the fee for the supply-cost percentage.
What's a good supply-cost percentage?
Often around 6–8% of the fee; higher suggests underpricing or an expensive material.
How do I budget supply spend?
Multiply per-procedure cost by monthly volume: =supply_cost * monthly_volume.

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Related formulas: Color / product cost per service · Cost per unit · Supply cost per service

Function references: SUMPRODUCT