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Drilling the Data: Students Use Six Sigma DMAIC to Improve Dental Practice Inventory Management

Lisa M. Walters and Reneta Barneva

The BRC Academy Journal of Education

Volume 6

Number 1

Print ISSN: 2152-8756 Online ISSN: 2152-8780

Date: March 15, 2017

First Page 57

Last Page 74

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15239/j.brcacadje.2017.06.01.ja03

Abstract

This work explains how data analytics within the framework of Six Sigma Quality, known as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control), was used to diagnose and improve the inventory management process at a local dental practice which was operating at a loss. The analytics was done as part of a capstone project. The students defined the problem using data mining, and further identified the scope of the problem using Critical-to- Quality trees, Supply-Input- Process-Output-Customer (SIPOC) diagramming, and prioritizing the focus on the problem using a prioritization matrix. They further refined the business case and set specific goals for the improvement, in terms of revenue spent with regard to inventory and enumeration of expired materials. As a result, the dental practice got a report that allowed them to realize significant savings. Additionally, the students gained invaluable experience in taking a data-driven look at problems.

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