Pouch orders fail on the size mix more often than on the quantity. A clinic that buys three boxes of one size and one of everything else ends up folding instruments into a pouch that is too large, which wastes barrier material and weakens the seal. This page sets a size mix from load volume for an Alberta practice and explains how to order 7 by 13 inch Class 4 dual-indicator pouches as part of a three-size core.
What size mix fits a general dental practice?
Roughly 35 percent small, 40 percent medium and 25 percent large. The small size covers probes, explorers and single instruments; the medium covers forceps, scissors and small cassettes; the large covers hygiene trays and mirror-scaler sets. Clinics that skip the medium and use large pouches for everything tend to be the ones with the highest pouch spend per load.
| Size | Contents | Share of use | Packs per box | Monthly boxes at 735 packs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 x 4 in | Probes, explorers | 35% | 200 | 1.3 |
| 3.5 x 9 in | Forceps, small cassettes | 40% | 200 | 1.5 |
| 7 x 13 in | Hygiene trays, larger sets | 25% | 200 | 0.9 |
How do I work out monthly pack volume?
Loads per day multiplied by packs per load, multiplied by working days. A two-chair practice running seven loads a day at five packs per load uses 35 packs a day, or about 735 a month over 21 working days. That is under two boxes per size per month, which is why quarterly ordering in cases usually makes more sense than monthly ordering in singles.
What should the order confirm about the pouch itself?
Confirm the indicator class and the seal type. A Class 4 dual indicator shows exposure to two critical variables, which is what makes the pouch usable as the internal indicator for routine loads. If your protocol requires a separate internal indicator in every pack, the pouch indicator is an additional data point and the budget has to carry both lines.
Confirm the dimensions in both metric and imperial. A pouch described as 7 by 13 inches and shipped from a metric catalogue can differ by a few millimetres at the seal, and a few millimetres is enough to change how a cassette sits.
How should pouches be stored in Alberta?
Flat, in a closed cupboard, off the floor, away from the sterilizer and away from sinks. Alberta's indoor air is dry in winter, which is helpful for the barrier and hard on the film: a pouch that has been handled roughly in a dry room creases, and a crease at the seal is where a peel starts.
Print the load record before the month begins. The sterilization log center hosts a printable weekly page and a log generator that carries unit identifiers onto every line.
Ordering for several clinics? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers. For a sizing review against your instrument mix, the sterilization compliance consultation desk will size it before a case is ordered. Reselling? become a distributor.
Related reading
Where to buy sterilization pouches in Canada; pouch size chart; pouches and rolls: which format fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pouch size mix fits a general dental practice?
About 35 percent small, 40 percent medium and 25 percent large. Skipping the medium and using large pouches for everything raises pouch spend per load.
How many pouch boxes does a two-chair clinic use a month?
Seven loads a day at five packs per load is about 735 packs a month, which is under two boxes of 200 per size, so quarterly ordering in cases is usually simpler.
How should pouches be stored in Alberta?
Flat in a closed cupboard, off the floor, away from the sterilizer and sinks. Dry winter air helps the barrier but makes creasing more likely, and a crease at the seal starts a peel.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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