Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management Research Articles

Blockchain based Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management System

This initiative will use blockchain technology to address issues and inefficiencies in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The traditional pharmaceutical supply chain is vulnerable to problems such as counterfeiting, data inconsistencies, and a lack of transparency.The proposed solution uses a decentralized and transparent blockchain technology to improve the entire traceability, security, and efficiency of the supply chain. The solution uses smart contracts to automate and enforce preset business rules, lowering the risk of mistakes and fraud. Each transaction, from medicine manufacture to distribution and retail, is securely documented in an immutable ledger to provide a tamper-proof and genuine record. This degree of openness gives stakeholders, including as producers, distributors, and pharmacies, real-time information on the status and placement of pharmaceuticals.

Validation of Instrument Measuring the Impact of SCM Practices and SCM Agility on Competitive Advantage and Organization Performance in Indian Pharmaceutical Firms

Over the years, rival companies have appropriately turned their attention towards effectively monitoring their supply chains. There is an emphasis on implementing supply chain management practices (SCMP) and promoting supply chain agility, which will lead to increased performance and competitive edge. The researchers covered SCM practices and competitive advantage under five sub-constructs while SCM agility and performance were represented by two sub-constructs. The study aimed to provide a questionnaire that is both reliable and valid, designed to measure the impact of supply chain management (SCM) practices and SCM agility on competitive advantage and firm performance within the Indian pharmaceutical industry. Data collection was done using a simple random sampling technique which gave 227 complete responses obtained from listed as well as unlisted pharmaceutical companies. The data was then statistically analysed using IBM SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 4. The resultant questionnaire instrument can be used by supply chain professionals in the pharmaceutical industry in order to conduct primary research and to derive insights that would help in crucial decision-making regarding pharmaceutical SCM with the aim of improving organizational performance.

The Potential Application of Large Language Models in Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management.

The Potential Application of Large Language Models in Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management.

Blockchain technologies in pharmaceutical industry: A comprehensive overview

Pharmacies need to manage their data effectively. A novel technology known as blockchain holds the potential to enhance transparency and safety for various pharmaceutical operations. The Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), which was passed by the US Congress in 2013 to stop pharmaceuticals that are stolen, tainted, or counterfeit, has a response provided by blockchain technology. Blockchain technology is a decentralized distributed ledger that uses cryptographic techniques to provide security to a peer-to-peer network of transactions. These guarantee that a product is secure and suitable for consumer sale. By making sure laws are readily followed, blockchain provides solutions to improve the validity, reliability, and efficiency of medicine production. It also presents a chance to address one of the main issues, which is the surge of fake medications getting into the system and into the hands of patients or customers. According to the pharmaceutical industry, society is seriously threatened by fake medications. False medications have a direct or indirect negative impact on patients health, sometimes leading to major problems and even death. The pharmaceutical industry's inadequate supply chain management is the cause of this counterfeiting, which jeopardizes patient safety and damages the reputation of the manufacturer. Blockchain technology can be applied to supply chain management to provide assurance, security, traceability, and openness to the chain by providing visibility and immutability of each stage in the chain. A relatively new electronic data management technology called blockchain has promise for transparency and accountability. A blockchain is a ledger of transactions that is viewable by all users of a computer network, each with an identical copy of the ledger.

Blockchain technology: A potential tool for the management of pharma supply chain

BackgroundThe pharma supply chain comprises various parties including distributors, manufacturers, raw material suppliers, regulators, pharmacies, hospitals, and patients. Due to the product's complexity and transaction flows, an efficient traceability system is needed in the pharma supply chain to identify the current and all previous product owners. Digitizing the track and trace process significantly improves regulatory oversight and guarantees product quality. A distributed platform for shared data that is immutable, trustworthy, accountable, and transparent in the pharmaceutical supply chain could be built using blockchain-based drug traceability. ObjectiveThis review aims to shed light on blockchain technology's significance and necessity for pharmaceutical supply chain management systems. MethodA comprehensive literature review was performed between January 2017 and September 2023. The search was conducted to elaborate on blockchain technology. Blockchain is a software-based technology that logs and records transactions using a block structure arranged chronologically. Cryptography technology links and secures these blocks on a peer-to-peer network. Blockchain is anticipated to transform the pharmaceutical supply chain by giving all participants access to a single, straightforward system that provides transparency, security, and oversight of the end-to-end delivery of goods. ResultIn all, various literature data were included in this review. Using a supply chain powered by blockchain has many benefits. To begin with, it gives a thorough account of the entire procedure from start to finish. A single piece of software can manage the entire supply chain. Additionally, it increases communication between parties with permission. The enhanced security and traceability that blockchain offers is another important benefit. A blockchain system can track, trace, and recall products. ConclusionBlockchain-based pharmaceutical supply chain management enables the tracking of medicinal drug transactions from raw materials suppliers to end consumers. The pharma blockchain has the potential to enhance the security, integrity, data provenance, and functionality of the supply chain due to its transparency, immutability, and auditability.

Identifying Factors Affecting the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management in Iran

Background: This study has been conducted with the aim to identify factors affecting the management of pharmaceutical supply chain in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was of a combined(quantity–quality)type. The assessment tool was a Likert scale-based five-option questionnaire. Content validity assessment was obtained at 0.89 according to the CVR, and construct validity was at 0.971 using factor analysis.KMO statistics was very high and indicative of a correlation of scale items.In terms of reliability of assessment in re­searcher-made tools, the selected items were analysed, and the results obtained showed that the applied scales enjoyed significant reliability.The sample for the survey was100experts in the pharmaceutical system of the country’s Food and Drug Administration, pharmaceutical companies, technical officer of pharmacies and the ministry of health and medical education. They were selected by purposive stratified non-random sampling and snowball methods. The data was analysed by exploratory factor analysis using SPSS and LISREL. Results: The re­sults of the current study indicated a pattern with significant and direct relationship between independent and dependent variables of medicine supply chain management. The most im­portant indicators of medicine supply chain management in order of priority were distribu­tion management with impact factor, IT management, pharmaceutical structure, pharmaceuti­cal structure programming, coordination, enterprise resource planning, logistics management, knowledge management, financial management, globalization, customer relationship manage­ment, and medical insurance system. Conclusions: According to the patterning indexes, it can be mentioned that the representative model has had a good fit, and a desirable compliance between a structural model with experimental data and expert opinion has been provided.[GMJ.2017;6(4):346-55] DOI: 10.22086/gmj.v6i4.869

Digitalization enhancement in the pharmaceutical supply network using a supply chain risk management approach

One major issue in pharmaceutical supply chain management is the supply shortage, and determining the root causes of medicine shortages necessitates an in-depth investigation. The concept of risk management is proposed in this study to identify significant risk factors in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Fuzzy failure mode and effect analysis and data envelopment analysis were used to evaluate the risks of the pharmaceutical supply chain. Based on a case study on the Malaysian pharmaceutical supply chain, it reveals that the pharmacy node is the riskiest link. The unavailability of medicine due to unexpected demand, as well as the scarcity of specialty or substitute drugs, pose the most significant risk factors. These risks could be mitigated by digital technology. We propose an appropriate digital technology platform consisting of big data analytics and blockchain technologies to undertake these challenges of supply shortage. By addressing risk factors through the implementation of a digitalized supply chain, organizations can fortify their supply networks, fostering resilience and efficiency, and thereby playing a pivotal role in advancing the Pharma 4.0 era.

Impact of Blockchain-Digital Twin Technology on Precision Health, Pharmaceutical Industry, and Life Sciences: Conference Proceedings, Conv2X 2023.

The convergence of Digital Twin technologies with precision health, the pharmaceutical industry, and life sciences has garnered substantial recent attention. As we advance toward personalized medicine and precision health, the fusion of Digital Twin and blockchain technologies is poised to enhance healthcare outcomes fundamentally. This conference discussion highlighted pivotal drivers accelerating the adoption of Digital Twin-enabled blockchain solutions, encompassing the shift to a decentralized World Wide Web (Web 3.0), the establishment of a global interconnected health ecosystem, and the distinct advantages offered by converging frontier technologies in optimizing healthcare, pharmaceutical industry, and life sciences. Yet, the effective deployment of blockchain-powered Digital Twins in precision health necessitates robust cyber safety measures, proactive ethical frameworks, data validation, provenance assurance, streamlined supply chain management, and heightened interoperability. These proceedings underscored blockchain-powered Digital Twins' pivotal role in reshaping health data management, security, sharing, ownership, and monetization and in revolutionizing pharmaceutical supply chain management and novel drugs and therapeutics development within the precision health domain.

Intra-specific pharmacognostic biochemical screening of various populations of Clitoria ternatea L. using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry product ion scanning (LC-MS2 PIS)

Purpose of the researchWhile many inferences have been made about the low degree of genetic variation among intra specific populations of Clitoria ternatea L. (CT), pharmacognostic biochemical investigations using tandem mass spectrometry have never been conducted. Methanol leaf extract of Clitoria ternatea L., populations collected from 13 different agro-climatic zones of India was assessed for identification and characterization of targeted nootropic metabolites, using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry product ion scanning (LC-MS2 PIS). Based on the RI values derived from LC-MS2 (PIS) superior population(s), in terms of the presence of the presence of nootropic metabolites, were identified. The intra-specific correlation among different populations, was analyzed through PCA (principal component analysis), scree plot, correlation matrix and hierarchical cluster analysis. Principal resultsThe targeted mass spectrum obtained by tandem mass spectrometric analysis revealed the presence of acetylcholine, choline, caffeic acid, gallic acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol and D-L valine mass fragments in the leaf of CT. These mass groups are belonging to four classes viz., phenols, flavonoids, neurotransmitters and amino acids. Based on the high degree of relative intensities of targeted nootropic metabolites, the Odisha population, collected from Cuttack, outperformed the rest of twelve populations. Correlation matrix data also revealed that populations habituated in similar climatic conditions show significant correlation with each other. Hierarchical cluster analysis classified the 13 populations in two groups. The first group contained 11 populations and the second group is restrained into two populations; one from Cuttack, Odisha and second one from Udaipur, Rajasthan. Major conclusionThis is the first report to identify the superior population of Clitoria ternatea L. across India, through multivariate statistical analysis of LC-MS2(PIS) for gallic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, kaempferol, D-L-valine, acetylcholine, and choline. Even though earlier studies reported an enhancement of acetylcholine content in the central nervous system. The present work may explain that the plant is a producer of acetylcholine and choline itself so it can directly affect the memory and cognition of the brain. Simultaneously, the study confirms the presence of abovementioned seven nootropic metabolites in the leaf of CT. The Odisha population (collected from Cuttack) transcends over all other 12 populations, with highest RI values of seven nootropic metabolites. According to hierarchical cluster analysis, two populations, viz., the one collected from Cuttack, Odisha and the other collected from Udaipur, Rajasthan were distantly clustered from other eleven populations. Hence, both these populations should be given priority for pharmaceutical supply and value chain management systems.

Exploring the Value of AI Technology in Optimizing and Implementing Supply Chain Data for Pharmaceutical Companies

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the pharmaceutical industry has the potential to revolutionize supply chain management, enabling pharmaceutical companies to optimize their logistics and production processes while improving product quality and overall patient safety. This paper explores the value of AI technology in optimizing and implementing supply chain data for pharmaceutical companies. It reviews case studies from leading pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Amgen, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, and Roche, and examines how they are leveraging AI-powered solutions to optimize their logistics, production, and quality control processes. The paper finds that AI-powered solutions provide several benefits, including enhancing the accuracy, speed, and efficiency of supply chain management, reducing costs, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. The authors advocate for increased investment in AI technology to fully realize the potential of these solutions in the pharmaceutical industry. The paper concludes that the adoption of AI in pharmaceutical supply chain management is critical for improving patient outcomes and ultimately driving the success of pharmaceutical companies in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

An environmental, social, and governance strategic model for managing pharmaceutical supply chains with financial obstacles

This study presents an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategic model to manage pharmaceutical supply chains with financial obstacles. ESG environmental, social, and governance research can help managers make informed decisions so that managers can better choose the corresponding operating strategies, pay attention to environmental protection, and actively fulfill social responsibilities. We consider matching strategies between manufacturers and retailers by classifying them into no matching, decentralized matching, and centralized matching strategies between manufacturers and retailers. Under the matching strategy, we consider the decentralized ESG operation strategy and centralized ESG operation strategy, divide the decentralized ESG strategy into a supplier-dominant mode (SD), manufacturer-dominant mode (MD), and retailer-dominant mode (RD), and study the optimal decision-making methods of supply chain members in different modes. The innovation of this study lies in (1) considering financing constraints; (2) the impact of indicators on society and the environment; (3) no matching strategy, decentralized matching strategy, and considerations of centralized matching strategy; (4) decentralized and centralized strategies under relevant ESG indicators to improve the accuracy of the model; (5) the decentralized ESG operation strategy is divided into a supplier-dominant mode (SD), manufacturer-dominant mode (MD), and retailer- dominant mode (RD); and (6) Applying the ESG strategy to Pharmaceutical supply chain Management. The different models are compared and analyzed to find the equilibrium strategy and the optimal solution under different models. Through various analysis, we found that integrating a pharmaceutical supply chain and the ESG governance strategy can effectively promote the innovation of the industrial chain supply chain. A supply chain matching strategy is more effective in managing a supply chain than a no-matching strategy and can improve the financing efficiency of capital-constrained manufacturers. In the matching strategy, centralized matching can better attract consumers who prefer green and “double carbon” products than decentralized matching. Under the lower level of green investment, the centralized ESG governance strategy can better contribute to developing the pharmaceutical supply chain.

The impact of green human resource management on green pharmaceutical supply chain management practices

Today's competition is among supply chains rather than enterprises as independent actors. Additionally, the success of the actors within the SC network, through the improvement of the global performance, depends on how well they handle the growing environmental problems. For this reason, much attention is given to the greening concept. This paper aims to investigate the Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) impact on Green Supply chain Management (GSCM) in a strategic sector, namely the pharmaceutical sector. Our interest to deal with this issue was aroused by the fact that there are no studies exploring the causality relationships in the pharmaceutical sector in Saudi Arabia. Based on deductive methodology, a questionnaire has been developed. A research sample included 109 pharmaceutical companies operating in KSA. The results highlight a significant impact of GHRM on GSCM practices. In other words, training and performance appraisal, recruitment, and eco-behavior-based rewards influence GSCM practices positively. Based on the results, the study provides new theoretical insights and practical suggestions.

The Effect of Digital Transformation on the Pharmaceutical Sustainable Supply Chain Performance: The Mediating Role of Information Sharing and Traceability Using Structural Equation Modeling

As the global pharmaceutical market continues to expand, the demand for pharmaceutical supply chain is increasing. In the context of “Industry 4.0”, the pharmaceutical supply chain sector needs to accelerate digital construction. Pharmaceutical companies need to strengthen risk management in order to cope with supply disruptions. From the perspective of sustainable development, the pharmaceutical supply chain can achieve sustainable supply performance in social, economic and environmental dimensions through digital transformation. There is a lack of research on digital transformation of pharmaceutical supply chain management. Further research is needed on what specific digital management pharmaceutical companies need to enhance to improve supply performance. This study uses empirical analysis to examine the impact of digital transformation on sustainable supply chain performance and to explore the role of information sharing and traceability as mediators. The aim is to guide the pharmaceutical supply chain to clearly manage the development of digital transformation and obtain sustainable supply performance. This study presents hypotheses based on cutting-edge theoretical findings. In total, 298 Chinese pharmaceutical company supply chain managers were surveyed and Structural equation analysis was conducted using SPSS26.0 and AMOS24.0. The results show that digital transformation significantly and positively impacts sustainable supply chain performance. Traceability plays a mediating role. The mediating role of information sharing is not significant. However, information sharing and traceability as two separate trends can have synergistic effects that together affect sustainable supply performance. The conclusion is that the pharmaceutical supply chain should accelerate digital construction, eliminate the uneven development of digital technology among supply chain members, and reduce the impact of technological uncertainty on performance. Companies are enhancing supply chain security management through information sharing and traceability systems, and are continuously focusing on the role of digital transformation as a driver for sustainable development.

Assessment of knowledge attitude and practice of pharmacovigilance by leaders in public health pharmaceutical supply chain in Nigeria.

Pharmacovigilance involves the spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADR) and ensuring the post-marketing surveillance of the quality and safety of medicines including phytomedicines and other pharmaceuticals used in the management of diseases. Its success depends on the awareness, attitude, and voluntary participation of healthcare personnel, patients, and institutions. This study aimed at examining the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of key pharmacovigilance actors in the public health pharmaceutical supply chain management in Nigeria. Consequently, a cross-sectional approach was used in the survey of 209 leaders of selected public health organizations. Purposive sampling technique was applied to administer validated semi-structured questionnaire electronically. Questions were drawn from the Nigerian national pharmacovigilance policy. Overall, response rate was 55%. Among the responders, medical doctors and medical laboratory scientists had better knowledge and practice of pharmacovigilance than pharmacists. Factors associated with practice of pharmacovigilance include awareness of policy (OR =1.90; P-value =0.1140), training provided by respondents' organizations (OR =1.34; P-value =0.4801), respondents' organization receiving periodic updates from the National Pharmacovigilance Center (OR =1.11; P-value =0.8525) and respondents independently receiving periodic updates (OR =0.83; P-value =0.7279). In conclusion, the study suggests pharmacovigilance outcomes could improve through increased awareness of the policy, training, and periodic safety communications.

Unveiling coordination contracts’ roles considering circular economy and eco-innovation toward pharmaceutical supply chain resiliency: Evidence of an emerging economy

The integration of Circular Economy (CE) and Eco-Innovation (EI) principles flourished as a primary paradigm in Supply Chain Management (SCM) toward both sustainable growth and resiliency. Nonetheless, the challenges in paving the way for CE and EI-focused SCM are the most significant dilemma. Accordingly, this paper attempts to identify the most significant challenges with a case study on the pharmaceutical industry of Iran's emerging economy. Then provide a novel strategic guideline, which roots in the coordination mechanisms. Indeed, this is one of the first papers to provide in-depth insights into the interaction between coordination contracts and challenges of CE and EI-focused Pharmaceutical SCM (PSCM) towards sustainability and resilience fulfillment. To do so, a novel mixed method has been employed. First, a systematic literature review (SLR) has been applied to extract those challenges. Next, according to experts' views, the Fuzzy-Delphi method has been employed to screen the extracted challenges. Afterwards, a list of Game Theoretical Coordination Contracts (GTCCs) was identified via the second stream of literature review. Then, the fuzzy version of SECA (Simultaneous Evaluation of Criteria and Alternatives) has innovatively been developed to measure the finalized challenge weights and GTCC performance scores simultaneously. Eventually, GTCCs were clustered, and the results denoted that the diamond category, including cost-tariff, profit-sharing, cost-sharing, and revenue-sharing-commission, would be the appropriate mechanism for dealing with the inefficiency of Supply Chain (SC) main functions.

The study of modern trends in the development of digital logistics in the pharmaceutical industry

Aim. To analyze the current trends in the field of digitalization of pharmaceutical logistics and supply chain management in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and identify factors that hinder the introduction of digital technologies into the activities of pharmaceutical market entities.
 Materials and methods. To achieve the goal of the study, an analysis of foreign and domestic scientific literature, an expert survey of managers and employees of pharmaceutical companies was conducted. The research methods were abstract-logical, monographic, system and content analysis, expert survey.
 Results. The relevance of digitalization of pharmaceutical logistics and supply chain management in the context of the coronavirus pandemic has been substantiated. A review of the practice of implementing digital technologies in the activities of domestic pharmaceutical companies has been conducted. According to the expert survey, the problems of introducing digital technologies into the activities of pharmaceutical companies from the point of view of managers and the staff have been identified. The reasons that hinder the process of introducing modern digital technologies into the activities of the domestic pharmaceutical sector in the field of healthcare have been determined.
 Conclusions. The use of digital technologies is a necessary element of restructuring the information and logistics support for all participants in pharmaceutical supply chains, improving the reliability and quality of their activities and protecting the chains from counterfeit products. This problem is especially relevant in a pandemic when a well-organized and uninterrupted pharmaceutical logistics becomes in many cases an important condition for preserving not only health, but also human life. Therefore, today it is necessary to implement a comprehensive system of measures aimed at increasing the level of digitalization of the pharmaceutical industry, which will contribute to increasing the efficiency of the functioning of pharmaceutical supply chains, as well as improving the reliability and continuity of drug supply to the population of Ukraine.

Sustainable Supply Chain Strategy and Sustainable Competitive Advantage: A Mediated and Moderated Model.

In the global business environment, sustainability has become a competitive priority of most enterprises. Sustainability as a differentiation approach enables organizations to compete in today's environment. However, despite the increasing adaptability to sustainability practices, pharmaceutical supply chain management is still facing challenges in preserving the global environment. The study contemplates the impact of sustainable supply chain strategy and sustainable competitive advantage while considering the mediating role of sustainable supply chain practice and moderating role of sustainability inhibitors. The data was collected from the 180 employees working in the pharmaceutical companies of Pakistan. The study applied a quantitative approach for testing a theoretical model, using discriminant validity analysis, assessment of measurement model, composite reliability & validity analysis to assess the dimensions and model's reliability and validity. The study results show a positive relationship between sustainable supply chain strategy and sustainable competitive advantage. Sustainable supply chain practice mediates the relationship between sustainable supply chain strategy and sustainable competitive advantage, while sustainability inhibitors strengthen the relationship between sustainable supply chain strategy and sustainable supply chain practice. This study will help managers develop impactful sustainable supply chain management practices that will lead to sustainable performance.

Distance and similarity measures for bipolar fuzzy soft sets with application to pharmaceutical logistics and supply chain management

Pharmaceutical logistics are primarily concerned with handling transportation and supply chain management of numerous complex goods most of which need particular requirements for their logistical care. To find the high level of specialization, suppliers of pharmaceutical logistics must be selected under a mathematical model that can treat vague and uncertain real-life circumstances. The notion of bipolarity is a key factor to address such uncertainties. A bipolar fuzzy soft set (BFSS) is a strong mathematical tool to cope with uncertainty and unreliability in various real-life problems including logistics and supply chain management. In this paper, we introduce new similarity measures (SMs) based on certain properties of bipolar fuzzy soft sets (BFSSs). The proposed SMs are the extensions of Frobenius inner product, cosine similarity measure, and weighted similarity measure for BFSSs. The proposed SMs are also illustrated with respective numerical examples. An innovative multi-attribute decision-making algorithm (MADM) and its flow chart are being developed for pharmaceutical logistics and supply chain management in COVID-19. Furthermore, the application of the suggested MADM method is presented for the selection of the best pharmaceutical logistic company and a comparative analysis of the suggested SMs with some of the existing SMs is also demonstrated.

Multiple criteria decision‐making in healthcare and pharmaceutical supply chain management: A state‐of‐the‐art review and implications for future research

AbstractDecisions in supply chain management (SCM) are subject to numerous conflicting criteria and multiple objectives. For such decisions, multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are definitely appropriate. The implementation of the healthcare supply chain (HSC) is more complex to manage than any other supply chains, as it involves human life, causing conflicts of interest and hindering the final decision. Previous researchers suggested different SC models for healthcare products such as drugs, vaccines, and other medical equipment. This article provides an overview of published articles in the application of MCDM methods in HSCM at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels. We studied and categorized 139 articles published in 2006–2021, providing academic researchers, practitioners, and governments with insights into the application of different MCDM methods. The review allows us to establish guidelines for the selection of appropriate methods for HSC management and provide support to the management of issues in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector.

Estimating the cost of oral health services for 2018/19 financial year at public health facilities in two KwaZulu-Natal districts, South Africa: A retrospective study

Aim: To estimate the cost of the provision of oral health services in the public health facilities in uMgungundlovu and eThekwini districts of KwaZulu-Natal during the financial year 2018/19. Materials and Methods: The study was a retrospective costing analysis using the provider’s perspective for estimating the cost for the period from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019. A mixed costing approach in which secondary data were obtained from the human resources system and the Basic Accounting System (BAS) package. Primary data that was collected at facility level included dental headcount, type of diagnosis, medication prescribed, and consumables utilized. The cost of supply for medicines were obtained for individual items commonly used by dental practitioners during consultation from the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management Unit. The costs are quoted in USD based on an average exchange of R13.25 per USD in 2018. Results: The total dental headcount across the 16 facilities was 206,309 for the 2018/19 financial year. The mean cost for dental outpatient curative care per patient per facility was $45.65 [95% confidence interval (CI): $32.88–$58.42]. The estimated total dental health expenditure across the Province based on an average unit cost per patient per facility equals to 0.86% (95% CI: 0.62%–1.10%) of the total provincial expenditure. Conclusion: The costs of dental outpatient curative care in the current study are higher than other studies and may be indicative of technical inefficiencies within the health system. We recommend that an audit of oral health services be conducted that could identify the technical inefficiencies and provide a platform for re-orientation of oral health service.