Increased patient volumes and staffing shortages could lead to a need for shorter appointments with patients, according to one dentist leader.
Dominique Fufidio, DDS, is the clinical manager of insurance at dental artificial intelligence company Overjet.
Dr. Fufidio recently spoke with Becker's about the challenges and opportunities in the dental industry.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What are the biggest challenges facing the industry?
Dr. Dominique Fufidio: The thin hiring market for qualified and motivated office staff is the biggest challenge I felt post pandemic. Prior to the pandemic this was a challenge, but five to 10 years ago hygienists were not in as high of demand or expecting such high compensation. The salaries for all office staff is rising to meet the new market demand in addition to meeting the lifestyle cost with inflation. The consultant-recommended and industry standard performance metric of percentage of office overhead for salaries does need to be subject to a market recalibration.
Q: What technologies/innovations are coming into the industry that will improve efficiency and quality of care?
DF: Artificial intelligence has the unique ability to bring suspicious areas to the foreground, increasing consistency among all providers and secondary providers in the office, especially in a time of high temporary assistance and fill-in needs. AI has been proven to increase treatment acceptance and identify patient needs and opportunities, as well as screen the historical database of an office for radiography update suggestions and possible treatment based on the office standards and policies as well as uninitiated pending treatment.
Q: How do you see your practice/the industry evolving in the next three to five years?
DF: I see a need to decrease the appointment time. Dentistry is technical, complex, and to accommodate all the patient volume needed in a time of resurgence post pandemic while operating with limited staff and functioning in a thin hiring market, we will be forced to see more patients in the office during our normal business hours and still produce dentistry and accommodate patient restorative needs.
Q: If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
DF: The stigma. Dentists can be held in high regard. Dentistry can be portrayed in an admirable light, with a high level of prestige, high moral and ethical ground, a true passion for oral health and general systemic health. However, dentists are constantly depicted as untrusting and masochistic.
Q: What industry trends are you following?
DF: Overall patient volume and dental office spendings, average hygiene salaries, overall dentist and dental team member satisfaction.