Rising labor costs and DSO expansion are among the things dental industry leaders are expecting to see in 2023.
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Two dental leaders connected with Becker's to answer, "What are your predictions for dentistry in 2023?"
Daniel Benson, DDS. Dental Director of Dr. Benson and Associates (Wyandotte, Mich.): What I see for next year:
1. DSO expansion
2. Greater Medicare dental coverage
3. More leverage for dentists with PPOs
4. Labor cost increase slowing
Holli Perez. Co-founder of DirectDental.com: I think 2023 will bring more qualified dental assistants and hygienists to the market as cost of living increases, forcing more people back to the field. However, I do not feel it will be enough to meet the demand of dental offices that need to hire. Meaning, pay rates will stay very competitive and hiring will continue to be a challenge.
Luckily we are seeing dental staffing agencies transform their hiring and temporary staffing models to be more technology savvy and cost friendly for dentists. This gives dentists more tools to fill the open positions in their practice.