The integration of dental and medical care, the rising cost of the workforce and the prominence of artificial intelligence in dentistry are three trends dental executives and dentists are following.
Here, seven dental executives answered the question: What are the top trends you are following in healthcare today and why?
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Thomas Berry, MD, DDS. Vice President of Clinical Affairs at ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers (Greenwood Village, Colo.):
Along with the technological advances in dentistry related to digital workflow, 3D facial photography and 3D printing, the surgical side of full arch restorative procedures is also alive with new and ongoing innovations. The surgical realm is noting strong advances with navigation-assisted surgery, robotic-assisted surgery and more recently, augmented reality (superimposed 3D imaging) as an adjunct to assist surgeons with safety and accuracy. As these technologies advance, this will be seen as a win for both patients and surgeons alike.
James Jones. Vice President at Cal Dental USA (Los Angeles):
1. Intraoral camera is key when presenting cases to treat patients. That is one thing our group makes sure is top quality.
2. Social media and online marketing has been a key for our group. It is 2023 and your presence online is key, because you have the ability to reach more people and interact with them. Patient testimonials on social media are also important.
3. Asking patients for their honest reviews and feedback. This is a gray area because of rules regarding asking for reviews, but usually patients that come in after reading great reviews are more inclined to trust the office and the organization, which in turn becomes a successful practice.
Carey Lasher. Vice President of Performance at Independence Dental Services (Dallas):
1. Like many in the dental industry, we are following the rising cost of attracting and retaining a qualified workforce. We continue to work on balancing hiring and retention of clinical staff while managing the increasing costs of personnel. This is one of our top concerns so we can continue to provide premium care in a reasonable amount of time and at reasonable costs for our patients.
2. The second trend we follow is the pulse of the dental industry as it warms to joining DSOs and understanding how our DSO can meet the wants of the "never DSO" dentist.
3. Following the economics of dentistry is important. Understanding the spending habits geographically and demographically for healthcare — specifically, dentistry — can help be a predictor for organic growth for DSOs. Using the information on spending habits plays a role in determining how to allocate resources to ensure maximum sustained organic growth.
Adam Richichi. CEO of Dental Associates of Connecticut (Danbury):
1. Artificial Intelligence: I am fascinated by the many applications for AI in the healthcare space. From automating revenue cycle processes to aiding in clinical diagnosis, we will continue to see rapid innovation here.
2. Consolidation in healthcare: As a dental industry executive I am no stranger to consolidation. What I am very interested in is following the next healthcare sector to be hit with the consolidation bug. We are seeing it happening actively in veterinary. I am sure that other areas of healthcare not yet touched by rapid consolidation may have that in their future.
3. Integration and amalgamation of dental and medical: It is becoming abundantly clear that there is both a clinical efficacy and business case for a near complete integration of these two areas of healthcare. I believe in the next decade we will see the boundary between dentistry and at least primary care to be largely erased.
Hoss Said. President and CEO of Massoumi Dental Corporation (Chula Vista, Calif.).
The coverage and premium fees … increase the cost of healthcare for everybody each year.
Aalok Shukla. Co-founder and CEO of Beyond the Clinic (London):
1. Digital Patient Journeys. Banking and retail services offer a lot of services that can be done straight from a mobile phone such as paying in a check or any type of payment or transfer. Similarly, healthcare providers should have digital services that can be easily accessed from a phone, such as an asynchronous consultation, second opinion or at home solutions. These can then even be started from different locations such as in a pharmacy, or even as part of an employee benefit plan. I am interested to see how this gets incorporated more and more into different locations.
2. Hybrid care models. Telehealth is a good first step, but a lot of care needs a combination of remote and in-person care, which is why the hybrid care model is growing in popularity. Hybrid care also means that solutions can be provided at a lower cost structure to increase access, so I am interested to see which specialties adopt this more.
3. AI in healthcare. Lately ChatGPT is creating huge interest in all industries, and healthcare is no exception. With the adoption of digital patient journeys and hybrid care models, it's easy to visualize an AI care assistant that would help get photo/consult submission and answer most questions about clinical conditions based on a customized AI model that is fine-tuned for that clinic's tone and specialisms.
Theresa Wang, DDS. Chief Clinical and Development Officer at ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers (Greenwood Village, Colo.):
The rate that 3D printing software, hardware, and materials for dentistry are developing is remarkable. Most of our scientific publications cannot keep up with the latest materials on the market for various applications across dentistry. Although the milling of restorations still provides the most predictable outcome, with the development of better printable materials, that may change. 3D printing offers reduced cost and increased efficiency, which can benefit the patient experience significantly. We are watching this closely.