2023 was a dynamic year for the dental industry, complete with significant changes fueled by economic ups and downs, rapid technological innovation, and a tightening labor market. Throughout the year, many factors played a role in shaping and changing how dentists deliver care, especially as more practices across the industry looked to implement newer technologies.
The challenges of the year have inspired technological innovations that in some cases were long overdue across the dental practice landscape. As we look to 2024, here are four trends for dental professionals to keep in mind.
1. AI and automation will continue to take center stage.
The AI revolution continued to reshape many aspects of healthcare throughout 2023, and the dental industry felt its impact significantly. In the past year, we’ve seen more and more practices integrating the technology to enhance diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning. For example, AI-powered diagnostic software enables more effective patient communication by providing dentists with a visual aid that helps patients see and understand their diagnosis. Others include the growth of AI-powered 3D printing and intraoral scanning, allowing more accurate representations of a patient’s mouth. Although AI in dentistry is still in its early stages, it has the potential to revolutionize the field. In 2023 alone, 77% of dentists reported positive results once they adopted AI into their practice. As dental practices continue to innovate and embrace AI in 2024, we can expect to see a rise in personalized, technology-backed care approaches that will ultimately improve patient outcomes.
2. Preventative care will become increasingly important.
Traditionally, dentistry has prioritized reactive care, but now we’re seeing a heightened focus on more preventive care solutions. During the pandemic, there was a significant decrease in the provision of preventive oral health care services when compared to pre-pandemic levels. This was partially due to the closing of practices, the increased uncertainty among some patients who were apprehensive about seeking care due to potential COVID-19 exposure, as well as many losing their employer benefits. According to a recent study, 92% of Americans are still delaying care due to costs and in some cases, a patient thinks dental care isn’t fully needed.
The reduction in preventive measures seen across age groups is concerning and could lead to an increase in cavities or deterioration of periodontal status. However, this year we saw a rise in dental professionals prioritizing both patient education and technology that advances preventive care, a trend we can expect to see grow even more in 2024. Predictive analytics, for example, can enable dentists to make data-driven decisions around a patient’s care and predict conditions such as periodontal or cavities.
3. Workforce shortages will remain a persistent challenge.
Staffing shortages have been a significant challenge across the entire healthcare spectrum in recent years due to the lasting effects of the pandemic, healthcare strikes, the aging population, among others. According to data from McKinsey & Co., by 2031 there could be up to 36,000-plus vacancies for jobs in dentistry with shifting workplace demographics, increased patient demand, and economic challenges. This shortage has led to intense burnout across the industry, for dentists, hygienists, and even patients. To minimize the effects of the staffing shortage, we can expect to see more dental professionals leveraging technology that improves efficiency throughout their practices, enabling providers to practice at the top of their license This includes integrating AI-assisted and automation tools to streamline administrative tasks such as appointment scheduling, billing, and address patient questions. While many practices have already begun integrating some form of AI into their practice, it will be crucial for professionals to maximize the full potential of the technology.
4. Practices will begin shifting to newer models of care delivery.
Dentistry will always be a hands-on industry, but we can expect to see an increase in the use of teledentistry and remote monitoring solutions to meet evolving patient needs and effectively triage patients. Oral health is a direct link to overall health, and with oral diseases affecting over half the population, making dentistry more accessible is one step closer to improving health outcomes. The key is to implement the right solutions that allow dental professionals to make informed decisions. For example, AI-enabled remote monitoring solutions powered by smartphones allow dentists to visualize what is happening inside a patient’s mouth in place of a traditional visit. Health tech is evolving, and dental professionals will need to quickly prioritize perfecting the patient experience and embrace these emerging trends to ensure their organizations thrive.
The dental industry was met with some demanding challenges in 2023 and yet, we still saw promise as technologic innovations continued to transform the landscape. In 2024, we can expect to see even more innovation. As the industry embraces these trends, we will see better patient outcomes, more advanced models for proper care delivery, and overall, a shift in the narrative on the way we think about dental health. The key for dental practices will be to ultimately begin adopting early on to ensure they remain a sustainable practice in the long run.