Dentalcompare
Clinical Director
At the beginning of each year, we look to the coming months and try to predict what will shape our dental industry. We just posted our 2014 predictions, and you can see them here. But looking back can be as important as looking ahead, so I recently checked back to my predictions for 2013 and thought it might be good to review whether or not we got it right.
Social Media – Fail in some ways, but still evolving. This prediction actually had a modified version that appeared in the 2014 lineup. There was a consideration that traditional social media such as Facebook and Twitter would not have a huge impact on today’s practice. However, as I see it, other services have proven to be much more effective, such as Healthgrades or Yelp.
Death of the Pano – Well it certainly hasn’t gone away. The low cost, low radiation digital pano has continued to replace the traditional FMX. Cone beam continues to expand, and I still think the functionality of 3D will supplant the distorted 2D images of the pano.
Digital Impressions – Maybe this one was obvious, but this field of the products has simply exploded. More digital impression machines are available, and at lower costs than ever. Plus, there is no question anymore whether or not these are easier to use and more accurate than traditional impression material.
Digital X-Rays – Kicking and screaming in some cases, the industry is finally moving toward digital records and digital x-rays.
Increase in Caries – Studies continue to show children 5 years and under have increased decay rates than the 30 years prior. And while this may be anecdotal, I have referred more teen patients this year for root canals than ever before.
The Continued Rise of the Educated Patient – This one has definitely turned out to be true. I have to say it does make a huge difference in treatment recommendations when a patient takes an active role in his or her care. Working with inquisitive, educated patients often means spending more time on the front end, but it is always worth it in the end.