Monday, January 6, 2014
Another year has passed and once again we see an acceleration of change in our industry. New and enhanced equipment, technologies and materials continue to make the life of the dentist easier, and the experience more pleasant for the patient.
Here are five keys areas that will continue to redefine the dental visit. These are the trends I see as a practicing clinician that I believe to be most important for the modern clinician.
Guided Surgery
There is no question the impact Cone Beam technology has had on dentistry. Diagnosis and treatment planning will never be the same. The biggest impact, however, is in guided surgery.
What is happening here is more than just a simplification of the steps involved in placing a dental implant. This technology represents an ability to truly have the restorative outcome drive the position and placement of the implant. Companies such as Sirona or Materialise have allowed us to digitally plan the entire surgery before performing any actual work. This technology eliminates the classic headache of getting an implant case back from the surgeon and trying to figure out what to do because the implant was put where there was bone instead of where the final position of the tooth should be. Guided surgery allows for better precision across the board, especially in cases which a less experienced provider is placing the implant. An added benefit is guided surgery requires a fraction of the time compared to free-handing the surgery.
Better precision, better outcome, better experience. That’s a win-win.
Laser Dentistry
Early in the millennium, lasers made a dramatic entrance with promises of revolutionizing dentistry. Well, to be blunt, the technology didn’t quite do that.
It’s not that dental lasers didn’t work in an amazing and fantastic way, they just didn’t replace the rest of the equipment in our operatory, and they came with a price tag that left a hint of bitterness when they weren’t being used. Today, lessons have been learned. Lasers are less expensive, smaller in profile and actually work the way they were designed.
We have learned much about how lasers can aid in periodontal therapy, allowing us to do more than simply resecting a fibroma. Replaceable tips have usurped the tedious process of stripping the fiber cord. And with digital impressions more popular than ever, gingival cord is no match to achieve good hemostasis and a clear field for your image when compared with what a diode laser can do.
Chairside CAD/CAM Dentistry
Speaking of digital impressions…In 2013 I predicted that digital impressions would see a huge transition with an increase in public acceptance and new machines arriving on the market. In 2014, we will not only see that trend continue, but will add the ability to fabricate restorations in the office with more options than ever.
Digital impression systems such as the 3M True Definition Scanner or the TRIOS from 3Shape can connect to a variety of milling stations that work with most modern materials such as lithium disilicates. What is not happening here is “hurry-up” dentistry that compromises quality and esthetics. These CAD/CAM restorations are amazingly accurate, and the esthetics will be as good as you take the time to make them. Keep in mind that the lab you use has most likely made the transition to CAD/CAM a long time ago. These concepts are not new to dentistry, but they are making profound waves in the office like never before.
Digital Communication
Our patients are more and more living their lives online, and we need to be able to reach them there. However, I’m still not a fan of the practice Facebook page. It requires a ton of work, and unless you are paying for sponsorships, your message can easily be lost in a sea of baby pictures and political rants. Besides, how many hygiene tips can you post in a year, and how many do your patients really want to see? Still social media can’t completely be ignored, and review sites such as Yelp will continue to grow too.
However, I believe the biggest potential for online change is through services such as Sesame Communications or DemandForce. These companies allow you to send appointment confirmations via email and texting, and the patient can reply remotely without having to call you back. You can maximize internal marketing with email newsletters or birthday greeting, all without the cost of postage. Patients also can receive surveys about their visit, enabling feedback for you and your staff to improve on patient care. Some of these services allow a patient to access a personal account online, showing appointments, insurance information, copies of recent digital images, and more. These software-based services are being integrated into practice management software as well, making patient communication, easier and more seamless than ever before.
Renaissance Dentistry
At the very heart of all of this, our role as dentists is changing. We cannot simply show up, do some fillings and go home. Dozens of years ago the general dentist did it all, from lab work, to root canals, to extractions. Then specialists became prominent, but the pendulum is swinging back the other way, and more and more dentists today will require a unique understanding of all aspects of dentistry.
It’s not about being an expert at everything, but to be aware of all specialties to make good clinical and business decisions. You don’t need to set up your own computer network to know you need to have an office with digital x-rays and digital communication. You don’t need to understand how the Omnicam works to be able to maximize quality and efficiency with CAD/CAM dentistry. You don’t have to place your own implants to be able to intelligently talk about restorative options for a patient, and to choose the best system for the case. The modern dentist needs to know about the specialties in order make intelligent decisions about which technologies to implement for specialty care and even then which cases still require the skills of a specialized expert. Welcome to the Age of the Renaissance Dentist.
Do have your own predictions for 2014? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think will be the Hot Topics this year!