5 Dental Industry Trends to Pay Attention To

Dental industry trends are constantly changing, and it’s important to stay on top of them to ensure you’re providing the latest and greatest to your patients. Here are five dental industry trends to consider:

1. Group Practices

Group practices have increased in popularity for two big reasons: 1. The dental school debt struggle is real and 2. The costs of running a practice won’t go down. There are going to be challenges, ups and downs, and lots of money spent. Why not go in with a partner or two? This can also help your practice grow faster, which can mean more patients, more appointments, and more money.

2. Increased Dental Coverage

Dental insurance coverage (for children and adults) has increased, therefore causing a “dental catch up” period. This means that families that previously couldn’t afford dental care, or thought they didn’t need it, are now making up for lost time. This could lead to more appointments and, if they waited too long, possibly increased dental treatments. However, this insurance increase isn’t the case for everyone, which leads to number 3…

3. Customized Financing

Patients who don’t have dental coverage through an employer or public program are either paying out of their own pockets, or forgoing the dentist altogether. This has created a new trend of creative financing options among dental practices. This could include customized payment plans, separate yearly rates, or other unique options. This trend can set dental practices apart by showing the patients that no matter their coverage, the practice cares about their dental health.

4. In-office Experience

Differentiating your practice by providing in-office experiences that other practices don’t provide is increasing in popularity. Dental appointments aren’t something a person typically looks forward to, so creating a positive in-office experience can make all the difference. Think creative waiting room activities, in-chair entertainment, or anything that doesn’t make “going to the dentist” a chore people dread doing. This can be beneficial for adults AND kids; when the experience makes it easier to take their kids to the dentist, parent’s will choose that practice over others.

5. Investing in New Technology, Despite the Cost

This industry trend is dependent on new technology, which is continuously being created and utilized. Practices are increasingly investing in new technology that makes things easier for the dentists, the hygienists, and the patients. Many dentists agree that the cost of implementing new technology as it’s needed is less than the cost of losing patients. Some new technology advances in the dental industry include 3D printing, digital impressions, and laser cavity detection.

Applying Dental Industry Trends

Implementing these dental industry trends to fit your practice can be beneficial for you and your patients. Keeping an eye out for new emerging trends is important to guarantee patients the best experience possible.