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The dental industry is evolving faster than ever. Everything from the materials and tools we use to the way we operate and market our dental practices is changing. There has never been a more exciting time to practice dentistry. I’m really looking forward to what this year has to bring for all of us and here are the things on my watch list for 2013.
- Digital Technology – We saw a lot of improvements with the digital technologies available for dentists in 2012 with the launch of products like Omnicam. These advancements not only improve patient care, they also have a significant impact on improving the lifestyle within a practice. If you’ve been on the fence about implementing new technologies into your practice in 2013, I strongly encourage you to check out this article William Choi, DMD, FICOI wrote for Dental Economics. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
- Social Media – We are continuing to see more and more practices get involved in social media to connect with their patients as well as with others across the industry. For many dental practices, this has brought about growth with new and returning patients. However, being active in social media also brings about other challenges. Traditional business lines are starting to become blurred with the personal lives of dentists as well as patients. We see this trend continuing to grow in 2013 as dental professionals try to figure out how to adapt to these changes while staying in compliance with existing regulations, like HIPAA. Stay tuned to Off the Cusp for social media tips and tricks created specifically for the dental industry.
- Patient Focus – In an age of online reviews and word of mouth marketing, dental practices are starting to focus more on the experience within their office to generate growth. Some offer spa-like experiences, while others are appealing to patients with the convenience of one-visit dentistry. Whatever experience you offer within your practice, patients are starting to demand a more personalized experience to their dental care. If you haven’t thought about this yet, I would encourage you to sit down with your Patterson rep to discuss how to improve your patients’ experience.
- Awareness and Prevention – This year, over 30 organizations have teamed up to bring about a new awareness and prevention campaign. The 2min2x campaign features music videos, checklists and a number of other fun resources aimed at educating children about what it takes to achieve great oral health. Be sure to check out the materials available to see how you can get involved in this wonderful initiative.
I look forward to the continued growth dentistry will see in 2013 as well as the amazing partnerships we are creating all across the dental industry. This year will certainly be an exciting one. I hope 2013 will be a lucky one for your practice.
