In the last few decades, technology has come a long way. Just think about all the changes there have been since you were growing up. This includes in the field of dentistry. Each year, techniques, technology, and instruments become more advanced and allow for better, more reliable care. In the next decade, there are a lot of new advancements we can expect in the dental field. Your dentist shares just some of the new dental trends that you can expect.
Teledentistry
You have probably already heard of dentists using teledentistry to make communicating with patients easier. However, you can expect it to become even more popular in the next 10 years. Providers of dental care will be expanding outside of their normal office spaces, allowing them to work with their patients more often. This will also make visits for cleanings and checkups easier to schedule. In the end, this is an effort to give patients every opportunity they need to get care in an easy and efficient way.
Additional Responsibilities for Hygienists
So many aspects of dentistry are growing outside their current limits. In addition to this, overall supervision laws may broaden depending on your state. Hygienists are likely to begin receiving additional responsibilities in preventive, diagnostic, and restorative care. This allows for dentists to spend more time on complex and specialty procedures.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
You have seen AI come a long way in the past few years. As you probably already guess, artificial intelligence will be becoming even more complex and useful in the coming decade. You can expect to see AI reviewing x-rays and scans, crown margins, and establish aligners more accurately. In the end, this is time saved for your dentist and higher quality care for patients.
Group Dentistry
When it comes to dental insurance, maximizing your benefits can be complicated and confusing to do. There are so many plans and providers out there, so navigating your own can be a pain for some. In the next decade, dental offices are planning to join together to provide more affordable services and standardized systems for patients. This will help patients to have a better understanding of their benefits.
Payment Models
Dentists will be finding new ways to offer bookings, payments, and pre-authorization for patients. Dental will become integrated into systematic healthcare systems online, it will become easier to track dental data, and payments will become more transparent than ever before. This means additional security as well!
It may seem far away, but 10 years will pass you by before you know it. Even though the future can be uncertain, there are plenty of things to look forward to, including more advanced and high-quality dental care.
About the Author
Dr. Christine DiBlasi Laster graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Dentistry. She is a member of the American Dental Association, North Carolina Dental Society, American Association of Women Dentists, and several others. Dr. Laster is committed to continuing her education in order to stay up to date with the latest treatments and technology in dentistry. For more information or to schedule an appointment at her office in Raleigh, visit her website or call (919) 787-0355.