Six Dental Industry Trends to Watch Out For in 2019
By Space Coast Daily // December 20, 2018
With the ever-changing nature of technology and government, the dental industry evolves bit by bit every year.
The rise of the internet has only expedited this process, as treatment, marketing, and many other factors are constantly shifting in the online space.
For this reason, it is an excellent idea to keep up with important industry trends and see if you can use them to your advantage. This is especially if you own a dental clinic like this Dentist in Los Angeles and want to stay updated with these trends.
We detail some of the most important of them in the sections below.
Insurance Dynamics
After many months of turmoil, it seems that our current federal insurance system is staying the same. Still, terms are always changing on lower levels of organization, as people’s companies are constantly adding dental insurance or taking it off. Additionally, there are developments like the extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
What this program does is allow for kids to get the dental care they need, despite their parents not having the money for it. The ultimate point is that staying flexible and open to non-conventional means of payment can benefit everyone in the dental system.
3D Printing
Though 3D printing has been around for quite a long time now, its costs have dropped so much that it is becoming even more relevant in the dental world. What providers can do is purchase a printing device for their practices and use them for specified treatment. They can also outsource these tasks to labs that use 3D technology.
More Competition Online
Running advertisements on Facebook, Google, and other platforms was a goldmine at the start of this decade. Now, it is standard practice among many local businesses, dentists included. The result of this level of competition is that dentists have to work harder and pay more for the same amount of patients.
While some will get discouraged and ditch online advertising entirely, this strategy is not advisable. Instead, these dentists can obtain professional help with targeting and copywriting, which will give them the most bang for their buck.
The Continued Rise of Review Sites
Review sites like Yelp and Google get more and more powerful every year. While personal references and local advertisements are useful, this new means of finding service providers is dominating, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
For patients, this development means a higher chance of finding a great provider. For a tmj dentist, it means modernizing their business approach and prioritizing obtaining a favorable reputation online. One of the best ways to do so is consistently producing happy patients who will gladly recommend you with a positive review.
Digital Capabilities
One of the trends that continues to grow is the use of online booking software. This capability is especially useful in the modern world because so many people prefer to not talk on the phone. Instead, they can use a website to make an appointment without ever making a call. A newer development is the use of cloud-based data storage, which allows patients to access their health records without having to request them from a dentist.
Friendly Financing
It seems like every dentist acts as a bank now, instead of just a service provider. The reason is that many patients cannot pay up front, and prefer financing options.
Not only do these opportunities help patients, but they also allow dentists to profit more off of the treatment they give. Financing can be managed in-house or through a third-party company that specializes in these types of scenarios.
Ultimately, those that do not evolve get left behind. This concept is true of both dentists and their patients. The former must adjust their business model to stay competitive and keep serving the people of their community.
The latter has the potential to get better deals and treatment by utilizing new technologies and other advantages. No matter who you are, staying up to date will bring you the best results possible. We hope this article has helped you achieve just that.
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