Dr. Parikh will serve on the panel “Dental Technology: What is Game-Changing vs. All Hype” at Becker’s Future of Dentistry Roundtable. As part of an ongoing series, Becker’s is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference on Oct. 27-28 in Chicago.
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Question: Where do you see the dental industry headed?
Roshan Parikh: When looking to the future of the dental industry, I see the patient experience and consumer experience continuing to merge together to (eventually) be one, driven by convenience. Consumer data shows us that ease of use, seamless patient pathways and tech integration are at the forefront of patient expectations. This means convenience will trump patient loyalty, especially when you think of Generation Y and Z. At DNTL bar we are focused on eliminating barriers to access and inconveniences most commonly associated with traditional dental practice. The latest tech integrations, expanded hours of operation — being open 7 days a week — and a luxury experience are standard and all come while maintaining best in class patient care.
Q: What are you most excited about right now and what makes you nervous?
RP: I am most excited about the explosive technological growth our industry has seen in the past few years. I’m confident this growth trajectory will only continue to revolutionize this space and venture capital firms are helping lead the charge with investment into hundreds of software-as-a-service companies.
As many investors come into our dental space, and dental providers and practice owners understand their “why” better, they also become savvier. I fear that private equity funds that are more myopically focused on profits will feed into the negative impression patients already have of our industry and continue to erode trust away that stellar DSOs have been trying to earn back, day-in and day-out. Financial arbitrage has begun to affect dentistry and counteracts the work of providers whose patients are central to their office ethos.
Q: How are you thinking about growth and investments for the next year or two?
RP: As a provider myself, patients are central to every single decision we make. Growth and investments need to go slowly to go fast. At DNTL bar, we don’t grow for the sake of growing or for flashy metrics, we pursue patient needs and they reward us in turn with repeat visits and referrals. A mentor of mine taught me early on that you only get one reputation, so use it wisely.
Q: What will dental leaders and executives need to be effective leaders for the next five years?
RP: It will be imperative that leaders understand core patient behaviors and needs along with the rapidly changing healthcare landscape. They will need to be agile with tech integration in a way their predecessors haven’t.
One of my primary goals as a leader is to help create new leaders. I encourage my teams to be independent thinkers and allow them to take ownership of tasks, along with encouraging them to take calculated risks. I never want my team to feel as though there is a ceiling to their success when they work with me. Individual growth is important to me in all my teams from our patient care coordinators, to providers, up to the c-suite level. I invest in my people the same way I invest in my patients and they reward me with dividends time and time again.