These are chilling variables across many sectors, dentistry included, and have prompted many to pause and consider how best to tackle challenges in the next year. For the dental providers and leaders, here are three trends we can expect to see in 2023:
1. Dentistry will be more recession-resistant than it was in 2008.
As already mentioned, the macroeconomic situation is not looking good, and in 2008, that spelled disaster for dentists. Patients deferred care or opted for less expensive (though also less effective) care options due to budget constraints. Thankfully, much has changed in the past decade to make this less of a concern in 2023. The numbers coming out of Sage-supported practices are showing that patients are still choosing to receive care (albeit a little more carefully) because they have more dental benefits and insurance coverage now than in past years. Medicare Advantage plans, for example, now cover two implants a year, thus enabling patients to receive the highest caliber of care despite leaner budgets. Practices that Sage supports have continued to invest in this dental treatment, giving us stability in an otherwise turbulent market. So, in addition to a more stable stream of patient demand, this is a great example of how pivoting has ensured that we will come out just fine, regardless of the economic prospects in the coming year.
2. AI will become more mainstream than ever before.
AI technology in dentistry has finally reached its tipping point. DSOs are a treasure trove of data, so those that have adopted AI technology have been working with the American Dental Association (ADA) to provide proof points for AI technology and computer vision. We’re able to move the needle by showing that it is accurate and demonstrating how AI improves the diagnostic and treatment process for patients and providers. With that empirical evidence, we’ve seen the ADA write the technology into a post-doc program, meaning this technology is being taught as an industry standard and best practice within specialty subsets. Eventually, we will see it inculcated, but this is an essential first step in the process and important progress toward improving consistency across dentistry with this technology.
3. Same-day dentistry will become more prominent.
This technology will be slower to be adopted, but we will see more chair-side and same-day milling. Dentists didn’t go to school to be lab techs that construct crowns and bridges, so we’ll see more adoption of this incredible technology in order to offload some of that work. In the past, there have been two barriers for this technology: its cost and time constraints. Now, the capabilities of these in house computer labs have grown dramatically, making it a useful – and cost and time efficient – option for lab work. The appeal of convenient, same-day work for patients, cannot be overstated, so we will see patient demand increase for this technology as well.
The coming year holds uncertainty, but it also holds opportunity and promise. Our industry is in a very different place than it was in 2008, patients have better coverage, and more practices have pivoted to better care that has better reimbursement rates. Technology in dentistry is also experiencing a golden era—AI technology and same-day services are becoming everyday options in dentistry. This is not only facilitating better, faster care for patients, but also making the average provider’s workday better by providing diagnostic support that helps them consistently provide the best care but also offloads some of the lab work that is tangential to their field of focus. These providers are getting to spend more time connecting with patients, which in turn is further improving the patient experience. With macro trends such as they are, the coming year won’t be easy, but given the momentum of our industry, 2023 will also be a net positive year for the industry as we face these challenges creatively and with innovation in mind.