This year’s British Dental Conference & Dental Show, held in conjunction with the Dental Technology Show and supported by the International Academy of Digital Dentistry, aims to help dental professionals stay ahead of the rapidly evolving technology wave.
Leading dental business authority and coach Chris Barrow will be hosting an educational seminar at the conference, delving into the future of dentistry.
Dental Tribune International spoke to him about the prospects for key digital dental tools and concepts that are on the mind of forward-thinking dental labs and clinics.
Mr. Barrow, how has the inclusion of intraoral scanning changed the patient experience, and what impact has this had on patient engagement and clinical outcomes?
The advent of intraoral scanning has revolutionized not only clinical workflows, but also the emotional experience of patients. No longer are patients passive recipients of dental treatment, they become active participants from the first scan.
Seeing a real-time 3D image of their teeth builds trust, understanding, and a sense of urgency in treatment. Clinically, intraoral scanners improve accuracy, reduce re-dos, and speed up workflows, but the real magic is in patient engagement: Patients who see their teeth in person are more likely to agree to treatment.
The concept of a digital treatment coordinator is gaining traction. In what ways has technology enhanced the role of the treatment coordinator, and how can clinics use this shift to improve communication and increase conversions?
The role of the treatment coordinator has evolved from a nice-to-have to a critically important strategic function, and technology is the catalyst.
To create a seamless patient journey from initial consultation to completed treatment, today’s digital treatment coordinators use customer relationship management systems, instant messaging platforms, and lead tracking systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Practices that equip their treatment coordinators with digital tools—including a full suite of tools such as patient progress tracking and instant video consultations—are seeing higher conversions, faster decisions, and stronger client relationships.
Given that modern dental therapists now fully work within the General Dental Council scope of practice and incorporate intraoral scanners into their workflow, how do you see their role in the multidisciplinary team evolving?
Dental therapists are entering a golden age of opportunity and smart practices are already adapting their team structures to accommodate this trend. With intraoral scanning technology, therapists can provide high standards of preventive, restorative and aesthetic treatment.
The multidisciplinary practice of the future will no longer view therapists as junior partners, but rather as core care providers, allowing dentists to focus on high-value, high-complexity work.
The key to success is empowerment: therapists must be given the necessary training, autonomy and technology to thrive.
Chairside dentistry and single-visit crowns have redefined treatment timelines. What infrastructural and philosophical shifts are needed for practices to successfully implement this model?
Implementing a single-visit crown model is not just about buying a machine, it’s about redesigning your entire operating philosophy.
Clinicians looking to adopt this model need digital impression technology, chairside equipment, and well-trained staff; but most importantly, they need to move away from the idea of dentistry as a multi-visit process.
Successful practices view time as the new currency: delivering superior results faster, saving patients time, and increasing chair efficiency. The idea? Speed without compromise.
Guided dentistry and AI note-taking are all about predictability and efficiency. How do these technologies contribute to clinical safety, audit compliance, and the overall profitability of the practice?
Guided dentistry takes the guesswork out of treatment, resulting in safer outcomes, fewer complications, and greater patient trust.
AI note-taking automates one of the most tedious tasks in clinical practice, ensuring that documentation is compliant, detailed, and legally sound. Together, they allow clinicians to focus on patient care, improve audit readiness, and significantly reduce the costs of human error or missed compliance deadlines.
The best practices use these technologies not only for safety, but also as a marketing point to attract tech-savvy, quality-conscious patients.
“The old way of posting once a week and hoping for results is out.”
Finally, as AI tools like ChatGPT begin to reshape digital marketing in dentistry, what strategies should forward-thinking practices adopt now to stay ahead in this new AI-driven search and content discovery landscape?
The old way of posting once a week and hoping for results is out. AI is changing search behavior, and patients are asking smarter questions and expecting smarter answers faster.
To stay ahead of the curve in this landscape, forward-thinking practices should take several actions, including creating authentic, AI-optimized content that answers patients’ real questions. They must also create highly personalized marketing experiences through AI-driven segmentation.
Using AI tools will ensure that practices can engage and respond to their audiences faster, adjusting marketing messages daily instead of annually. Practices that act now will dominate the future, while those that wait and see will fade from view.
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