Is it time for more holistic care?
UncategorisedPosted by: Dental Design 11th April 2020
Every industry has to evolve in order to survive. Without innovation and change, it’s likely that even the most essential services will become flawed or obsolete. This even applies to healthcare industries such as dentistry.
So, is dentistry in need of revolution? The answer to this is perhaps to think differently and ask whether dentistry can become more all-encompassing in regards to care.
As shifts in the dental industry continue and technology advances, there is an opportunity for dental professionals to explore whether a holistic approach to business management and patient care is possible within their practices.
Patients want more
One of the biggest changes in the industry throughout the last few decades has been the way that patients view dental care. The majority of patients used to come in only when they had a problem, and although this attitude and behaviour still persists among some, more and more patients are looking for ways to improve their smiles and take their care a step further.
This has opened up new avenues for dental surgeries everywhere, especially as the popularity of certain, non-essential treatments such as tooth whitening continues to grow. As such, dental practices are rethinking the way they offer care to patients, with greater emphasis on additional treatment options. In fact, it is for this very reason that many dentists are now beginning to expand their services by providing facial fillers and other easy to perform, non-surgical cosmetic procedures. This is in an effort to give patients a wider selection of options and a more general approach to beauty, so they can combine a visit to the dentist with improving their facial aesthetics as well.
It is also perhaps the reason behind the emergence of a new type of practice – the dental spa – which provides dental and spa treatments in one location. This is a great example of how people are looking to offer patients a varied, holistic and single location approach to beauty and well-being.
However, this is not the only way to incorporate a holistic approach within your practice. By looking at other aspects of your business such as management and technology, patients and professionals alike can benefit from a different direction.
Advanced technology
Patient attitudes are not the only thing to have evolved in the past couple of decades, and dental technology takes bigger steps forward with every passing year. State-of-the-art imaging systems can now balance both 2D and 3D imaging capabilities, offering new opportunities for different types of treatment and helping professionals perform these with ease. Furthermore, due to digital capabilities, professionals can use these systems to explain treatment to patients, helping them to visualise accurate renderings of outcomes and helping them to understand proposed treatments fully.
These systems allow patients and practitioners to spend more interaction time together during appointments. When coupled with advanced practice management software, this can ensure that the focus remains where it should – on providing the best standard of care.
Branching out in your business
The way that dental practices operate has transformed considerably in the past few years. Not only has the shift to digital allowed practice managers to trace and develop business trends and strategies, but it has also made it possible for these individuals to think about the practice in a more dynamic way.
A modern practice management system should be able to do more than simply automate the necessary processes to keep a business running. It should be able to function as an all-encompassing piece of software which can be harnessed by multiple members of the team for the best possible results.
The new Care Management Platform software from Carestream Dental is a wonderful example of how a holistic approach can be highly beneficial. A software as a service that combines state-of-the-art imaging capabilities and innovative business tools with up to date features such as anytime, anywhere access, Care Management Platform helps professionals to view their practice management through a wider lens. This allows professionals to gather data from all parts of the business and use this to streamline services, enhance profitability and provide more all-encompassing care.
Your practice, your rules
A holistic approach to care doesn’t necessarily require big changes. Whether you want to provide more dynamic treatments or incorporate technology and software that can facilitate a wider view, making one change at a time could make a positive difference.
For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or
visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl
and Facebook
No Comments
No comments yet.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
