What you might have missed this month in Dentistry news
Kicking off our first monthly Dentistry News roundup, we will discuss the recent report from Christie and Co about changes in the Dental Market and what this means. We will also chat about the dangers of patients going to Turkey and getting cheap dental treatments and new technologies used for Invisalign.
Christie and Co, a specialist business property advisor that advised on, valued, or sold over £925 million in dental practice value in 2021, has released their latest annual report evaluating the UK dental marketing in 2021 and the first half of 2022.
The report explains how the dental sector has shown strong resilience to recent difficulties and how demand still outdoes supply. Over 75% of independent purchases are still buying practices with an NHS contract. However, there is a visible increase in private practice interest.
Many buyers are now interested in practices that have fewer NHS patients with the hope that they can grow private income from both NHS patients and new patients. Dentists that come to us at Ignite Growth looking to grow their practice generally have the same aim of reducing NHS patients and increasing high-value private cases.
You may have noticed more of an uptake in orthodontic treatments in your practice, which is reflected in market patterns with orthodontic contracts on the rise. The scarcity of dentists has also had an impact on the market; it has resulted in dentists opting to work at mixed or private practices. You may want to bear this in mind if you’re looking for new practitioners in order to make your practice appealing.
You can check out Christie and Co’s full report here.
Last month the BBC released a documentary ‘’Turkey Teeth: Bargain Smiles or Big Mistakes’’ where they explored the dangers of people opting for cheaper dental services in Turkey to get their perfect smiles. In the documentary, you’ll see patients that are recommended crowns or veneers whereas, for the same case, British dentists recommended much less invasive options such as Invisalign and composite bonding.
There is a clear issue that people will undergo extreme unnecessary treatment in order to get that perfect smile. This can cause complications; the NHS and private dentists are the ones left picking up the pieces. It’s essential to explain to patients that while treatments in places such as Turkey are much cheaper, the risks are much higher and could leave people with lifelong pain and complications.
To read the full BBC article by the BBC, click here.
If you’re an Invisalign provider, you might have heard of the Invisalign Outcome Simulator Pro, which has been noted as a real game changer for patient communication tools.
This tool, which is available on Itero Element Plus series scanners and imaging systems, will allow you to show your patients their potential new smile after Invisalign treatment. The Outcome Simulator uses in-face visualisation and 3D dentition view. Within minutes you’ll be able to show the patient how you can transform their smile.
So, how does it work?
You snap patient images with your phone using the Invisalign Practice app and then use the Itero scanner to do a scan. While the simulation is being generated, you’ll still be able to use other Itero tools as the images will be generated in the background.
This tool has transformed consultations and has helped many patients take the plunge once they’ve seen the results. It is definitely worth looking into!
For more news, check back next month when we will have the next monthly roundup of all things dental healthcare!
If you want to talk to our team about growing your dental practice and how we can help you just book a free call with one of our experts who can work on a bespoke growth plan with you.
