Times are changing, and the dental industry is paying attention! According to a recent article on DentalEconomics.com, “three primary factors — economics, demand, and supply — will converge to shape the industry’s future.” The article also reveals that by 2025, patient demographics will be greatly changed: Census data shows that the number of people ages 60-79 will grow to more than 68 million by 2025, and that’s an increase of 87 percent!
More people in this 60+ age group, means more demand for dental needs, and the dental industry is employing new technology and transforming to meet these needs. We’re seeing transformation and the use of technology in every area of the dental industry. Some specific examples can be found in dental cleaning and periodontics.
Dental cleaning has come a long way over the decades… Think about it: In the old days, you’d go to the dentist and they’d take out a steel scaler and scrape your teeth as a cleaning process. Nowadays, even though they sometimes still use a steel scaler, most dental cleaning is done ultrasonically using an ultrasonic scaler with a vibrating tip. The parts for ultrasonic scalers are more complex and involved than the hand tool part. Everything in the ultrasonic scaler has to be manufactured and assembled perfectly for that vibration to be able to occur. From mating part to mating part, everything needs to be concentric and within tight tolerance specifications for the ultrasonic scaler to function properly. Other details, including the finish on each part, have to meet set standards, as well.
Among the many new technologies in the dental industry are dental implants, which weren’t around more than a decade ago. Dental implants offer a welcome alternative to having to wear dentures or bridgework that doesn’t fit properly,
They are already popular today, but they’re expected to become even more popular by 2025, as the aging – and growing – population deals with decaying teeth and loss of teeth.
Overall, everything is getting more “techy” in the dental industry to keep up with where the industry is going, and industry professionals are sure that change is ahead: The DentalEconomics.com article also says, “All together, whether gradual or radical, change is certain.”
