7 Reasons For Dentists To Transform Their Services

Oral health is not just about having a beautiful Hollywood smile. Your teeth, gum, and mouth play a vital role in maintaining your overall health. 

Indeed, the mouth is the point of entry for both the respiratory and digestive tracts. Therefore, harmful bacteria inside the mouth can have dramatic consequences on your digestion and respiration functions. While some bacteria are indispensable to health, managing mouth bacteria is essential to avoid issues and enhance the body’s natural defenses. Improper oral hygiene can increase the risk of infections, inflammation, and even cardiovascular issues. Oral health is also linked with pneumonia and pregnancy complications. 

In other words, regular dental checkups and treatments can preserve your health for longer. However, most people don’t go to the dentist in Austin often enough. Many cite inconvenient or inadequate service as a reason for skipping appointments. What can dentists do to help patients take better care of their teeth and gums?

#1. People are scared of going to the dentist

According to studies, 75% of the adult population experience some level of fear when it comes to the dentist. Dental fear can range from simple nervousness to serious dental phobia, preventing people from making appointments. While dental phobia only affects 5% to 10% of the population, the long-term health consequences can be devastating. 

More and more dental practices consider relaxing methods and dental sedation solutions to help make patients more comfortable. Sedation services are varied. They can include taking a pill ahead of an appointment or providing full anesthetic services for the most anxious individuals. Enhancing and developing the anxiety response is vital to make dental health accessible to all individuals. Anxiety, fear, and panic attacks can be overwhelming mental health obstacles to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. 

#2. Increase in claims

Healthcare claims are frequent in any healthcare branch. They are often triggered by a variety of factors. Patients who attend appointments with unrealistic expectations can be tempted to accuse the healthcare center of malpractice or mistakes. Additionally, unexpected complications can also occur during the procedures, which can be out of the control of the dentist. Finally, in some cases, mistakes can be preventable. Yet, regardless of the reason, when patients challenge dentists with a claim, the consequences can be expensive without appropriate dental malpractice insurance. Insuring the dental business will provide sufficient protection against these challenges. Indeed, claims could damage the business’s reputation and affect capital. When a dentist loses funds in legal procedures, this will bring the value of the surgery down. It can put off future patients, so dentists need to protect their business as a priority. 

#3. The population is aging

Healthcare technology helps more and more individuals to make the most of their silver years. Growing older is a natural process that brings new health challenges. To remain healthy in old age, seniors need to make sure they don’t compromise their health. The elderly population requires more frequent medical treatments, including advanced care practices and support. When it comes to dental care, they need dedicated solutions for tooth loss, gum diseases, and additional conditions that can be linked to other health issues. Therefore, dentists need to be able to offer them the best options to maintain their health and lifestyle seamlessly in old age. 

For instance, dentures may be the most economical approach to tooth loss, yet it is uncomfortable and inconvenient. Besides, it can feel like an old-fashioned solution when tech advancements support safe and rapid dental implants. 

Additionally, conditions such as diabetes or heart diseases can aggravate the risks for periodontal disease, for example. As these conditions are more recurrent among the aging population, it makes sense for dentists to provide dedicated support in older age. 

#4. Dentists still have a bad rep

The most common image about dentistry is teeth extraction using unsanitized and oversized pliers. Black and white pictures dating back from the 19th and early 20th centuries reveal a harrowing world of pain and dental diseases. The truth is that dentistry has evolved significantly. However, the public mind retains the images from the past. As a result, going to the dentist becomes synonymous with pain and even torture in some cases. Unfortunately, while being accurate, these images tend to depict the services of amateur dentists curing issues by removing suspicious teeth. From local blacksmiths to soldiers at war, everyone improvised themselves a dentist when the situation called for it. The solutions deployed were brutal, unhygienic, and barbaric. Yet, these nightmare visions are nothing like what actual and contemporary dentistry is like. It’s time for dentists to educate their audience and show how different their services are! 

#5. New technology is constantly appearing

Tooth filing may become a thing of the past, now that trials are launched to test lozenges that can help rebuild the tooth enamel. The body doesn’t regrow its enamel, which is why dental cavities can’t be cured naturally. However, as more and more research labs are working on genetically engineered enamel boosting solutions, dental practices may soon not have to provide dental fillings anymore. 

There are also other technologies which are becoming more and more suitable for a wider range of patients, and this too is something for dentists to consider. For example, if you were to ask a dentist ten years ago: can anyone get dental implants? The answer would probably have been no. But the increases and improvements in this tech means that more and more people can get implants these days, and the more that this treatment opens up for people, the better off everyone is.

Of course, progress is slow. Yet, dental research and innovation never stop. Dentists need to stay up-to-date with the latest discoveries to educate and treat their patients as best as they can. 

#6. They need to enhance communication

A sudden toothache can be unpleasant. Unfortunately, when the tooth is inflamed, patients often need to make multiple appointments before the dentist can provide treatment. This can be stressful and time-demanding. Instead, digital communication could help reduce unnecessary appointments and provide rapid answers to simple issues. 

#7. Partner with relevant experts

As mentioned, dental health is connected to overall health. It makes sense for dentists to partner with experts who can also help support healthy teeth. For instance, offering recommendations for nutritionist services can help patients build a healthy diet for their teeth. Indeed, the consumption of acidic foods and sugar can put the enamel at risk. 

A regular fitness routine can also be crucial to dental health, reducing the risks of periodontal disease. So, it could be a good idea to partner with a fitness trainer or a local gym for the patients. 

Similarly, cardiovascular diseases can go hand-in-hand with tooth problems. Therefore, dentists and cardiologists could build a partnership service for their vulnerable patients. 

In conclusion, there is a lot dentists can do to make their services more relevant and tackle the needs of the current population. Making dental health more accessible begins with understanding what people expect from their dentists.