by Clinical Advances
As I write this publisher’s letter, I am on an airplane headed to the 153rd Chicago Midwinter meeting. The Chicago Midwinter is one of the largest dental shows in the United States. Equally important, the Midwinter meeting is typically viewed as a new product launch meeting. Dental manufacturers, distributors and technology companies will have their latest and greatest products and services on display for dental practices both large and small.
I speak to many clinical directors and procurement managers of both emerging groups and larger more established dental support organizations who attend this meeting, as well as other dental trade shows. Many attend in order to schedule meetings with their vendor partners, and to experience the latest clinical advances that their group may want to adopt.
If the Chicago Midwinter meeting was not on your travel itinerary for 2018, don’t worry because we asked key influencers in the dental group space their thoughts on 2018’s clinical advances. In this issue of Efficiency in Group Practice we highlight several clinical advances to watch, and get input and perspective from both DSOs and their manufacturer partners. It is important to understand that one of the key drivers of faster adoption by dental groups of these clinical advances and technologies are the realities that today’s patients are better educated, do more research online, and expect better service and outcomes.
David Vieth, DDS, Chief Dental Officer of Kool Smiles talks about newer technologies such as 3D Imaging/ CBCT and digital radiography. Dr. Vieth points out that not only are patients more educated and expect these technologies, but not having these types of clinical advances in a DSO can hinder recruitment and retention of dentists and other clinical staff. Dr. Robert Brody, Chief Clinical Officer of Great Expressions Dental Centers addresses advancements in dental materials, refinements with intra-oral scanners, and practice management scalability.
DSO Industry Partners, Ivoclar Vivadent and VOCO weigh in on how they and others continue the advancement of dental materials and technology and what that means to dental groups and their patients. Russ Perlman, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications at VOCO America hits on the common theme of highly educated patients and their equally high expectations. Focusing on advancements with universal adhesives, Perlman talks about the ability of dental groups to reduce adhesive inventories while increasing consistency and predictable results.
Whether you made it to Chicago Midwinter or not, there are some can’t miss clinical advances and more content in this issue of Efficiency in Group Practice.
Clinically yours,
Bill Neumann
