Exploring the Most Impactful Dental Industry Trends of 2024

Is your practice adapting to the rapid evolution within the dental world? If it’s struggling to keep up with the latest dental industry trends, it risks losing its competitive edge. It could fall behind other dental practices before long.

Dental trends in artificial intelligence (AI), staffing, and patient experience are driving change. To keep pace with competitors, ensure your practice stays on top of these trends.

Discover more about the most impactful dental industry trends of 2024 below.

Key Technological Advancements in 2024

Cutting-edge technologies are shaping the future of dentistry in many ways. Learn more about the technological advancements that should be on your dental practice’s radar so you don’t get stuck relying on outdated technology.

AI and Automation in Dentistry

According to a recent Harvard Medical School report, researchers have been experimenting with different ways artificial intelligence could benefit dentists for over 40 years. This is finally paying off for dental professionals, as many practices are using AI to diagnose issues like dental decay and gum disease in patients up to five years earlier than in the past.

By utilizing AI in dental practices, dentists can:

• Provide improved patient care by diagnosing dental issues quicker
• Create custom oral health treatment plans for patients
• Offer better communication to patients and increase patient satisfaction

AI also allows dental offices to streamline administrative tasks, enabling them to run more efficient practices and focus on delivering better dental care.

Teledentistry Expands Access and Convenience

Many dental practices began offering teledentistry services during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2021, about one-fourth of them provided these services, and almost 90% of those who used them reported having a positive patient experience.

Since then, some dental offices have stopped offering teledentistry services and gone back to strictly in-person patient care. However, others continue to deliver both physical and virtual care through remote monitoring.

Teledentistry services have helped provide dental care to more Americans, especially those in underserved communities where oral health isn’t always prioritized. They have also worked wonders for people who traditionally struggle with dental anxiety after climbing into a dental chair.

Workforce Trends and Solutions

Staffing remains one of the biggest challenges for dental practice owners. Almost every dental office in the country has been forced to scramble to find good employees.

This is one of the trends in dentistry that oral health professionals are hoping to see disappear soon.

Addressing Staffing Shortages at Dental Practices

A recent American Dental Association report found that only about two-thirds of dentists have enough dental hygienists and dental assistants. It also found that only about three-fourths of dentists have enough administrative staff.

Thankfully, dentists can take steps to prevent staffing shortages from impacting their dental offices. For example, they can offer employees higher salaries and better benefits. They can also extend more professional development opportunities and create more flexible work environments.

However, one of the most effective ways for a dentist to keep their staff happy in 2024 is by setting up a more modern dental office with a reliable dental practice management system. Doing this has proven to be a successful dental staffing solution for offices following the latest dental trends.

The Rise of Dental Support Organizations (DSOs)

Dental support organizations (DSOs) are majorly impacting the industry. These large companies take over groups of dental practices and handle every aspect of their operations.

Group practices are quickly becoming a preferred business model within the industry. They’re able to:

• Help dental practices scale operations quicker
• Mitigate many of the risks dental practices face
• Gain access to new technologies and help practices adopt dental trends

Around 13% of dentists are already affiliated with DSOs. This is one of the evolving dental trends that dentists should keep an eye on.

Evolving Patient Expectations and Dental Care Preferences

Dental patients didn’t always have the highest expectations when going to the dentist. About one-third of Americans experience dental fear when seeing a dentist, so most people have simply searched for dentists with a gentle touch to help them maintain optimal oral health in the past.

People are starting to expect more. For example, many dental patients want to be treated with personalized care based on insights provided by in-depth dental data. They also want to see dentists using new technologies to perform dental procedures and improve their dental health through the use of dental implants, dental restorations, and more.

Personalized Care With Data-Driven Insights on Oral Health

The average dental office has access to more patient data than ever before. This is one of the most exciting dental industry trends of 2024 because it suggests that many offices can now provide more personalized, patient-centered care.

Dentists can rely on more than just their professional opinions when coming up with effective treatments, such as dental implants, for patients. They can also utilize predictive analytics to forecast the probable outcome of a dental procedure. They can even lean on data to set up preventive care strategies.

Enhancing Patient Communication and Engagement

Patients expect dentists to go above and beyond during treatment planning, but they don’t want to see them stop there. Many Americans also expect dentists to communicate with patients more effectively than in past years.

Dentists can rise to the occasion by delivering seamless communication through the use of appointment reminders, online scheduling, and digital forms. They can check on a patient’s post-operative progress or send them information on customized treatment plans with ease.

Financial Challenges and Opportunities

Keeping up with the newest dental industry trends of 2024 represents no small investment. However, spending money on things like 3D printing, laser dentistry solutions, intraoral scanners, and other modern tools guarantees an excellent return. These innovations allow dentists to accommodate a wider range of patient preferences, tolerances, and comfort levels, making for a smoother overall experience.

See how your practice can overcome the financial challenges it might face in 2024.

Coping with Rising Operating Costs

Inflation has hit almost all industries in the U.S. hard in recent years, and the dental sector is no exception.

At one point in mid-2022, the cost of dental services rose by almost 2% in just one month. It was the largest monthly increase the industry had ever experienced.

Many dental offices have seen their operating costs spike, forcing them to pass these costs along to patients. Their higher-than-usual operating costs are tied to:

• Staffing shortages
• Changing dental technologies (and the education needed to use them)
• Increasing prices on dental equipment, oral health supplies, and other related products

Dental practices can navigate cost concerns by taking dental revenue cycle management more seriously. They can also explore offering more advanced services, including cosmetic dentistry, that stem from the latest industry trends.

Navigating Insurance Reimbursement and Denials

Dental clinics have started facing more administrative burdens related to insurance denials and low reimbursement rates. They can combat these issues by investing in practice management software to streamline the billing and claims processes.

Weave also offers insurance verification tools that can make filing insurance claims less stressful. You can get over the hurdles that many dental insurance companies put up by using these tools before getting back to focusing on delivering top-notch dental care to patients.

Preparing Your Practice for Success in 2024

By monitoring the dental industry trends of 2024 and incorporating them into your dental office’s operation, you will be on your way to setting up your practice for long-term success. You can achieve more of your professional goals by integrating AI into your practice, addressing staffing challenges, improving patient communication, and adopting surefire financial solutions.

Explore how platforms like Weave can streamline your operation and enhance patient engagement throughout dental treatments. Get a Demo of Weave’s platform to see how it can help your practice thrive amid 2024’s top dental trends.