What Will the Future of Dentistry Look Like?

What will dentistry look like five years from now?

Much of the dentistry you'll be doing will be updating obsolete dental work. You know how you look into some patients' mouths today and see dental work from years ago? That work was great at the time but seems outdated today. That's going to happen again with the work you're doing now.

The technology you use today will be replaced. Yes, it's top of the line now, and yes, you just got used to it. But better, more integrated technologies are just around the corner. With the pace of technological change today, that is going to be true a few months from now, next year, and every year after.

Your patients will want different things. There will no doubt be innovative new procedures that your patients will be asking for, but this will be true for every part of their lives. More exciting products, gadgets and experiences will compete with dentistry for discretionary dollars. For a glimpse of that future, just walk into an Apple store today. Nobody there is asking, "Will my insurance cover this?"

Your team will need new skills. If you're going to be doing a new kind of dentistry, your team is going to have to be trained to support you in delivering it. You're going to have to find ways to keep patients engaged and current. More and more of what patients learn will be digitally focused and digitally delivered. That's the way education is moving. Just ask a First Grader today.

In other words, your life and the world around you will continue to evolve. I admit you don't have to be a psychic to see this coming. The only real prediction I'm making is that change will be an ever more important part of our lives, and I think that's a pretty safe bet. However, what is important is how you choose to face this reality. One way is to wait and play catch-up when it becomes obvious that you must adjust to the new paradigms. That's evolution by necessity.

There is another way. You can lead rather than respond. You can be among those who embrace change, and who are always excited about where the profession is going next. You can LOVE the idea of change for the opportunities that come with it. This is evolution by choice and it's the best way to grow.