2020 Will Be a Big Year in Oral Health – Here’s What We’re Watching
As we start a new year, and a new decade, there are significant changes on the horizon when it comes to oral health. Many of these changes will address the dental industry’s biggest challenges and fundamentally change the way Americans access oral health care.
Here are five things dentists and oral health providers should be watching in 2020.
New Technology Drives Innovation
Technology will continue to be a disruptor. Oral health providers will increasingly use data-driven insights to make decisions. And the pressures we’ve seen in medicine to be more tech savvy in recent years will be coming to dentistry, as proven efforts like electronic health records will expand from medical to dental.
Remote access to care through teledentistry will also continue to grow, providing patients with greater access to dental care and resources. Online interaction with patients will improve and grow as dental providers engage more with patients on social media and other digital platforms.
Watch Delta Dental of Massachusetts President Dennis Leonard and Dr. Linda Vidone discuss teledentistry in more detail in this Pearls of Wisdom video: Will Teledentistry Transform Dentistry?
The U.S. Surgeon General Will Release A New Report on Oral Health
It has been 20 years since the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General released its comprehensive report on the status of oral health in America. In Fall 2020, the Surgeon General plans to release its much anticipated follow up, and the whole industry will be watching to learn what has changed. The 2000 report showed significant disparities in oral health care, declaring that “what amounts to a ‘silent epidemic’ of dental and oral diseases is affecting some population groups.”
So, have we made much progress in 20 years? We know that technology, increased focus on prevention, and broader awareness of oral health as a core component of overall health have led to better outcomes. But we also know that a lot of work remains to improve the oral health of all Americans.
Changes to the Dental Workforce
As technology changes the way the oral health system operates, the dental workforce in 2020 will evolve more than it has in decades. Hygienists are increasingly working on medical teams as the benefits of medical-dental integration become more clear. And as teledentistry grows, dental practitioners will have the ability to be remote and to connect with patients in new ways - whether digitally or in their communities.
Better Ways to Increase Prevention
Most people already agree that preventive care is important (98% of dentists said this is key to improving overall health). Along with increasing recognition of the value of preventive care in the coming year, expect to see more prevention-focused tools for dentists - innovations that not only minimize the risks of tooth decay but in some cases even prevent or reverse it.
New compounds like silver diamine fluoride have changed the way dentists treat children, particularly those who do not have regular access to in-office care. Remineralizing creams that can reverse cavity activity in enamel are becoming more accessible. And we’ve seen increases in the use of different agents like arginine in toothpaste that helps promote good bacteria and decrease bad bacteria. All of these tools will make preventive care more accessible and attainable for everyone.
A Focus on Value
The current customer base is changing, as a new generation of consumers prioritizes transparency and efficiency from their service providers. Oral health is no exception, and as the cost of overall health care continues to balloon, patients are focused on finding the best value for the increasing out-of-pocket costs that they must pay for dental services. Expect patients to increasingly act like consumers in their approach to health care – looking for the best value for their money.
While change doesn’t happen overnight, with the current pace of innovation and new tools becoming available every day, 2020 promises to be a year of significant advancement in dentistry and oral health.