At a Glance

The American Dental Association’s member surveys have shown of practices continuing to return to full operation, with 98% reporting being open and back to business as usual as of presstime.

In December 2019, the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging surveyed a national sample of more than 1000 adults ages 65 to 80 about their oral health and if they had dental coverage.

A major issue for dentists in reopening practices after closing to limit the spread of COVID-19 is determining exactly what types of personal protective equipment (PPE) they will need, and in what quantities.

Patient expectations for personalized service rank as a leading trend in dentistry, and many practices are turning to technology to help them deliver more personalized care.

According to claims data analysis from health insurer Cigna, plan members who did not receive preventive dental care had significantly higher per person costs for services such as emergency visits, endodontic treatment and restorations.

From chatbots that use artificial intelligence (AI) to “talk” with online customers and answer questions to predictive analytics that aim to know customers needs before they know them themselves, businesses are investing in AI technologies.

Ensuring access to oral health care for this population is a challenge. Patients with disabilities may require more time, adaptive equipment and anesthesia that private dental plans and government insurance programs may not cover.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles wage data on more than 800 professions, including the dental field.

Evidence continues to mount that oral health is a key component of overall health, but without access to patients’ medical records, dentists must rely on patients to accurately share their health histories.

Earlier this year, the American Dental Association (ADA) Practice Institute held its first conference specifically on battling burnout in dentistry.