Integrating Technology in Dentistry: Balancing Innovation with Patient Care

By Dr. May Chan

The term “technology integration” has become a buzzword, often wielded without a clear understanding of its implications. But do we truly grasp the nuances of this concept, or are we merely scratching the surface?

From the establishment of our state-of-the-art NeoArch Center of Excellence to our recognition at the NSW Telstra Business Awards – triumphing in the “New Technology” segment  – our commitment to embracing innovation remains unwavering. 

We credit the success of Dental Boutique’s new technology adoption to the extent with which we answer one simple question: Does it enhance our dental team’s agility, innovation, and patient-centricity? 

Your roadmap to successful technological integration

Many practices struggle to achieve the desired outcomes from their digital transformation initiatives. According to industry reports, nearly 70% of such initiatives fail to achieve their intended objectives. These failures stem from various pain points, ranging from lack of a clear strategy and executive support to insufficient IT skills and slow Return-On-Investment (ROI).

Here are key considerations to address the challenges of technology integration while maximising ROI and enhancing the patient experience:

Craft a Clear Strategy: Apply the Dunning–Kruger effect”: You don’t know what you don’t know. Do not assume you are ready to digitise your practice beforedeveloping a comprehensive roadmap to ensure alignment with organisational goals.

Prioritise Patient Comfort: Experience-enhancing technologies such as overhead TV screens and ergonomic treatment chairs not only alleviate anxiety but also foster patient loyalty.  For nervous patients, we utilise a minimally-invasive “bubble” technique to administer safe and painless anaesthetics. Our cosmetic patients benefit from a specialised device that minimises excessive tooth preparation (shaving of dentition) during the dental veneering process. 

All these are deliberate measures we have adopted to optimise patient comfort in every aspect.

Enhance Patient Experience: Incorporate advanced CBCT imaging and scanning technologies for accurate diagnostics, streamlined workflows, and improved communication of treatment plans. These technologies offer benefits such as reduced radiation exposure, streamlined workflows, and improved communication of treatment plans, leading to a more positive patient experience.

Invest in Employee Training: Equip the team with necessary skills to leverage new technologies effectively through targeted training programs. 

As part of our onboarding process, we utilise a custom-designed Learning Management System (LMS) portal, where dentists can access training videos and materials tailored to their department. This online platform allows us to track their progress and ensure they understand the training content. Additionally, we supplement online training with in-person sessions to reinforce key concepts and foster a cohesive team environment.

Embrace Time-Saving Technologies: Optimise workflows and enhance patient satisfaction by investing in technologies that reduce chair time and streamline procedures. 

Previously, cosmetic veneer preparation took up to eight hours, but with technology, like the innovative system we’re testing, it now takes around three hours. This streamlined process boosts efficiency, ensuring precise and predictable treatment outcomes, enhancing patient comfort and satisfaction.

Develop a Robust Financial Strategy: Carefully plan and allocate resources to avoid budget overruns and ensure long-term sustainability. Estimate expenses, ROI, and potential long-term benefits to make informed financial decisions. It’s essential to weigh the potential benefits against the initial costs and challenges. 

For instance, our adoption of Invisalign technology involved a significant initial investment with no immediate ROI. Yet, we identified long-term benefits such as enhanced treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction for both patients and the practice.

Foster a Culture of Innovation: Promote innovation, collaboration, and agility to drive organisational change. 

At Dental Boutique, we select a few of our top clinicians to trial new technologies based on their expertise in specific areas. If it’s a surgical technology, we involve top surgeons, while for veneers, we engage the most experienced practitioners. By having clinicians who are familiar with both traditional and innovative approaches, we can effectively assess the impact of new technologies on our current workflow.

The human touch is paramount

A digital transformation roadmap empowers practitioners to make informed decisions, aligning their expectations with the reality of a device’s use in practice. That said, it’s crucial to understand that technology can never replace the human touch in elevating the patient experience. Patient care is always our top priority, and we view technology as a tool to enhance human interaction rather than replace it.

By avoiding the pitfalls of technology underuse and misuse, dentists can maximise efficiency and ROI, ensuring that technology serves as a catalyst for innovation rather than a hindrance to progress.