ADA.org: Future of Dentistry Full Report

FUTURE OFDENTISTRY

regeneration of both hard and soft tissues, and
through the maintenance of friendly oral microflora
in the mouth, prevent the occurrence of disease
(Coontz and Szuromi, 2000).
Advances in real-time visualization, miniaturiza-
tion of instrumentation, and increasingly atraumat-
ic methods will decrease the morbidity associated
with invasive treatment.
Air abrasion and laser technology will find in-
creased application. Rotary instrumentation will
become more electronically driven rather than air-
driven. Infection-control methods will improve.

Epidemiological Studies and Outcomes
Assessment Technologies

As more patient data are stored on computers, a
variety of outcomes analyses of patient records will
become possible at three levels: patient, practice,
and population. Computers will aid dentists in the
assessment of a patient's health status over time.
Diagnostic codes will provide a basis for assess-
ing treatment efficacy when measured against estab-
lished parameters and will assist in assessing out-
come data for patients and dental practices. It will
be possible to collate local and regional data into
larger dental epidemiological databases––important
tools for assessing treatment efficacy.

Technologies for Communication with Colleagues
and Patients

Advanced communication technologies may create
new bridges among dentists. Advances such as video-
conferencing and real-time on-line collaboration will
make various forms of "teledentistry" possible and
practical. Legal, licensure, and political considerations
may prove more difficult to address than technical ones.
The nature of the patient-dentist relationship is
likely to continue to evolve. Communication with
patients will become more electronic, and also more
automated. Some practice management systems
already send automated recall reminders by e-mail.
In the future, patients will likely have access to all or
part of their own dental and medical records, and
professionals will be able to exchange patient
records electronically.

The Dental Workplace

Dental equipment will become more ergonomi-

cally friendly and more amenable to infection-con-

trol practices. Manufacturers will develop methods

to further minimize biofilms in waterlines.

Magnification, either through surgical microscopes

and/or conventional magnifying eyeglasses, will

increase in use. Equipment and instruments will

become smaller and central delivery units will be

available with ports that allow simple hookup for

an array of mobile equipment for specific proce-

dures. When not in use, this equipment would be

stored outside of the operatory.

The Dental Workforce

Many factors will affect the required number of

dentists. Aging and demographic changes in the dentist

workforce need to be carefully evaluated on a continu-

ing basis. Dentists' productivity should be monitored.

The availability of allied dental personnel is critical.

Demand for dental services also plays an impor-

tant role in workforce requirements. Dental expen-

ditures are the usual measure of demand. Predicting

growth in per capita dental expenditures is difficult

because it depends on the growth in the overall

economy, socioeconomic shifts in the population,

changes in therapeutic and preventive interventions,

and the impact of changing oral disease rates as well

as dental fees. If major new funding programs

become available or if major new treatment oppor-

tunities emerge, per capita utilization may increase.

If, as younger Americans grow older, they need

fewer dental services because they have experienced

less oral disease than earlier generations, per capita

utilization may decrease. The same could result

if major new preventive breakthroughs materialize.

If the demand for dental services grows more

rapidly than expected, an increase in the supply of

dental care services may be needed to meet that

increased demand. Alternatively, if demand does not

grow rapidly, dental care capacity could be

adequate.

Unless trends change, there could be increasing

difficulty in attracting students to dental assisting

and dental laboratory technology programs.

Retention issues related to dental hygiene could con-

tinue unless some action is taken.

Given an uncertain future, flexibility is a desirable

strategy for workforce policy. If more dental

capacity is needed in 2020 than available through

productivity increases, an attractive workforce

option is to increase the number of allied dental

Clinical Dental Practice and Management