Dick Hale
Editor/Publisher
The dental practice of the future is already here-although we may not yet recognize it. The winds of change will cause some drifting, and not one of us knows precisely what will last and what will be temporary. There is much concern over the impact of managed care. Managed care need not be the determining factor in the makeup of tomorrow`s dental practices.
More and more, people are learning how important good oral health is to their overall well-being. Dentists who can motivate their patients to place the healthy smile high on their discretionary-dollar list of priorities will find ever-increasing success. It can be done. Many dentists already have accomplished this in their practices. They are providing healthier mouths and more beautiful smiles. And some of their patients are postponing temporary pleasures for the lasting, healthy smile that only you can provide. Dentistry has a head start because of the marketing efforts of the toothpaste, mouthwash, breath-freshener and chewing gum manufacturers, all of which helps to create a desire for the healthy smile.
But you must go a step beyond and continue to emphasize that a model smile is not only attractive-it is a vital element of the patient`s total well-being. And it is available at your practice. Your practice is built upon a foundation of patients who already have demonstrated a concern for their oral health. Are you sure that you have given them the full story, that you are really giving them all they want? Much unmet need walks out of dental offices because dentists often fail to convey all of the advances, the new techniques, the myriad of treatment options, that are available to patients who want optimum care.
We can describe the successful dental practices of the future. They may be housed in trappings that we don`t recognize today, but we can be certain that tomorrow`s flourishing practices will be administered by capable, careful, compassionate and conscientious dentists, just as they are today.
