6 Dental Industry Trends that Help Your Business

The new year is about to begin, which means it's time to review the dental industry trends for 2023 and how they will impact your marketing.  

Are you ready for dental industry changes in 2023?  

As your go-to digital marketing agency in Miami, we will help you navigate the latest dental industry trends and how to use them to boost your business.  

Without further ado, let’s get started:

Dental Industry Trends You Need to Know About

1. More and More Dentists Move Towards Subscription-Based Coverage

Dealing with traditional dental insurance is becoming increasingly difficult, from filing claims for reimbursements to submitting documentation to other manual tasks that distract your team from patient care.  

It’s no wonder that new methods are being developed to help practices collect what is owed to their clinic more easily.  

According to a survey by the Bankers Health Group, 72% of dentists said that declining reimbursement rates are their main concern. A report also revealed that 59% of adults avoid dentists due to high costs.  

23% of people in the US don't have dental coverage, and even people who do have dental insurance sometimes have difficulty finding a practice that accepts their plan.  

These statistics show that there are financial relationship issues between dentists, patients, and insurance companies.  

To fix this, why don't you try offering subscription-based dentistry?  

Subscription-based dentistry is an emerging dental industry trend that enables private dental offices to create a bundled plan of preventive care and offer it to uninsured patients at a more affordable price.  

Subscription-based dental services include evaluations, radiographs, prophylaxes, plus discounts on treatments.  

This makes dental services affordable to patients who don’t have dental coverage while ensuring more revenue for your dental practice.  

A study revealed that 83% of patients are more likely to stay with a dental practice if they are offered an in-house dental membership plan.  

These plans can be cost-effective for patients while guaranteeing more revenue for dental practices.

This 2023, consider offering an in-house dental membership plan to encourage patients to seek the treatment they need.  

By making oral healthcare accessible, you’re not only helping patients achieve a beautiful and healthy smile. You’re also growing your practice’s patient base and revenue.  

2. More Patients Are Seeking Laser Dentistry

Because laser dentistry provides a less invasive way to treat dental conditions and achieve results, it’s no wonder that more patients prefer them over traditional treatments.  

Medical lasers also cut down the need for metal dental tools which can inflame soft tissues in the mouth and lead to an infection.  Metal dental tools also trigger phobia for some.

This dental industry trend also reduces pain and bleeding, accelerates post-op healing, and eliminates bacteria long-term.  

The dental laser market is expected to grow by over 11% or $206.83 million from 2021 to 2025.  

Use laser technology to appeal to more patients, especially those who have dentophobia.  

3. Consumers Want More Natural Oral Hygiene Products

Natural, organic, and sustainable personal care products are growing increasingly popular!

Experts predict that the global market value for natural cosmetics and personal care will be worth $50.46 billion by 2027. 64% of consumers also feel the need to buy natural clean or personal care products.  

To boost your revenue, consider selling natural oral care products and using them in your treatments. Examples of natural oral care products include herbal toothpaste, herbal mouthwash, natural oral supplements, oral probiotics, and bamboo toothbrushes.  

4. AI-Powered Practice Management Features Emerge

From appointment setting to customer service and other management functions, you can now automate these tasks with the help of AI!  

The market for healthcare chatbots is expected to grow up to 25.1% in 2025, making it worth $703.2 million.  

Dental chatbots can help you achieve several tasks, including the following:

• Screen patients before they arrive for emergency dental care.
• Answer questions about services.  
• Make online appointments.  
• Ask about symptoms and refer patients to the right dentist.  

It’s not hard to see why AI is such a big dental industry trend!

Another essential AI-powered practice management software you need is appointment confirmation. It automatically sends reminders to patients about their upcoming or prior appointment through text, email, or phone. This eliminates no-shows and boosts your revenue.  

Another dental industry trend worth investing in is called review management software. It helps automate the process of asking your patients to give reviews and give feedback. The survey revealed that 70% of patients will leave a review if asked.  

Many dentists don’t bother monitoring the reviews that their patients leave them online. However, it’s important to be vigilant about how you treat your patients, especially beyond the clinic.  

Here are some statistics to keep in mind:

• 93% of consumers read online reviews before scheduling an appointment with a service provider.  
• 54% of consumers use reviews to help evaluate products and services.  
• 83% of consumers say that it’s important for reviews to be recent to be relevant.  

Make sure you respond to reviews, especially negative ones, because they can drive up to 22% of your potential patients away.  

94% of consumers also say that negative online reviews stop them from visiting a business or service provider. 53% of people expect businesses to respond to negative reviews.  

Businesses that don’t respond to negative reviews experience an increase in customer turnover rate of 15%. 56% of consumers also say that their views on a business have changed based on how they responded to reviews.  

5. Patients Are Seeking Dentists with a Trustworthy Online Persona

Patients will judge you based on your online presence. A Pew Research study revealed that a patient’s tendency to trust medical and scientific experts is usually influenced by politics.  

Build a strong online presence to help patients make the right impression about your practice.  

It’s also important to showcase your expertise in the field because this is how you’ll establish your credibility and build rapport with potential patients.  

Without trust, you’ll have a hard time attracting new patients.  

So, how can you develop an online presence that builds trust? Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Create a dedicated FAQ page. Many adults avoid going to the dentist because they’re afraid that they wouldn’t be able to afford the fees or they feel unsure that their insurance will cover the treatments they need. By answering these questions and other frequently asked queries, you can encourage patients to seek the help they need.  
• Focusing on patient education is the key to increasing your patient signups. The more you educate patients about oral health and why it’s important to seek preventive care and other treatments, the more they’ll be open to receiving them.
• Debunk myths, give expert advice, and show people how you perform certain treatments. This is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in the field. It also makes you more trustworthy.  

• Run content marketing campaigns that aim to get in touch with patients who haven’t seen you in a while. This includes remarketing via email, investing in retargeting ads, and boosting social media posts.
• Post before and after the results of your patients on social media. This is the best way to build trust and confidence in your practice. It’s also the most effective way to convince patients to choose you over your competitors.

6. Patients Highly Value Convenience

Modern patients expect to access services anytime anywhere. Make it easy for your potential and existing patients to get the help they need when they need it by doing the following:

• Provide an online portal that enables patients to schedule appointments online, fill out paperwork, and ask questions.  

• Offer extended office hours to allow more patients to come in at the times that are most convenient for them, including evenings, weekends, and even early mornings.  
• Allow patients to pay via mobile or online.  
• Provide an all-in-one stop shop for all their dental and oral health care needs.  
• Allow them to have more control over their oral health experience.  

Convenience is a dental industry trend that comes in various forms. It’s best to ask your patients what they want so you can create services that best cater to their needs.  

Use Dental Industry Trends to Inform Your Digital Marketing Strategy!

Now that you know the top dental industry trends this 2023, use them to boost your digital marketing strategy.  

At Digital Resource, our digital marketing experts will work with you to create a custom marketing plan that will help you achieve business goals and grow your business.  

Contact us today to know how we can specifically help your dental practice.  

‍