In my last article, I discussed what we often label as "resistance" and why it's rarely about stubbornness. Most dental teams aren't anti-tech and aren't refusing to evolve. They're protecting confidence, workflow, and capacity in a profession that already runs at full speed.
When a new tool shows up, the learning curve doesn't happen in a quiet classroom -- it happens between patients, with time pressure and real expectations. That's why even excellent technology can stall after purchase.
Over the years, I've noticed that adoption succeeds when the practice and the manufacturer function like partners, not like two separate worlds. This follow-up post is what I see in the field -- what tends to slow adoption down and what makes it dramatically easier for teams to integrate technology in a way that actually sticks.
The leadership blind spot behind the adoption gap
Kelly Tanner, PhD, RDH.
One pattern I've noticed is that many manufacturers genuinely care about outcomes, yet their adoption plans don't always reflect the realities of daily clinical life. A big part of that can be leadership structure -- when companies don't have clinicians in their C-suite, the day-to-day nuance of a dental practice can be hard to fully understand from the top down.
On paper, workflows look linear and predictable, but in practice, they're interruptions, emotions, handoffs, late patients, staffing changes, and constant switching. That mismatch doesn't mean the technology isn't strong; it simply means the implementation strategy may be designed for ideal conditions rather than clinical ones.
The burden then quietly shifts to the team to "figure it out," and the learning curve can start to feel personal. When I'm brought into offices or asked to consult with manufacturers on implementation, this is often the pivot point: shifting implementation from a one-time training event into a supported integration process. When that shift happens, adoption stops being a struggle and starts becoming normal.
Adoption isn't an information issue but a capacity issue
One of the most consistent truths I see is that dentistry isn't lacking intelligence or effort. Teams comprise capable people who learn quickly when the conditions support learning.
Adoption tends to break down when learning is expected to happen inside chaos, without role clarity, and with no runway for the messy middle. The team may understand the value of the tool and still struggle to use it consistently, because understanding doesn't automatically translate into habit.
In those moments, friction is often misread as "resistance" when it's really a predictable human response to overload. If the tool creates uncertainty about roles, timing, or workflow, the team defaults to what's familiar under pressure. That's not defiance; it's self-protection. What changes everything is when implementation is designed to protect confidence while building competence.
The adoption runway makes learning feel safe and measurable
When adoption goes well, there's usually a runway, not necessarily formal, but present. Teams tend to integrate faster when they know what the first week looks like, what success looks like by the first month, and what "steady" should look like by Day 90.
A runway reduces the all-or-nothing thinking that can derail adoption by permitting people to be in process. It also prevents the common pattern where teams try to use every feature at once, stumble, and then quietly avoid the tool.
I've seen practices thrive when they focus on small milestones that build confidence quickly. This approach is also easier to coach and support because progress is visible, not vague.
From the manufacturer's side, a runway is one of the most helpful "invisible features" you can offer, because it turns adoption into a sequence rather than a single leap.
A dedicated adoption contact changes the emotional tone of implementation
A second pattern I see is how much the human support layer matters. When someone gets stuck during a busy day, what they feel isn't just confusion; it's pressure, exposure, and the fear of falling behind.
That emotional spike is often what creates avoidance later, even if the problem itself was small. Teams tend to stay engaged when they know exactly whom to reach out to, what the response time looks like, and that they won't be made to feel foolish for asking.
In offices where adoption went smoothly, there's usually a person or a small team serving as an adoption bridge, not just a troubleshooting hotline. That role is as much about calming the nervous system as it is about solving the issue. From a manufacturer's perspective, this kind of support is often the difference between "great product, inconsistent use" and "great product, embedded in culture."
Role-based training prevents bottlenecks and protects workflow
I also notice that adoption stalls when training is delivered in a way that doesn't align with how dental practices actually operate. A dentist or owner may champion the technology, but daily success often depends on assistants, hygienists, and front-office professionals who touch the workflow repeatedly.
When training is broad and generic, people leave with information but not clarity about their lane. Then one person becomes the "tech person," everyone else hesitates, and the workflow bottlenecks around the most confident user.
In contrast, role-based training tends to create shared ownership and smoother handoffs, because each person knows what to do and when to do it. Short, targeted learning works well here, because teams can apply it immediately without needing a long, uninterrupted block of time.
From the manufacturer's side, role-based training isn't just nice to have, it's a practical way to prevent adoption from depending on one motivated individual.
Onboarding and setup are where trust is either built or lost
Another thing I've noticed is that adoption pain often shows up in the parts of implementation that feel "administrative," yet those are the parts that can make or break the experience. When onboarding includes migrations, permissions, templates, integrations, settings, or workflow redesign, teams can hit friction long before they ever feel the benefit.
If the practice experiences the early phase as confusing or exhausting, it creates a narrative that the tool is "hard," even if it isn't. That narrative spreads quickly, because it attaches to emotion, not logic.
When I'm supporting integration, we spend real time on the first 30 to 60 days, because early wins create momentum, and momentum is what carries the team through the learning curve. Practices don't remember every feature; they remember how the experience felt.
From the manufacturer side, a smooth, supportive onboarding process isn't just operationally helpful, it's a marketing advantage that lives inside the practice story.
Moment-of-need resources help teams stay engaged between patients
In the field, I've learned that most teams don't struggle because they lack access to information, they struggle because the information isn't accessible in the moment they need it.
A binder on a shelf doesn't help when something happens between patients and the schedule is moving. What helps is small, searchable resources: short videos, one-page checklists, a quick script, or a simple troubleshooting guide that assumes the user is busy and slightly stressed.
The most effective resources also use a compassionate tone, because people stop asking for help when help makes them feel small. When a team has quick tools that meet them in real time, the friction doesn't escalate into avoidance.
This is one of the areas where manufacturers can add enormous value without changing the technology itself. It's also one of the areas where I love supporting both manufacturers and offices, because it turns learning from a burden into a routine.
Progress tracking works best when it celebrates growth, not perfection
A final pattern I see is that teams stay engaged when they can see progress. Without feedback, it's easy to feel like nothing is improving, especially in the messy middle when the new workflow still feels slower than the old one.
Simple progress markers, such as milestones, usage trends, and small improvements, can help the team feel like the effort is paying off. The key is tone: Tracking should feel like encouragement and insight, not surveillance.
When progress is visible, identity shifts from "we're failing" to "we're getting better," and that identity shift is what creates repetition. In practices where adoption becomes part of the culture, there's usually some structure for noticing wins and adjusting without judgment.
From the manufacturer's side, offering a supportive way to track adoption can be incredibly beneficial because it helps teams stay on the learning curve long enough to come out the other side.
Why this matters: The implementation experience becomes the product experience
If there's one thing I wish every manufacturer understood, it's that practices don't experience technology in isolation. They experience it inside people, workflow, culture, and time pressure.
When implementation support is thoughtful, adoption feels like progress, and the tool becomes part of daily life. When support is thin, adoption feels like a strain, and the tool becomes "something we should use more."
I've watched the same technology succeed beautifully in one office and stall in another simply because the adoption pathway was different. This is why I work on both sides of the equation, helping companies design adoption supports that match real practice life and helping dental teams integrate tools in a way that protects both patient care and team well-being. When manufacturers and practices approach adoption as a partnership, the results are better for everyone --- especially patients.
Kelly Tanner, PhD, RDH, is the hygiene editor for DrBicuspid, where she shares insights and strategies to empower dental hygienists in their careers. As a leader in clinical training, professional development, and team dynamics, Tanner provides resources to help hygienists elevate their practice and personal growth. For further support, join her free Facebook group, Next Level Dental Hygiene Career and Personal Development, and explore group training and on-demand courses at www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
