Dear Business & Industry Insider,
There's no question that this has been a challenging year for the dental industry on every level, and that includes dental service organizations (DSOs). Like every other facet of our industry, DSOs have had to adapt to the current economic environment.
But what does that mean for the future of DSOs? What are we likely to see in this segment of dental practices moving forward? Those are some of the questions that Dr. Anthony Stefanou tackled in this issue's Insider Exclusive, where he gives readers six trends that he sees as current and near-future shifts for DSOs.
Also in our Business & Industry Community, nearly three-fourths of patients in the U.S. believe that routine dental appointments remain important during the pandemic and that the benefits of going to the dentist outweigh the potential risks of delaying preventive care, according to recently released data. These data points certainly seem to be good news for our industry as the colder months of the year arrive.
Finally, from workforce shortages to changes in infection control protocols, dental hygienists have taken a one-two punch from the COVID-19 pandemic. But, in the long term, it may change their roles in practices and offer them new opportunities. These were some of the thoughts that came out of a recent panel discussion hosted by the ADA's Health Policy Institute. The potential for changes in the role of the dental hygienist is certainly something we're watching as 2021 draws ever nearer.
Thank you for being a Business & Industry Insider! We wish you and your business nothing but the best in this year's fourth quarter and beyond.
