If computing in the last decade can be recalled as 'Information Systems' then history will record the current decade as 'Communication Systems'. The influence of technology in everyday life and the rate of acceleration over the past five years has been nothing short of astounding, particularly in connecting people. The online experience in particular has transformed the way we live our lives and the speed of adoption is accelerating. Only five years ago who would have predicted Facebook's pervasiveness, or that the art of communicating in less than 140 characters would become a worldwide phenomenon embraced across generations with its own abbreviated language, or that a choice of hotel would be unlikely to be confirmed without first consulting TripAdvisor? Restaurant reservations, tickets for the cinema, booking a holiday – all tasks completed without hesitation, at a time and in a manner that suits the pace and demands of the 21st Century. If this is the case in other areas of life, why should it be different in dentistry? My conclusion is that it shouldn't – and it won't be.
If we try to predict what the dental market will look like in five years time we can point to increasing 'corporatisation', by this I mean the growth in groups of practices who integrate and rely on the implementation of processes and systems to control their business operations. We also foresee an increasing reliance on sophisticated business software, as practices begin to understand their need to interact with patients, and dentists themselves start to appreciate the need to evolve their communication techniques to meet changing market demands. The way in which practices operate in every sphere; how they are managed and how they communicate, internally and externally, will be transformed in the next five years and I believe that the profession is on the cusp of a revolution.
Through experience with the Thrive software I have learned that it is sometimes difficult to get team members to change behaviour; business processes often run only as well as they need to rather than as well as they can. Incorporating a system's approach is highly beneficial on every level; if a dentist wants to retire and appoint an associate and realise the full value of their investment the practice must operate in a certain way. If a principal is not always 'on site' the practice needs to have the operational systems that facilitate the consistent management of the practice. This is where automation and processes become hugely important and add considerable value to a practice. If the systems embedded in a practice are good enough it can continue to operate and earn a good reputation despite the absence of the principal.
My view on dentistry is that as an essential aspect of overall healthcare there will always be a need for dentists, I am optimistic about the future and I believe that Software of Excellence will play an increasingly important role. There is no doubt that we are still facing difficult economic times, however for those who survive and thrive I believe we will all be stronger as a profession.
Some practices are currently not succeeding because they are unaware of new techniques, or are resistant to trying them. My view is that we cannot let this deter us from developing and refining our ideas. Software of Excellence is now living by the mantra of 'What value can we add to the practice and for the patient?' It is not just about 'technology' anymore, it is about application. Software of Excellence's products work, the challenge is to motivate dentists and their teams to integrate the technology into the practice. We have everything in place for what I believe is the most significant software release in dentistry for 10 years, we are ready to start our journey and want all dental practices to join us.