As dental professionals, it’s always a good idea to look into exploring new avenues within the industry. After all, one of the biggest benefits of working in dentistry is the opportunity to create a versatile skillset for yourself that appeals to your interests and passions.
In light of this – have you ever considered dental implantology? Although dental implants are complex, they bring with them a number of exceptional benefits that will help your business and patients alike.
The time is right
Recent data shows that the current valuation of the dental implant market is roughly $4.3 billion. Interestingly, this same data forecasts that the growth of this market is only going to rapidly increase, with predictions stating that by 2028, it will be globally worth over $8 billion.[i]
Although a lot of this growth will arguably be due to countries beginning to adopt this type of treatment, it’s also worth considering that in the UK, demand for dental implant treatment is soaring. This could be due to a number of reasons: first of all being that the UK is classed as having an ageing population. By the year 2050, it is predicted that as much as 24.8 per cent of the population will be aged 65 and above.[ii] With this growing demographic will come the need for more treatments to tackle edentulism, meaning that dental implants are an excellent choice.
Another reason could be that dental implants are simply becoming a more widely understood treatment option. As the products and techniques used in dental implantology continue to boost predictability and offer a wider choice for patients, the treatment continues to become more and more appealing.
As such, now is the perfect time to begin offering the treatment modality, especially as it’s not just an investment for today, but one for the future, too.
Where to begin
As with any complex treatment, the first step towards offering dental implants is gaining the skills you need to succeed. Over the years, availability of hands-on implantology courses has increased massively, and today a quick online search will reveal a number of courses that you can choose to gain associated skills and experience.
There are a few things to consider: the location of the course, the time it takes and the price point. One good option is to speak to your fellow professionals and see which courses they recommend – in a close-knit profession like dentistry, it’s likely that colleagues will give you honest feedback about the courses they have attended, meaning that you can make an informed decision.
Unlike many other parts of dentistry, for implantology a mentor is required. Choosing a mentor is much like finding a course that suits your needs – you can either search for someone online or via social media who you believe will be a good match or ask colleagues who provide mentorship services whether they would be willing to assist you. In most cases it will be better to choose someone you are familiar with, as you are likely to already have a foundation of a relationship to build on.
Keeping up to date with the latest innovations
Dentistry is a fast-paced profession that is never at a standstill. This is especially true in regards to dental implants, and even once you have the skills to provide this type of treatment, it pays to keep abreast of all of the latest news and innovations in the field. Research continually unveils new and exciting information about dental implant concepts, and manufacturers are routinely creating dental implant systems that help support better predictability, enhanced longevity and which can be used in a variety of cases.
As such, by keeping in the know about these developments you can optimise the way you provide treatment to better benefit your patients. You can also ensure that you are the best option for people seeking implant therapy in your area, attracting new patients and becoming more profitable.
Supporting care with cutting-edge technology
As dental implantology is so complex, it makes sense to invest in systems that help to streamline and simplify this type of procedure, especially if you want to reliably provide high-quality treatment time and time again. The Implantmed from W&H is an innovative system that ensures improved treatment safety, comfort and ease for dental implantology. Including an automatic thread cutter function and automatic torque control, the system also has optional extras such as the W&H Osstell ISQ module that measures implant stability, helping to ensure long-lasting, exceptional outcomes.
Branch out into something new
At the end of the day, dental implantology is an exciting avenue for professionals to explore. By doing so, you can not only draw new patients to your practice, but also learn new skills that will serve your career well now and many years into the future.
To find out more visit www.wh.com/en_uk, call 01727 874990 or email office.uk@wh.com
[i] Grand View Research. Dental Implant Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Implants Type (Titanium, Zirconium), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, MEA), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028. Link: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/dental-implants-market#:~:text=The%20global%20dental%20implant%20market%20size%20was%20estimated%20at%20USD,USD%208.0%20billion%20by%202028. [Last accessed August 21].
[ii] The Guardian. Fears of Demographic Timebomb in UK are Unfounded, Says Study. Link: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/nov/19/fears-of-demographic-timebomb-in-uk-are-unfounded-says-study [Last accessed August 21].