Support the individual

The mass market is dead.  Long live the individual.  These two statements may seem more politically than dentally related, but, there is a connection. Just think for a moment about the advice given to patients in your practice. Presumably all patients are told they should brush and floss? Good advice - but is this enough? To what extent in your practice are you tailoring what you say to the needs of the patient, in other words, the individual?

If dental health is on the agenda in your practice, a discussion probably takes place about diet followed by the best type of brush, floss, or mouthwash and whether inter-dental brushing works. Once again, ask yourself, is this enough?

To return to the theme of the vanishing mass market, most of us would agree that the growth in individual choice over the last few decades has been a good thing. Until quite recently, everything was geared to the average person, whether it was education, food or the height of car seats. This means that a significant minority was always disappointed. If you had individual needs, such as dyslexia, sensitivity to a food, or were very tall or short, you had a problem.