Why digitalisation in dentistry is now even more important than ever

One of its key enablers turned out to be the adoption of a digital dental solutions, leading to alternative ways to diagnose, improve workflows, better communication and patient care, safer procedures and staff protection, while keeping the number of patient visits as low as possible. Critically, it was agreed this approach is achievable at the same time as accomplishing sustainable business growth once practices reopen and start receiving patients again – while following local guidelines.

These thoughts are mirrored in new research, published into the impact of Covid-19 and recovery analysis. According to Research Reports World, the global intraoral scanners market post Covid-19 is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate between 2020 and 2025. The market was already growing at a steady rate in 2020 and is now expected to rise over the projected horizon.

Multiple doctors agreed that the implementation of a digital workflow, with an intraoral scanner – such as Align Technology’s iTero Element intraoral scanner – at its hub, has made the post Covid-19 environment far less challenging and has played a major role in their accelerated practice recovery. They itemised a number of reasons for this, including the facilitation of better communication with patients and labs. Using time sub-optimally by taking traditional impressions is now even more questionable when it can be carried out quickly and highly accurately digitally, and when it eliminates the need to ask a patient to come into the clinic more than necessary. Early adopters have also validated the business benefits of embracing digital dentistry as a new powerful patient conversion tool, which also becomes a revenue builder for the practice. In short, these key opinion leaders are of the opinion that digitalisation is now more pertinent than ever to avoid being left behind, as well as depriving patients from what is considered to be ‘best practice’.