Louis Cooper, DDS, attending pediatric dentist at Greenwich (Conn.) Hospital, connected with Becker's Nov. 2 to discuss the issues the next generation of dental leaders should focus on.

Dental artificial intelligence company Overjet is the only dental company named on Forbes' "AI 50 2022" list, and it has made waves in the dental industry by partnering with a variety of DSOs and payers.

Molly Benz, brand director of Dental Care Alliance, connected with Becker's Oct. 26 to discuss the DSO's 2022 growth strategy and investments.

Improving work culture, industry burnout and DSO consolidation were a few of the topics dental leaders addressed with Becker's in October. 

Jess Giebel, professional education manager at OraPharma and a dental hygienist, spoke with Becker's on Oct. 24 to discuss the best way dentists can support hygienists.

According to the American Dental Association's "Dental Workforce Shortages" report, 42.9 percent of dental hygienists voluntarily left the field because of the culture.

Staffing shortages are one of the biggest challenges dentistry is up against, and with those hurdles come burnout.

Three dentists connected with Becker's to weigh in on the question: "What dental trends do you hope disappear in 2023?"

When consumers are looking for a new dentist, they increasingly rely on online searches and reviews. It's critical for both private dental practices and DSOs to rank high on those searches to capture their share of that local market. 

While Aspen Dental recently opened its 1,000th office, the DSO still has plans to continue its growth as a leading dental organization. 

Dentists entering the workforce are facing more pressure to join DSOs under mounting student debt, one orthodontist says. 

Have you ever felt stuck in a rut with your mentee? Maybe appointments continuously fall off the calendar, or there has been minimal progress made toward reaching goals. 

Intraoral scanners have become an important tool for dental practices because of their broad application for dental impressions, one dentist shared with Becker's.

One dental leader connected with Becker's Oct. 4 to answer the question, "What is one trend holding the dental industry back?"

Dental practices will face increased interest rates in the near future, leading to decreased revenue and more acquisitions of smaller practices, according to one dentist. 

The dental industry is in need of a referral process to decrease patient reliance on hospital emergency departments when urgent dental care is needed, according to one dentist. 

Application Programming Interfaces, artificial intelligence and cloud-based software are just some of the technologies making headway in the dental industry as a way to enhance dental practice operations and patient care. 

Several new technologies have played a major role in the advancement of dentistry in recent years, including artificial intelligence, cloud-based software and robotics. 

Many DSOs have worked hard this year to expand their networks and create industry partnerships that will advance patient care, but have had to face the same trends and challenges as smaller dental practices across the U.S. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced DSOs to become more flexible and strategic in order to stand out in a competitive market, according to Sage Dental Chief Development Officer Jim Mizouni.