At Becker's The Future of Dentistry Roundtable in June, dental practice and DSO leaders participated with Solutionreach and Heartland Dental in an interactive learning session about utilizing technology to enhance patient communication and drive practice growth.
Key takeaways:
1. Industry challenges: The group discussed several industry challenges, including staffing issues, managing the cost of dentistry, profitability and meeting the goals of private equity partners. These challenges reflect the need for effective communication, operational efficiency and adapting to changing patient expectations.
2. Communication gap: According to participants, patients today want seamless communication with providers through various channels. Closing communication gaps is a significant opportunity for improvement for many dental organizations.
3. Leveraging technology: Representatives from Heartland Dental — the largest DSO in the U.S. — participated in the session. They discussed their strategic approach to patient communication and marketing in partnership with Solutionreach. They emphasized the use of technology to enhance patient engagement, automate communication processes and provide personalized experiences.
4. Integrated solutions: Participants highlighted the challenges of using multiple vendors for different functions such as patient management systems, analytics, communication software and more. Dental practice and DSO leaders expressed a desire for comprehensive solutions, consolidated services and simplified workflows.