New technology is a significant driver of innovation in the dental field, and it’s a benefit for providers and patients alike. By taking advantage of cutting-edge technology, doctors can offer convenient, customized, quicker and easier treatments to their patients.
However, doctors and patients cannot reap the benefits of new technology without a solid implementation plan in place. The most successful implementation requires training, and the best training is grounded in a mentorship mindset.
I’ve worked in the clear aligner space for nearly 20 years, and I’ve trained over 30,000 doctors to use the technology. Here are my key ingredients for crafting a successful technology implementation plan that focuses on mentorship.
Everything begins with education
As mentors, we’re responsible for educating our mentees, and that ethos is also the basis for a solid implementation plan. Providers want to understand why a new technology is useful before they can fully embrace it.
At Aspen Dental practices, for example, we are introducing a new clear aligner called Motto. Before we ever put the technology in the hands of doctors, we start with educating them about the "why" behind the new technology. In the case of clear aligners, we start by discussing the natural phenomenon of mesial drift, or, as I like to say, "Shift happens." Starting in the second or third decade of life, patients can begin to see their teeth migrating forward. If this isn’t addressed, patients can experience overcrowding, then teeth wearing down, then fracturing, then, finally, extraction of the damaged teeth. By understanding these health benefits themselves, providers can easily discuss the aligners with patients who usually are primarily motivated to get clear aligners for aesthetic reasons.
When we start with a solid foundation of education, both doctors and patients are more satisfied with their treatment plans, especially when those plans involve new technology.
Training should be rigorous and complete
Education about health benefits, for example, is only one piece of the implementation puzzle. Providers also need hands-on training to understand not just the "why" behind the technology, but also the "what" and the "how."
In the case of Motto, we are putting our doctors through rigorous courses and extensive hands-on training to ensure we’re delivering above and beyond what’s currently in the clear aligner market. If doctors have not been fully trained, they are not certified to offer Motto, which reduces the risk of dissatisfaction for both the doctors and the patients.
When training programs are in-depth and complete, providers are able to get their questions answered, receive the support they need and build confidence with the new technology, which benefits everyone, especially patients.
The best mentorship is empowering
With education and training grounded in a mentorship approach, doctors feel empowered to embrace new technology, continue learning, challenge the status quo and provide the best, cutting-edge care to their patients.
Doctors who have been trained in Motto, for example, feel motivated and inspired because patients are now excited to come to the dentist. When providers can both see these kinds of positive results and expand their practices to offer more comprehensive treatment, they want to continue pushing to be the best possible clinicians. In my personal career at Aspen, thousands of dentists in the network have a direct line to myself and my team to help support them. There are also study groups and group chats, in which more experienced dentists organically become mentors to ones newer on their clear aligner journey.
Technology implementation, when combined with empowering mentorship, helps clinicians strive for the cutting edge of the dental industry instead of just the bleeding edge. As a mentor and clear aligner trainer, my goal is to ensure all providers have the support, education and training they require to deliver the best possible care while taking advantage of the newest technology.
It all comes back to the patient
Empowering doctors using a mentorship mindset creates enormous benefits that inevitably trickle down to the patients. New technology such as clear aligners can provide patients with true self-confidence. Additionally, providers are able to educate their patients on the slew of health benefits they receive from having corrected smiles.
When education, training and mentorship combine, successful implementation of a new technology is guaranteed.
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Payam Ataii, DMD, is the senior vice president of orthodontic support at Aspen Dental. He obtained his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and completed his dental externship at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He has completed over 3,000 clear aligner cases and has served the dental community as an educator, expert witness and practicing dentist. He is nationally recognized as a key opinion leader, with multiple peer reviewed publications and over 27 years of private practice, nearly 20 years of which have been dedicated to clear aligner therapy. As a patent holder of an FDA- cleared oral device, he continues to innovate dental health solutions that help dental practices reap the rewards of modern technology for their patients.