The increase in the commoditization of implant dentistry could have a negative impact on patient care, according to Abdallah Awada, DDS.
Dr. Awada opened a ClearChoice Dental Implant Center office May 30 in Ann Arbor, Mich. He recently spoke with Becker's about the trends he's following in the dental industry.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What trends are you following right now?
Dr. Abdallah Awada: We're noticing a significant spike in the commoditization of dental implant treatment in the U.S. [There's] an ever-increasing focus on price and speed above everything else, which both are very important factors in access to care and treatment success, [but] I believe delivering treatment to a patient in a timely manner is equally as important as calling the treatment a success, doing the right treatment, putting the teeth in the correct place, having integrated implants and all of that. To make the focus almost solely on [price and speed] can sometimes be a disservice to the patient. That is something I always keep front of mind as I adopt innovations for patients and as I work to deliver them this care in a more affordable and timely manner, is to make sure that at no point in this process are we compromising treatment outcomes, success, precision [or] customization simply for the sake of treating the process as a commodity.
Q: What do you think is causing this increased commoditization?
AA: I wish I knew exactly what it is, but I believe it tends to end up being a natural side effect to increased availability of the treatment. The treatment has been so successful and helpful to many patients that it has gained, especially recently, significantly more adoption at the practice level and significantly more visibility at the patient level. Sometimes it could be that in our strive to fulfill the patient's needs at all costs, we end up hyper-focusing on those things. That's something I am sure to not allow as it comes to my practice and the treatment plans we provide. And I know for a fact I'm part of a network that also makes sure our patients are receiving the highest level of treatment and not just focusing solely on those two factors.