Healthcare has always been the focus of technological innovation, however, dentistry seems to now be the key emphasis in today’s market. From technology that resolves present challenges to devices that can print dental products and applications, the industry is filled with enthusiasm.
It has been estimated that approximately 9 to 15 percent of Americans hold off dental visits unless needed. Over one-third of those who avoid the dentist said that they did so out of fear. Further, dental care in America is expensive. Many health insurance plans do not include dental care, or they will need additional monthly premiums to have insurance that only covers a limited amount of costs incurred from teeth cleanings, filling and procedures.
America’s oral health care crisis include limited coverage on most dental plans which meant that they are not nearly sufficient to pay for braces or expensive, complex procedures such as crowns and bridges, according to the The Huffington Post. This meant that an average American will tend to find dental care be both expensive and scary. Hence, professionals in the dental industry recognise the need for innovation to resolves challenges such as cost and comfortability.
Similar to that of most medical fields, the outlook of future dentistry will differ from the present due to technological advancements and innovations. It is a sector that is placing greater emphasis on comfortable, cost-effective practices and techniques that emphasizes on preventative care over reactionary procedures.
Even though it is hardly possible to prevent every challenge, the desire of the dentistry and healthcare landscape is to have issues such as cracks, decay and oral diseases to be determined earlier so as to avoid further complications. One promising technology is VELscope, a unique light that allows dentists to identify abnormalities in the mouth.
The VELscope device works by giving off a harmless blue light that dentists can use to scrutinise the soft tissues of the mouth and tongue. The device is highly sensitive to abnormal tissue changes and stimulates the mouth to naturally fluoresce.
Prevention and early detection are always the main objectives in healthcare, but there are also moments when dentists and oral healthcare specialists must utilise their skills and training to rectify current problems. Further, millimeters is important in dental care, therefore precision is significant, particularly in surgery.
David Lakatos, Head of Product at Formlabs shared that when practitioners and researchers are competent and able to create particularly precise tools for surgical applications, it can result in a new range of possibilities for the dental industry and medical science industry.
The dentistry sector faces challenges particularly in external factors such as incomplete healthcare coverage, fear and anxiety. However, technology advancements are reaping benefits that directly counterbalance the friction that many Americans encounter. Over the next few years, these technologies and others will continue to be improved. With the improvements being made, one can only presuppose that the state of dental care in the United States will do the same.
Source: The NYU Dispatch
Participate in the upcoming QS Subject Focus Summit – Dentistry under the theme of “Changing Paradigm in Dental Education for Future Excellence” from 4-6 April 2019 in Seoul, South Korea.