The greatest expense in dentistry is the dentist. Therefore, mid level providers can reduce the cost significantly and with the tools and techniques now appearing their growth will be exponential.
Karl Popper, one of the most influential 20th century philosophers of science, once eloquently stated: “All life is problem solving”. I’ve often contended that the best leaders are the best problem solvers. They have the patience to adjust as the walls are coming down around non-dentist ownership of dental practices, barriers will also be breaking down to allow mid level providers to deliver dentistry.
“The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, Department of Primary Dental Care, invites you to join us as we bring together legislators, dental professionals, educators and other partners for a one day conference and on-site tour of how Minnesotans utilized dental therapists to increase access to care and expand dental practices in the state.” (attached)
The most resistance is expected to come from organized dentistry, with their allegations that non-dentists can’t deliver quality care: “Only dentists have the capability of delivering optimum care to patients.” But without any evidence to back this statement, with the tremendous difficulty of access for many people, with increasing political pressure and with every attempt to control medical costs, organized dentistry’s power in this domain will be greatly diminished.
Number of areas will potentiate the development and incorporation of mid level providers into the system. One is artificial intelligence (AI). Since AI capabilities continue to expand, AI’s ability to intake diagnostic data and respond with evidence based diagnosis and treatment plans will be present throughout the industry in less than a decade. No longer will dentists have total dominion on what is diagnosed and what is the treatment planned.
Diagnostic tools are going to get much more sophisticated and accurate. There are entities working on visual programs that can see 250 times greater than the human eye and hundreds of times better than radiographs. These utilities will be here shortly.
Larger managed group practices will promote midlevel providers to be able to reduce their costs, increase their productivity and patient volume. Given they have a hierarchical structure, oversight by dentists within their organization will not be an issue and with their quality assurance programs in place they will be able to closely monitor the care delivered.
Hygienists and certified dental assistants are looking for career advancement and being a midlevel provider provides such a pathway.
Dental schools looking for other economic sources will promote programs for midlevel providers.
Insurance companies will pay for restorations done my midlevel providers.
Organized dentistry has ‘done it to themselves’ on the issue of midlevel providers: Refusing to take the lead and only offering resistance left them with little leverage. The great wave of midlevel providers is about to come on shore.
step back and see the problem at-hand through broadened observation; circular vision. They see around, beneath and beyond the problem itself. They see well beyond the obvious. The most effective leaders approach problems through a lens of opportunity.
The Associate Summit on November 2nd, 3rd and 4th in Houston Texas will give you new and much deeper perspective on associates and associateships – a circular vision – allowing you to see beyond the problem itself to new solutions that you will discover.
