What does the dental future hold?
No one can say for certain, of course. However, dentists are not terribly optimistic about the future of the dental profession.
When we asked about their feelings on the future of dentistry, only 22% said it looked bright. Another 35% are uncertain, while a full 43% of dentists are pessimistic about the future of dentistry.
One dentist said, “I have no idea what’s going to happen, but I do know that I wouldn’t encourage my children to follow in my footsteps.”
Jim Du Molin and Julie Frey discuss what dentists think about the dental future:
“I am especially concerned about the future for my specialty,” said an orthodontist. “There are just too many orthodontists, and with pedodontists and general dentists doing more and more orthodontics, the competition for patients is fierce.”
“I have been in practice over 36 years and see a drastic decline in decay and periodontal disease,” observed one dentist. “I really don’t know what dentists will do in the future.”
“Unfortunately, too many dentists are more concerned about the bottom line rather than helping patients solve their dental problems,” complained a dental implant dentist.