With the global market for clear aligners expected to reach $30.2 billion by 2030, it should come as no surprise that more dentists and orthodontists are getting in on the action. The rise can be attributed to technological advancements and patients’ growing preference for convenient, discreet solutions to straighten their teeth without wires or brackets.
However, those are not the only factors driving the surge for clear aligners.
We must also give credit to the increased adoption of teledentistry, which was accelerated by the pandemic and is now here to stay.
How can teledentistry help you meet your patient’s demand for clear aligners and other dental services in the future?
Here are some tips for tackling teledentistry and conquering the growing clear aligners market.
LEVELING UP WITH TELEDENTISTRY
The annual cost of dental care in the United States was nearly $136 billion in 2018 and of that amount, $55 billion was paid out-of-pocket by patients. Teledentistry has proven to be a widely accepted solution to help combat the cost of care, increase efficiency and offer patients more flexibility and access to dental services.
Even before the pandemic, 78% of patients said they were likely to set a virtual dental appointment within the next five years. Now, teledentistry has gone mainstream and is considered table stakes for dental practices to stay competitive, care for more patients, and offer services that boost their bottom line.
In a recent survey, 60% of respondents said they believe there is an affordability gap in the dental and healthcare fields.
Teledentistry helps make quality dental care more affordable and offers conveniences that are hard to monetize like time savings and efficient appointments. And for Americans living in remote areas who don’t have access to quality dentists and orthodontists, teledentistry may be the only way they can get the smile they’ve always wanted.
EXPLORING THE BENEFITS OF CLEAR ALIGNERS
The demand for clear aligners has skyrocketed — especially among teens — and is now a highly sought-after alternative to traditional braces. According to a new report, the clear aligner market is expected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 29.5% from 2022 to 2030.
This means that if your practice is not currently offering patients clear aligners, you may want to consider it. The good news is that it’s easier than ever for dentists and orthodontists to ramp up clear aligner services with the help of teledentistry leaders who already have the treatment plans and technology in place.
With the right clear aligner partner, you can provide your patients with an evidence-backed aligner system and a seamless treatment process that includes a combination of in-office appointments and virtual check-ins.
This hybrid care model has proven to be a successful approach for patients with clear aligners and offers patients — and dental providers — the best of both worlds in terms of care and convenience. Additionally, teledentistry and clear aligner innovators like SmileDirectClub take it one step further by offering opportunities for dental providers to build volume and tap into a new pool of patients with a proven aligner system and an easy-to-integrate telehealth platform.
What’s more, clear aligners are also cost-effective (in some cases, costing patients 40% less than the cost of similar treatments) and a clinically sound way for patients to get a smile they love with a convenient, flexible and easily accessible dental innovation.
SUCCEEDING IN A NEW ERA OF DENTISTRY
Providing exceptional dental care is always the first priority of every practice — as it should be. But evolving with the industry and embracing innovations that make quality dentistry accessible to more patients is also a core tenet of the job. By offering incremental dental services like clear aligners, made easier through an already-established partner, you can offer patients more opportunities to smile confidently and easily implement a profit-boosting strategy that can reduce chair time and improve your patients’ experience.
Now’s the time to explore the new era of dentistry and reimagine the model for operational and clinical success. Taking the time to find the right teledentistry partner for your practice and your patients is worth it and can lead to new revenue streams and more treatment options for patients.
Check out what’s out there — you won’t regret it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Marc Ackerman DMD, MBA is the Executive Director of the American Teledentistry Association.
Clinically, he specializes in the orthodontic treatment of patients with dentofacial deformity, intellectual and physical disabilities and sleep-disordered breathing.
FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Guilherme Ariga GUI WOOK from Pixabay.
