In this month’s Data Driven Dentistry feature, we decided to take a look at your purchasing plans. While many dentists took a financial hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, over half of our reader respondents still had plans to purchase new equipment this year. This is great to see.
Operatory equipment was the most popular option regarding what dentists were planning to buy. Dental phobia is an issue for many patients, so any upgrades you can make to your operatories to help your patients feel more safe and secure is a great investment. Making aesthetic updates such as cabinetry and chairs can make things easier on patient eyes and bodies as they sit in your office for their hour-long appointments.
Digital impression systems and digital radiography ranked second and third for 2022 purchase plans. All practices should be adapting digital dentistry into their practices to ensure they are providing the best experience possible – for patients and for yourselves. Accuracy, speed and comfort can all be improved by these purchases.
How are your peers finding out about new technology and equipment? Despite no live events for over a year during the pandemic, nearly half of dentists still say they find their information from tradeshows/conventions. This shows how vital these events are for the community and we are happy to see tradeshows making a comeback. Many dentists also find information from specialized media such as magazines. Let us know if you plan to purchase any products from this issue! Tweet us @oralhealthgroup or tag us on Instagram @oralhealthgrp.
As seen in the print issue of Oral Health October 2022
*In October and November 2021, Bramm Research, a third-party independent research house, conducted an online survey of active, practicing non-hospital affiliated dentists and dental specialists on behalf of Oral Health. Using Oral Health’s subscription list, a total of 264 completed surveys were tabulated. With a total sample of 264, the margin of error is plus or minus 6.0 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. If, for example, 50% of the sample indicated that agreed with a statement, then we can be reasonably sure (19 times out of 20) of an accuracy within +/- 6.0%. This means that a total census would reveal an answer of not less than 44.0% and not more than 56.0%.
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