Top 5 dental practice trends stories of 2024

We all like to keep up with not only what is going on around us currently but also what may impact us in the future, right? Well, in 2024, readers of DrBicuspid.com certainly devoured articles that focused on current and future trends.

Let's take a look back at the five most popular articles from the past year that dealt with dental trends.

What we are learning about the next generation of dentists

About a half-century ago, many dentists in the U.S. were extroverted and often made decisions based on values; however, dentists of tomorrow may be quite different. The review article was published on July 10 in the Journal of Dental Education. The personalities of today's dental students are more introverted and more inclined to heavily weigh facts before making decisions, the authors wrote.

DSO patient trend projections for 2024

To end 2023, author Beth Gaddis asked DSO leaders to share their thoughts on the following:

• What was a top patient trend of 2023?
• What's a patient trend you predict for 2024?
• How are you preparing for that trend?

Click above to see what these leaders got right and wrong.

What do Gen Z workers want from their dental practice?

What do dental practices need to know about employing Gen Z workers? I asked Sarrah Rose, the CEO and founder of Elixr, an artificial intelligence-powered coaching app that helps its clients prioritize mental health to improve self-love, dating, and relationships (including working relationships), about Gen Z and their needs and desires in the dental practice.

The technologies DSOs are implementing: Digital imaging with AI, guided biofilm therapy, and more

In July, Gaddis asked DSO leaders attending the Dykema DSO conference in Denver what they've implemented, the results they've seen, and what they would like to introduce into their practices in the next few months.

How busy are dentists? The answer may surprise you.

About one-third of dentists in the U.S. are either too busy to treat every patient who requests care or clinicians are treating them all but are overworked, according to the latest data from the ADA's Health Policy Institute.