Insights: The changing world of digital dentistry

The ultimate goal of any medical profession is to safeguard and improve a patient’s health and well-being. In addition to improving their competencies in research, preventive measures,and treatment techniques, achieving optimal quality care requires practitioners and their patients to establish a positive relationship based on trust and mutual respect.

This is especially true in the field of dentistry. A common fear people have is going to the dentist, and while dentists must uphold the best standard of care for their patients, an element of psychology and human connection comes into play in order to ease the mind and build rapport. This doctor-patient connection is the cherry on top for doctors and patients alike, as it helps to achieve the best results in oral care and ensure the patient will come back to the clinic for continued treatment.

As patient satisfaction and quality care are closely related with the practitioner’s positive attitudes and communicative skills, practitioners need to focus on patients as ‘individuals’ and have ‘real’ communication with them. Adding to this, it is also important to highlight another element of patient care which is quickly evolving and becoming more mainstream. Digital dentistry has rapidly picked up its pace in the region and has proven to have a positive impact on patient relationships, especially following the pandemic.

The digital transformation of the sector allows us to say goodbye to uncomfortable impressions, and analogue processes that are extremely time-consuming. Technology is transforming dentistry for the better, and new imaging technology has paved the way. A good example of digital dentistry making the lives of patients and doctors more efficient is the latest scanner, the iTero Element 5D Plus imaging system. With this imaging system, doctors can simultaneously record 3D, intraoral colour and near infrared imaging images with one full arch scan, in as little as 60 seconds as well as aid in the detection of caries above the gingiva – allowing patients to visualise treatment options together that result in informed decisions for optimum oral care.

As a region, Middle Eastern countries have become early adopters of such digital technologies. The public and private sectors have made significant gains in establishing a robust digital infrastructure that supports innovation and opens new economic possibilities. This has also attracted investment from various technology vendors who are working diligently to serve the region.

In recent years, a huge number of dentists – from periodontists and implantologists through to endodontists and prosthodontists have moved to the region, attracted, of course, by the government regulations and low tax rate, but also by the growing size of the industry and the respect that it now commands.

To conclude, practitioners must not lose sight of the psychological aspects of care when engaging with their patients, and technology can play a major part in this. Not only will the advancement of technology in the dental sector increase accessibility to patients, it will also elevate the level of patient care being provided, making it more seamless and more enjoyable for each party.

Angelo Maura is the general manager of Align Technology Middle East

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