How do you build a future-ready dental practice?

Building a Future-Ready Dental Practice

To build a future-ready dental practice, implement multifaceted implementation strategies combining education, computer-based reminders, and pay-for-performance incentives, as these show the strongest evidence for improving guideline adherence and practice modernization in dental settings. 1

Core Implementation Framework

Evidence-Based Guideline Adoption Strategies

The most effective approach requires combining multiple proven strategies rather than relying on single interventions:

• Education and training programs for all dental healthcare workers show consistent effectiveness, with studies demonstrating up to 50% increases in appropriate clinical practices when extensive staff education is implemented 1
• Computer-based reminder systems significantly improve adherence to clinical guidelines, with increases of 33.1% in screening rates and 58.9% in appropriate interventions when decision support systems are deployed 1
• Pay-for-performance incentives demonstrate particular effectiveness in dental settings (unlike other healthcare sectors), with greater increases in preventive service delivery such as fluoride varnish application when financial incentives are aligned with quality metrics 1
• Audit and feedback mechanisms produce meaningful improvements, with individualized feedback to dentists resulting in 5.7% greater decreases in inappropriate antibiotic prescribing compared to usual care 1

Operational Infrastructure Requirements

Each dental facility must develop written protocols for instrument reprocessing, operatory cleanup, and injury management, with consistent adherence to infection-control strategies including protective barriers and appropriate sterilization methods 1

• Training in infection-control practices should begin in professional schools and continue through mandatory continuing education 1
• Implement puncture-resistant containers for sharp disposal and sealed impervious bags for contaminated solid waste according to local, state, and federal environmental regulations 1

Workforce and Service Delivery Transformation

Expanding Provider Models

Deploy midlevel dental providers including dental therapists and expanded-function dental hygienists who can provide preventive and basic restorative services under dentist supervision 2, 3

• Dental health aide therapists (DHATs) have demonstrated improved access and positive reception in remote and tribal communities, particularly in Alaska programs 2
• Engage primary care providers (pediatricians, nurse practitioners, community health nurses) to provide oral health screening, fluoride varnish application, and referrals 2, 3
• Recruit and retain Indigenous and minority dental professionals to increase workforce representation and cultural competency 2

Practice Structure Evolution

By 2040, dental practices will increasingly operate as:

• Large-group practices and integrated medical-dental settings rather than traditional solo offices, requiring dental professionals to function in intra- and interprofessional teams 4, 5, 6
• Hybrid delivery models combining face-to-face and virtual patient care opportunities, with artificial intelligence driving efficiencies in diagnosis, treatment, and office management 7
• Employee-based models within health care settings and safety net clinics with expanded types of oral health professionals 5

Cultural Competency and Access Strategies

Community Engagement Protocols

Build trust through direct face-to-face interactions at community centers, schools, and local events rather than relying solely on traditional marketing 2

• Recruit community champions as peer educators who can promote oral health from within the community, providing them with training in oral health education, communication skills, and research ethics 2
• Involve community members as active participants in practice design and service delivery decisions, creating feedback opportunities and demonstrating willingness to modify approaches based on community input 2

Language and Cultural Accessibility

• Train all dental staff to practice in culturally appropriate ways that demonstrate respect and awareness of cultural, generational, and linguistic barriers 2, 3
• Translate all patient materials into appropriate languages with attention to maintaining tone, level, and cultural relevance of the original content 2, 3
• Provide materials in multiple accessible formats including video, text, phone, in-person, and social media, using plain language that avoids scientific jargon 2

Financial Accessibility

• Accept Medicaid and public insurance while actively working to reduce barriers that limit acceptance of these patients 2
• Provide nondiscriminatory care to all classes of patients regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, cultural background, age, disability, or religion 2
• Offer flexible scheduling including evening and weekend appointments to accommodate caregiving responsibilities and work schedules 2

Technology and Innovation Integration

Equipment and Design Considerations

Future dental instruments and equipment should incorporate:

• Improved designs that reduce occupational exposure risks and facilitate more efficient reprocessing techniques 1
• Safer medical devices and personal protective equipment that are acceptable to dental healthcare workers, practical, economical, and do not adversely affect patient care 1

Educational Technology

Dental education will evolve to include:

• Individualized, competency-based, asynchronous learning with hybrid face-to-face and virtual education models having different start and end points for students 7
• Web and cloud-based collaborations enabling interprofessional education and practice coordination 4

Clinical Care Model Adaptations

Patient Population Shifts

Prepare for demographic changes requiring:

• Increased medical knowledge to care for older patients with complex medical and dental needs in integrated care settings 5
• Preventive focus for relatively dentally healthy younger cohorts who require fewer complex restorative and prosthodontic treatments 5
• Early intervention protocols starting with first tooth eruption, as "two is too late" for preventive interventions in high-risk populations 3

Interdisciplinary Integration

• Integrate dietitians into dental care teams to address sugar consumption as a shared risk factor for both dental caries and metabolic diseases 3
• Establish dental homes by 12 months of age for all children, particularly those in underserved populations 3
• Apply fluoride varnish starting with first tooth eruption, then every 3-6 months thereafter, by dental or nondental healthcare providers 3

Critical Implementation Pitfalls to Avoid

Do not rely solely on disseminating guidelines without implementation support—guideline awareness alone does not change practice behavior 2

• Avoid single-strategy approaches; multifaceted interventions combining education, reminders, and feedback mechanisms demonstrate superior effectiveness 1
• Do not implement practice changes that make it more difficult for poorer patients to access care without steps to mitigate such impacts 2
• Recognize that patient-mediated interventions may be less effective in dental settings compared to other healthcare sectors, requiring supplementation with provider-focused strategies 1