Today, patients are more critical consumers than ever before, especially the younger generations. Thanks to the increasingly widespread use of the internet, patients have become more informed and able to make informed choices about their doctors, including their dentist. At the same time, awareness of the evolving technology available to dentists and their ability to utilize it has become a factor to consider. While, until a few years ago, an exclusive and trusting relationship with their dentist prevailed, today, even in the case of serious problems, there is a tendency to seek a second medical opinion: 15% of those interviewed in a recent Nielsen survey stated this.
How patients choose their dentist , how dentists can build loyalty, and how new technologies influence this choice are the underlying themes of the new episode of Dentechstry , the podcast on dental innovation , promoted by IDI Evolution , featuring Dr. Vincenzo La Scala , an implant dentist from Pistoia, and Massimiliano Rossi , strategic manager of IDI Evolution, guided as always by journalist Irene Privitera.
But how can we gain the loyalty of today's more informed and demanding patient-consumer?
“ With transparency ,” replies Massimiliano Rossi. “ We always think that price alone drives patients to seek other opinions, forgetting that cost is closely linked to perceived value. At IDI Evolution, we firmly believe that transparency leads to loyalty. For example, by sharing a digital medical record with patients that simply and clearly shows the complete health status of their mouth, thus involving them in the choice of treatment .”
" This question reminds me of two patients in particular ," says Dr. La Scala. " One, terrified by the idea of taking simple impressions of his dental arches using traditional methods, using rather uncomfortable silicone impression pastes, turned to our facility after consulting our website. He had discovered that there are modern techniques that use intraoral scanners to take impressions in just a few seconds and in a very minimally invasive manner. The second patient, however, needed to undergo full-arch implant rehabilitation and was very afraid of undergoing traditional surgery. Online, he learned that this rehabilitation can now be achieved with a minimally invasive approach, based on the use of advanced digital technologies through what is known as Guided Surgery ."
Drawing on data, advice, and personal experiences, the episode delves into the relationship between patients and dentists today, the role played by new technologies, and the ability to easily consult the Internet before and after a visit. It also explores how direct access to one's medical records benefits patients. All of these factors are changing the way each of us chooses our "trusted dentist," informing us about treatments and scheduling checkups with a whole new level of awareness.
Listen to the third episode of the DENTECHSTRY podcast on Spotify , Apple Music , and Amazon Music .
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