In addition to the many clinical sessions at Dentistry Show London 2022, the diverse programme also put a spotlight on digital dentistry and offered a wealth of practical advice to enhance business aspects for practice owners and managers. All sessions were concluded with the opportunity to ask questions and share experiences with the speaker and colleagues, enabling everyone to maximise on the benefits afforded by attending the event.

A digital world

The Digital Dentistry Theatre, supported by the International Digital Dental Academy (IDDA), provided an entire programme dedicated to related topics. Leading names both from within the IDDA and outside offered valuable insight into the latest digital technologies and techniques.

Kicking off the programme on Friday was Andrea Shaavit, who discussed “Digitising treatment possibilities” and explored ways to streamline the transition from analogue to digital workflows. She highlighted the predictability and accuracy that can be achieved with digital technologies and how this improves the planning and treatment delivery process for patients requiring various procedures – but particularly digital smile design. To illustrate the point, Andrea shared some cases that detailed exactly how she utilises digital capabilities on a daily basis.

Dr Aniko Lazar, Principal of First Choice Dental Clinic, said:

“The speaker was presenting her own cases – positive and negative outcomes were included, which was nice to see as ‘real-life’ comes with challenges. The topics were covered well and I gained new perspectives for the future.”

Leading on nicely, Dr Quintus van Tonder continued the programme into “Digital smile design innovations”. He considered how to bridge the gap between clinical photographs and digital scans for effective smile design protocols, suggesting that the fabrication of models may be useful to predict final results and motivate patient compliance. Advocating for a minimally invasive approach, Quintus offered advice for recording dynamic occlusion and vertical dimension using the latest equipment available. In response to delegate questions, he and Adam Nulty also urged clinicians not to be afraid of adequately charging patients for their time if creating digital models as part of the planning process.

After attending the session, Dr Juste Lidakeviciene commented:

“I found the session informative and a good length to provide the relevant details. I am mostly interested in aesthetic dental topics while at the show and will be looking for some new instruments in the exhibition.”

Adam Nulty also took delegates through a live demonstration of the innovative Exoplan software, showing how a case can be digitally planned for optimum success. He showed the speed and convenience that technology supported by artificial intelligence could deliver and just how much of an impact this can have on both clinicians’ daily workflows and their patients’ treatment experience. Other sessions discussed 3D treatment planning and digital workflow options for orthodontic aligners.

Getting down to business

The Practice Owners & Business Management Theatre put the focus solely on business aspects for team members to gain new ideas and discover digital technologies designed to enhance other areas of life in practice. For instance, a panel of practice managers and treatment coordinators came together to share their favourite equipment and programmes designed to make their roles simpler. These included key practice management software features and live chat features on the practice website.

Sessions supported by Practice Plan and the Association of Dental Administrators and Managers offered insights into transitioning from NHS to private dentistry, as well as how to tackle confrontation in the practice with confidence.

Luke Moore of Dental Elite also discussed how to secure the best possible terms for the business when looking to sell in what has become a difficult market. He touched on the impact of rising interest rates, as well as the beginning of what looks like a drop in value of NHS practices. He suggested that some of the pressing questions on practice owners’ minds right now include whether this is the right time to sell and if it makes sense to reduce NHS contracts. Though he could give no definite answer for everyone, Luke discussed many of the factors that might play a part in these decisions. For those who do choose to sell, he offered advice on how to make that next step a little smoother.

Delegate Dr Anyali Kaushik of Greenwich Dental Practice said:

“The speaker was very informative and engaging. I thought the session was good – it covered the topic well and all questions were answered.”

Industry connection

It is just as important for dental practices today to have strong links with industry and to build mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers. Dentistry Show London enabled delegates to do just this with hundreds of companies across the exhibition including technology developers and manufacturers, training providers and more. It also provided a platform for networking with colleagues, establishing referral pathways and further skill development opportunities.

In fact, Dentistry Show London 2022 was an excellent place to get up-to-date with everything needed for a modern, successful business. If you missed out, be sure to get involved for 2023!