Ernest M. Jones Memorial Lecture – Thriving in a Time of Uncertainty: Key Trends and Opportunities Coming to the Dental Care Sector

Date: Friday, March 24
Location: University of Washington, Kane Hall, Room 130, Seattle, Washington 98195
Registration and Continental Breakfast: 8:00-8:30 AM
Course: 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Cost: Until March 22 (after, $25 more) $150 for CE credit / complimentary for no CE credit
CE Credits: 7

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Speakers
Marko Vujicic, PhD, Chief Economist & Vice President, Health Policy Institute, American Dental Association
Emmet Scott, President, Association of Dental Support Organizations

Course Description
The dental industry is seeing a lot of trends bringing both disruption and opportunity. There is a major generational shift happening among dentists, with Boomers retiring and Millennial and GenZs moving in. This dynamic is bringing major changes in practice models and career paths. At the same time, it is clear that our current dental care financing and delivery model works well for some segments of the U.S. population and not others. The recently published 20-year retrospective of the 2000 Surgeon General Report shows that there have been important gains in oral health among children; however, much less progress among adults and seniors. About half of the U.S. population does not visit the dentist within the year, with affordability challenges being reason #1. Insurance reimbursement rates continue to slowly decline while at the same time becoming more important to patients as a means of payment.

Furthermore, as the economy has continued to cool, we see that the marketplace is moving from innovation to standardization. The way to weather these economic difficulties is to standardize, simplify, and streamline.

How do dentists need to adapt? What is the profession’s vision for oral health in America? Do we want dentistry to truly be an essential service in health care policy? What are important trends dental employees need to be aware of in the next 2-5 years and how can they thrive in this shifting environment? How can you make informed decisions about whether to work with a DSO and how to choose the right one for you? Where can you find the solutions you need to help you standardize your business and succeed in any economic climate?

This day will be broken up into morning and afternoon sessions. Each each speaker will present on the current state of dentistry in the morning, and the future of dentistry in the afternoon. After each session, there will be a question-and-answer portion to have audience participation in asking questions of the speakers. This is a unique lecture where you will hear experts in the trends of dentistry speak on where dentistry is today and where it’s all going.

Course Objectives

• Understand key trends impacting dental practices, including dental insurance trends, consumerism, growth of group practice, shifting patient mindset, macroeconomic forces, standardization, and consolidation.
• Identify how each of these trends will potentially disrupt the dental care model and provide new opportunities for dentists.
• Recognize key factors that would dramatically grow the sector, including what it would take to get millions of more Americans accessing dental care.