GAP Australasian Dentist Sept Oct 2020

108 Australasian Dentist Intentional Practitioner T he Australian dental landscape is rapidly changing with private practice becoming a very competitive marketplace. Care delivery models are very different to those that were in place 10 years ago. The traditional family, suburbandental practice has transformed, the days of recall cards and patients completing recommended treatment because the dentist said it was a good idea have disappeared. Dentistry is seemingly becoming a commodity that is now trading on price for about half the country. Market differentiation is difficult for many independent private practices to do successfully. Many independent practices don’t have the large marketing purses that the corporates leverage as a point of difference. Dentistry has seen the rise of direct to public corporate practices in addition to those being re-branded by acquisition. Private practices are feeling the squeeze from a competitive market presence. Corporates such as Pacific Smiles seem to be no longer employing OHTs or dental hygienists. The preventative care model no longer fits with their ideas to maintain a profit centre. These organisations are choosing to employ new graduate dentists as they have a higher scope of practice. Rates of pay are not increasing they are actually declining for hygienists and oral health therapists both in Australia and in many other countries, namely the USA. Market segmentation is ever apparent, with the recent emergence of corporate hygiene studios in big shopping centres, providing an alternate service delivery method. This concept was introduced to the Australian marketplace by a corporate insurance company- although not branded as such. These studios have slick marketing messages and their branding appeals to a young demographic, primarily the un-insured, who rely on the proposition of convenience and price. 2020 has also brought the onset of Are hygiene departments a redundant extravagance? By Robyn Russell Do traditional hygiene department models still make financial sense? new legislation creating possibilities for independent practice for dental hygienists and oral health therapists, (OHTs) and the discovery of what that really means – with a strong lobby also developed by the DHAA to petition for provider numbers for dental hygienists and OHTs. This move may see hygienists and OHTs challenge traditional private general practice settings by being able to work independently by value adding and extending duties, or possibly into practice ownership in their own right. Many dental commentators including Howard Farran have highlighted the cost of hiring clinicians such as dental hygienists. Ultimately predicting that dental hygienists and employer dentists would be best served by removing dental hygienists from general practice in favour of hygienists opening their own hygiene studios. With all of these market pressures and industry changes, the traditional model for preventative care delivery needs to choose to transform or become a casualty to complacency. The responsibility for this transformation lies with both the practice owner and the dental hygienist or OHT themselves. The hygienist or OHT has a responsibility to understand their role encompasses somuchmore than removing calculus, with effective communication the core to this realisation. Whilst hygienists and OHTs possess great technical skill and are experts in preventative care provision, they often fail to see the many opportunities that private general practice offers, either within or beyond their scope of practice. There is a great missed opportunity to educate and inform the patient on the many treatment options available. The intangible benefit of endorsing and supporting the recommended treatment plans, developed in conjunction with the dentist, provides a constant stream of restorative treatment beyond their scope for the dentist to complete. The hygienist or OHT is a great patient advocate who is seen to not have an agenda like the dentist: a clinician with time to educate and explain the possibilities to the patient. The intangible benefits of an intentional hygiene department needs to be fully embraced for the hygiene model to be a viable practice expense. I don’t know too many independent practice owners who would refuse an appointment schedule heavywith complex restorative treatment harvested from the hygiene treatment rooms. The multi- disciplinary team approach to dentistry can only offer the consummate dental consumer a holistic and thorough dental experience. Afterall, doesn’t dentistry rely on the premise of excellence? The dental clinician best suited to provide the required care for the dental consumer is the clinician that is trained, and competent to do so. A team of clinicians with differing clinical ceiling scopes working congruently towards the same end goal of patient retention can be the only way for hygiene departments to be successful in a modern dental practice. u She would love feedback and can be contacted on: robyn@dentalhealthnetwork.com.au About the author Robyn Russell is an Oral Health Therapist graduated 2005; currently working in private general practice in Brisbane. With undergraduate degrees in both Psychology and Oral Health Therapy Robyn has a diverse interest in contemporary dental practice. Robyn is the co-founder of the Dental Health Network: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/823101208126122/ – a dynamic platform which delivers communication strategies and education for the dental clinician. Robyn is the editor of the DHAA Bulletin and also contributes informative broadsheet pieces to many overseas dental publications. Robyn Russell