Digital transformation is a popular phrase these days. We have seen all sorts of businesses adapt and accelerate to the relevance of digital tools and processes across industries. The practice of orthodontics has seen many significant shifts in the past two decades, emphasizing digital ortho. I still remember vividly an interview I had when applying to dental school. I asked the faculty member how he thought computers and digital tools would impact dentistry. He responded that computers will never make an impact. Fast forward almost three decades, and I think it is clear that some level of digitization is an integral part of any dental practice. Our specialty has been at the forefront of many of these initiatives as we have entered orthodontics’ digital age.
I found that orthodontic practices have a spectrum of digital integration: from offices that have resisted technology to teams at the innovative end of the spectrum. Here are three levels of digital integration that are common amongst orthodontic teams.
Accommodation
Digital disruption is the key phrase. Technology is often referred to as disruptive in practices accommodating digital advances and techniques. It is out of the norm, and therefore, not optimized with this team. Orthodontists and their staff will give in to patient requests on insistence. For example, practices that accommodate digital strategies only do clear aligner treatment when the patient insists on it. They realize that if they don’t use this treatment, the patient may go elsewhere. Despite this, they recommend other appliances because they are not comfortable using aligners.
Another example is an office that used virtual appointments begrudgingly during pandemic closures. Once they reopened, they discontinued these digital communication techniques. The implementation of virtual visits or virtual exams was too disruptive for the practice, and they saw no value in using this any further.
Imitation
The best way to describe this is the digital emulation of conventional processes. Many orthodontists familiarly integrate new technology and digital resources. Recreating traditional methodology into a digital technique is a common step that most of us experience during this journey. For instance, replicating what we do in a new patient visit to a virtual exam process. Instead of using asynchronous methods for the exam, we do a live meeting with a patient and a replica of how we do our in-office exams.
Another instance of an imitation level is scheduling check-ups for clear aligner patients in the same interval for fixed appliance patients. If you see your braces patients every 6-8 weeks, then it is only logical to imitate this, seeing aligner patients every 6-8 weeks. However, what we miss is the opportunity for implementing virtual care and monitoring or scheduling appointments at greater intervals.
Augmentation
The final step in the digital transformation is augmentation. Instead of disruption and emulation, we innovate our systems and processes to augment our work. The largest benefit of a digital journey is leveraging technology to increase our impact and decrease our workload. True digitization also adds value and productivity in multiples. Often terms like 1+1=3 are used to describe augmentation. That is to say that digital work is not just to replace what we used to do but to do it better.
A digital augmented workflow should allow for treatment planning to be many times more efficient and effective. Instead of taking the same amount of doctor time to prepare a case for braces (Tx planning, bonding, adjusting, and debonding), a digital orthodontic case should take a fraction of that time with an augmented workflow. As a result, innovative work offers the opportunity for greater efficiency, effectiveness, and competitive advantage.
