The Biggest Challenge Today for Orthodontists

Chris Bentson is a partner at Bentson Copple & Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in orthodontics. When it comes down to the industry’s modern-day challenges, Bentson understands the details of consolidation and converting a practice to digital. Watch or read below to find out what Bentson says orthodontists should focus on.

RELATED: More advice from Chris Bentson

• What Matters to Today's Orthodontic Patients
• Assessing the Financial Outlook for Orthodontics
• How Independent Orthodontists Can Compete with Corporate

Interview Transcript (Modified for Readability)

“The biggest challenge facing orthodontists today, I would say, is twofold. One is, how do I deal with the consolidation that's happening around me, and how do I respond to it as a practice owner? Do I drop my fees, do I compete in a different way, do I go to TV and radio, do I spend more money or less money? So, there are some challenges around what's happening on the consolidation side. The other big challenge is, how fast and how deep do I want to go in the digital workflow model? We're moving in orthodontics from analog to digital at an accelerated pace. Analog has lost every fight in business in the last 20 years, and in dentistry, they’ll lose this one too. What does that mean? Do brackets go away totally? No, but they'll become less relevant, and plastic will become more relevant. That means I have to have a deployment of scanners and digital printers, and I have to have machines that talk to each other, and I have to learn to treat with plastic versus metal. I think some people have very strong feelings about whether that's a good idea or bad, but the ones that don't go there and don't go there fast will leave growth and opportunity on the table.”

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