What technological advancements do you foresee influencing dentistry in the future?
Extend your research beyond your prospective universities. Research the dental industry as well. Your admissions interviewers are curious about how proactive you are in staying current on the future of your career and industry and what that says about you as a professional. This includes any dentistry news on prospective innovations and developments, the aging population, and less access to affordable oral care. A current hot topic suggests that the future method of monitoring of dental health will be simplified with SMART toothbrushes. These are Bluetooth devices that connect to an app on your smartphone. So dig in deep and explore any suggested future innovations and how they may impact your career in the future. That can include what dental product companies are saying, which ones are ahead of the curve, and which hold the most appeal as innovators in the industry. This can have an impact on the future of your career through franchise opportunities and corporate sponsorships. Go deep and be ready to share your thoughts.
"I have spent a lot of time watching roundtable videos, reading journals on the future of dentistry, and diving into blogs related to the challenges dentists expect to face. The top issues include the aging population and the demand it will put on the dental industry, particularly for aesthetic treatments. This demand will increase the expectation to possess the newest and best technology and fully train their teams on these advancements. Still, the expenses associated with this are put primarily on the dentist. Also, with this fast and continuous change in dental tech, dentists will need to focus on continued education, again incurring significant expenses. I was speaking with my dentist not long ago, and she estimates that, since becoming a dentist, she has invested at least 100,000 in continued education. In the future, I would love to see dentists gain access to more affordable options to continue educating themselves on the latest industry techniques. Further partnerships with the companies manufacturing this tech would benefit the dentist, the manufacturer, and the patient. Overall, I feel positive, knowing that our industry is ever-evolving. If we can find a way to make these changes financially sustainable for medical professionals, that would be the ideal situation."
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