Brands and organizations leading the way, and how they’re doing it.
Products
AI Insights from BOLA AI
10/16/2024
|
5 min. to read
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted from futuristic speculation to practical application in industries across the board. Dentistry, in particular, has witnessed this shift firsthand as AI reshapes everything from diagnostics to patient management. To delve into the real-world benefits and challenges of AI in dental practices, we sat down with a renowned AI expert, Rushi Ganmukhi CEO of BOLA AI. Rushi leads a company at the forefront of this change. This article captures his expert insights and presents a compelling case study that highlights how AI-driven solutions are making measurable improvements in dental care.
Rushi Ganmukhi
CEO, BOLA AI
What do you see as the top applications of AI in dentistry today? Two years from now? “AI in dentistry is still in its early innings. Currently, most solutions are focused on optimizing a practice in very specific ways. Voice AI for charting, AI processing of radiographs, and AI for revenue cycle management are among the most prolific applications today. I think in the next few years the market will move from point-solutions – specific solutions for specific pain-points, to broader solutions that tackle a variety of problems throughout the entire user workflow.”
What is the next big thing coming as it relates to AI? “I think generative AI has not really made the impact yet on dentistry that it has in other markets. We are excited to launch our own initiatives here as well as seeing where others are going to apply this novel technology. From a macro view, one of the big trends we are hearing from many companies is expanding their offerings to address more pain points throughout the workflow, and by doing this providing more comprehensive solutions. At Bola we started with AI for perio charting, and have expanded to clinical notes and restorative charting. By selling a comprehensive product suite we have extremely happy customers, who have bought one solution but are solving multiple problems.”
Should smaller practices be pursuing AI any differently than larger group practices? “Smaller practices can benefit from AI, however they may not be able to do massive implementations or multiple products at once. My advice would be to start, but to start with a small enough chunk that they can find success quickly and to build from there. Onboard a single product that you can immediately measure the impact on.”
How should practices evaluate which AI services/providers are best for them? “This is a great question and it’s where the rubber hits the road. Practices should ask about what implementation, what the time to generate value and what the investment from a staffing perspective looks like. Ideally offices have a crystal clear idea of what they are looking to improve prior to purchasing, i.e. hygiene production. These offices can then measure a benchmark and see exactly how much value the new technology is providing.”
What are the biggest challenges for users as it relates to using AI? “The biggest challenge for any new technology is how easily it fits into the way customers are currently doing things. Most providers have spent years in school and practicing honing their workflow. We do not want to disturb that workflow, we want to enhance it. There are many products out there that provide value, but the big question with most of them is can they get users to use it and use it properly. That is the key and challenge with AI. It is crucial for any product to be easy to learn, easy to use and sticky for repeat usage. We place a premium on this in our product development and work directly with a variety of clinicians to ensure that it is a smooth experience.”
Case Study
One of the largest DSOs
Situation: A large national DSO evaluated Bola AI with the goal of increasing treatment revenue from periodontal diseases. The hypothesis was that more comprehensive charts would lead to more diagnoses, resulting in increased treatment opportunities. The organization was also focused on boosting revenue while reducing the time and manual resources required for periodontal charting.
Advertisements
Task and Approach: To test this, the DSO implemented Bola AI’s Clinical Voice Assistant in 27 practices, tracking the results over a three-month period. Each practice completed over 100 periodontal charts, with the data analyzed by a third-party analyst.
Results: Bola AI saved dental hygienists an average of 18.5 minutes per day. Additionally, 77% more perio-related diagnoses were made, which increased revenue and led to fewer patients suffering from periodontitis.
The Bola AI implementation also improved the efficiency of appointment scheduling, as fewer dental assistants were required for new patient charting which reduced the need for assistants from 47% of the time to just 10%. Other key benefits included an increase in full quadrant treatments and improved acceptance rates for scaling and root planing (SPR). With an average installation and training time of less than 10 days, the system delivered a remarkable 14.2 ROI, with revenue returns 14 times higher than the initial investment and a payback period of just 1-2 months.
This study reveals two primary benefits for dental offices that use it. The first order benefit is that it helps hygienists save time by completing periodontal charts more quickly and without having to rely so much on a second employee to record the data. The second order benefit is that it helps dental offices make more money by increasing the number of fully completed periodontal charts, which in turn frees up the hygienist to explain why relevant procedures are necessary, resulting in more production.
Taken together, it’s clear that Bola can benefit dental offices — especially if those offices are ready to implement the software within 10 days— and, most importantly, improve the life of hygienists.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming dentistry. From diagnostics to streamlining operations, AI is enhancing the way dental practices operate. To better understand AI’s role in dentistry, we spoke with Sheela Roth, Head of Clinical Education at Pearl. Pearl is pioneering AI applications in dental care. Sheela’s perspective, coupled with a case study from Pearl, provides examples of how AI is reshaping the dental landscape—offering not just potential but proven results in patient care and practice efficiency.
Sheela Roth
Head of Clinical Education
What do you see as the top applications of AI in dentistry today? Two years from now?
“The most impactful AI applications in dentistry today are radiologic. The utility and simplicity of chairside tools like Pearl’s Second Opinion – which enhance the accuracy and consistency of diagnosis and case presentation at a fundamental level – have given AI a strong foothold in the dental future. Even where the applications incline toward practice management, the best rely on radiologic AI analysis of patient x-rays in conjunction with treatment information in patient records. Two years from now, we’ll see more of those computer vision-driven pathology detection and treatment planning capabilities integrated with more advanced digital dentistry tools like CBCT and CAD/CAM systems. AI will also be expanding into more predictive and preventive functions in diagnosis and treatment planning, while facilitating real-time adjudication of insurance claims and clinical training in dental schools.”
What are the biggest benefits to AI in dentistry that too many are missing out on?
“Too many dentists are missing out on every benefit of AI, because the vast majority of dentists in the world have yet to implement the technology. The pace of AI adoption in dentistry is accelerating rapidly, however, and that’s principally due to its impact as a diagnostic and case presentation aid. On average, dentists who use Pearl’s Second Opinion when reading and presenting x-rays to patients detect 37% more disease and increase case acceptance by 30%. Among those who are already using radiologic AI, there are many who are not yet leveraging AI for its extended benefits within the operational sphere. A tool like Practice Intelligence, which automatically identifies unmet clinical needs within a practice’s patient population, is regularly used to inform daily planning and morning huddles––but practices that aren’t using it across growth-oriented functions like marketing, patient recall and insurance verification are missing out on AI’s full value.”
Should smaller practices be pursuing AI any differently than larger group practices?
“AI is inherently scalable, offering consistent benefits across practices of any size. For single practices, AI enhances radiologic accuracy, boosts patient trust, and improves operational efficiency, leading to more productive chair time and streamlined insurance processes. These benefits scale seamlessly as practices grow. Small practices can easily integrate AI due to their smaller staff, whereas DSOs may face resistance from AI users who are not the direct buyers. To address this, Pearl has integrated its AI into existing software platforms, embedding AI into daily operations without disrupting workflows.”
How should practices evaluate which AI services/providers are best for them?
“When evaluating AI services, practices should start by focusing on how well the AI integrates with their existing systems and whether it enhances day-to-day operations without adding complexity. They should then identify their specific needs—whether it’s enhancing diagnostics, improving workflow efficiency, or boosting patient engagement. Key questions to ask include:
Does the AI integrate seamlessly with my existing imaging system? How easy is it to implement and train staff on the new tools? What is the provider’s track record in the dental industry? By tuning into these differentiators, practices will select an AI solution that aligns with their goals for both effectiveness and ease of use.”
Advertisements
What are the biggest challenges for AI solution providers?
“The biggest challenge for AI solution providers in dentistry is achieving interoperability within a fragmented software ecosystem. With hundreds of different imaging and practice management systems in use worldwide, AI systems must access, normalize, and interpret data from these disparate and often outdated platforms. Pearl has tackled this challenge by forging strategic partnerships with software companies worldwide, ensuring seamless integration and data accessibility. Our focus on interoperability and standardization has allowed Pearl to deliver AI’s consistent, scalable benefits to more dental practices of all sizes around the world than any other AI provider.”
Case Study
Rand Center for Dentistry
Situation:
Rand Center for Dentistry, a large multi-practice in New Jersey, faced a challenge maintaining incremental growth while operating at full capacity. Despite adding periodontal care to its specialty services, the practice struggled to achieve desired growth due to lower-than-expected rates of periodontal diagnosis. To address these issues, owner and founder Dr. Elliot Rand sought a solution that could tackle three core challenges: improve diagnostic consistency, increase patient acceptance of treatment plans, and boost the confidence of younger associate dentists and hygienists.
Task and Approach:
In May 2023, Rand Center for Dentistry implemented Pearl, an AI-driven dental software. The team selected Pearl for its superior capabilities in pathology detection, particularly in identifying carious lesions and periodontal conditions. Pearl was seamlessly integrated into the practice’s clinical workflow, providing real-time radiographic analysis during patient consultations, as well as practice-wide clinical insights based on AI analysis of historical patient imagery and treatment records. The team utilized Pearl to colorize areas of concern on X-rays, transforming grayscale images into clear, visually informative clinical guides. This approach helped patients understand the severity of their conditions, shifting conversations from “let’s watch this tooth” to “let’s treat this issue now.” The practice also used Pearl to measure and track clinical metrics, offering insights into the performance of individual providers and the overall practice.
Results:
Practice treatment acceptance rate jumped from 37% to 44%; exceeding the 35% national average.
PPV for general practitioners increased from an average of $460 to $520, yielding nearly $150,000 in the first month.
Periodontal disease detection rate doubled from 7% to 14%, with a projection to reach 18% by year-end.
Overall, the adoption of Pearl’s AI dental software directly addressed the initial challenges faced by Rand Center for Dentistry, leading to improved diagnostic consistency, increased treatment acceptance, and bolstered confidence among clinical staff. These advancements have not only enhanced patient care but also driven meaningful growth for the practice, particularly in its periodontal specialty services.
Darby’s Commitment to Supporting Dental Hygienists
A delicate balance sustains a dental practice’s hum. Every team member plays a critical role in ensuring seamless patient care, from the moment a patient walks in until they leave with a smile. But what happens when the professionals at the core of this system—dental hygienists—are in short supply? This question has become an all-too-familiar reality for DSOs across the country.
In 2023, nearly 60% of dental organizations predicted that staffing shortages would remain their biggest challenge. The industry did not need a crystal ball to see it coming. The signs were everywhere, including practices understaffed, appointments backed up, and stress levels through the roof. The absence of dental hygienists can send operations to a halt. Furthermore, nearly one-third of the dental hygienist workforce (31.4%) expects to retire within the next five years, exacerbating the already dire situation.
The reasons for this attrition are also well-documented. Factors including negative workplace culture, insufficient pay, lack of growth opportunities, inadequate benefits, and feeling overworked are pushing hygienists to reconsider their career paths. Compounding this issue is the difficulty in recruiting new talent. A staggering 94.5% of dentists report finding a qualified hygienist is extremely challenging.
Amid this, Darby Dental Supply sees an opportunity not just to address a problem but to redefine how the industry supports one of its most vital roles. Darby is committed to shaping the landscape of dental hygiene by fostering community and spearheading innovation. By building a strong community of hygienists and investing in ergonomic solutions, Darby is positioning itself as a leader in tackling the DSO staffing issue.
“Our overarching goal at Darby has always been to identify customer needs and to meet them as best we can,” said Frank Massino, President of Darby Group Companies.
“Investing in the dental hygiene community by providing valuable resources and staffing solutions is essential for hygienists, facilitates same-store growth, and ensures better and easier access to quality oral healthcare in our communities for years to come.”
Hygiene HQ: Where Community Meets Innovation Imagine a space where dental hygienists don’t just clock in and out but where their voices shape the future of their profession. This is the vision behind Darby’s Hygiene HQ, an online community that’s more than just a hub — it’s a movement. While other suppliers focus solely on the decision-makers, Darby has taken a different approach, one that puts hygienists at the forefront.
This approach resonates deeply within the dental community.
“The dental hygiene community is a valued resource for one another and for companies who are developing new products. To acquire information from a group of dental hygienists, a company has the ability to produce products and create programs based on the valued voice and opinion of the RDH,” said Jackie Sanders, MBA, RDH, Chief Editor of RDH Magazine at Endeavor Business Media.
By creating Hygiene HQ, Darby is not just offering a platform but building a foundation for the future of the profession. This community’s success lies in its ability to bring together hygienists from diverse backgrounds and experiences, allowing them to share insights, support one another, and contribute to the evolution of dental care. Hygienists who once felt isolated now can join a network where their contributions matter. This sense of community directly impacts patient care, as a supported and connected hygienist is better equipped to provide exceptional service.
A 2023 Salary Survey Report from RDH magazine and DentalPost found that 40% of hygienists’ top motivators for changing jobs were seeking a more positive environment or a more appreciative employer. Darby’s role in facilitating these connections underscores their commitment to being more than just a supplier. They are a partner in the professional lives of dental hygienists, understanding that the well-being of these practitioners directly influences the success of DSOs. Through Hygiene HQ, Darby is addressing the staffing crisis and laying the groundwork for a more engaged, knowledgeable, and empowered workforce.
Ergonomic Solutions: A Lifeline for Longevity The physical strain of a dental hygienist’s work often do not make the headlines. The repetitive motions, awkward postures, and long hours create challenges that can lead to early retirement. The statistics are sobering. 91% of dental hygienists report suffering from or having suffered from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The most commonly affected areas include the neck (30.6%), shoulder (25%), and lumbosacral region (23.3%). For hygienists over the age of 35, these numbers spike even higher, with 94.2% reporting work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs).
At Darby, we recognize that dental hygienists are the heart and soul behind every practice.
– by Allison Alexander, VP Darby Group Companies
“As a supplier, it would be easy to focus our attention solely on the person in the office making buying decisions, but we have always believed that it is more important to provide holistic value to our customers, explains Allison Alexander, Vice President of Darby Group Companies. “Dental hygienists are essential to the success of any practice — from providing quality patient care to encouraging case acceptance — and we are committed to giving them a much-needed voice in purchasing decisions and providing ergonomic products that will extend their health and careers.”
This commitment is evident in initiatives like the Love Your Glove division and the “Find Your Fit” program. For hygienists, finding the right glove isn’t just about comfort but also career longevity. Darby’s investment in DenTouch gloves which are ergonomically designed to reduce hand fatigue, is just one example of how the organization is actively addressing the physical demands of the job. By ensuring that hygienists can work comfortably and sustainably, Darby not only enhances the well-being of these professionals but also strengthens the operations of the DSOs they serve. A healthier, more satisfied workforce means fewer disruptions, lower turnover, and ultimately, better patient care — benefits that reach across the entire organization.
Advertisements
Darby is always looking for products with ergonomic benefits and strives to educate dental professionals on the importance of using the right supplies. At last year’s Greater New York Dental Meeting, Darby’s booth featured a “Find Your Fit” glove program. Visitors were encouraged to try on different gloves to assess the fit, material, thickness, texture, and ease of putting them on, ensuring their hands are protected by wearing the best-fitting gloves.
Melissa Massetti, RDHAP and Kristina Mankins, BS, RDHAP, co-owners of The Dental Hygiene Coach, were on the lookout to purchase supplies for their portable dental hygiene practice in Central California and visited the booth.
“One of our main concerns was finding gloves that would help reduce hand fatigue while providing a great feel and fit,” shares Melissa. The two met with Darby’s Business Development Specialist, Maria Mulé, who helped them explore the various options Darby offers customers.
“Darby’s Le Soothe Polychloroprene Gloves were a perfect match thanks to their fit, feel, and smoothness! These factors are crucial for a hygienist, as they see numerous patients in a single day and frequently change gloves,” Melissa continues.
“Because hygienists are prone to suffer from hand fatigue, which can lead to carpal tunnel, the proper fit of a glove and textured fingertips are extremely important in preventing these issues.”
By helping to extend the careers of these professionals, Darby is ensuring that DSOs have access to experienced staff who can deliver high quality care without the interruptions caused by injury or burnout.
Darby’s focus on ergonomics even goes beyond gloves. The organizations are actively exploring and developing other products to alleviate the physical strain on hygienists. From adjustable chairs that support proper posture to tools designed to minimize repetitive motion injuries, Darby is leading the way in creating a safer, more sustainable working environment for dental professionals.
Because hygienists are prone to suffer from hand fatigue, he proper fit of a glove and textured fingertips are extremely important
– by Melissa Massetti, RDHAP
Data shows that working longer hours per day (over 8 hours) and more hours or days per week (over 40 hours) significantly increases the risk of WRMDs, which affects 90% of those with these conditions. By addressing these risks, Darby is not just extending careers—they’re enhancing the quality of life for dental hygienists, ensuring a healthier workforce for the industry.
onDiem: Redefining Staffing for Modern Times Darby’s partnership with onDiem is a game-changer in a world where flexibility is critical.
Picture this: a hygienist with young children who must balance work and family life. Traditional employment models don’t often cater to this need, but onDiem does. Offering temporary staffing solutions with benefits such as health insurance and vacation time, onDiem allows hygienists to choose when and where they work without sacrificing stability.
This forward-thinking approach is creating real success. Hygienists who once struggled to find work-life balance now have the flexibility they need, and DSOs that previously faced constant staffing disruptions now benefit from a more stable workforce. Darby’s investment in onDiem is not just about meeting today’s challenges but about laying the groundwork for a more adaptable and resilient industry.
For DSOs, the benefits are clear. No more scrambling to fill shifts at the last minute, no more compromising on the quality of care due to staffing shortages. onDiem offers a solution that’s as flexible as it is reliable, and Darby’s investment in this platform speaks volumes about their commitment to evolving with the times.
A Vision for the Future Darby’s commitment to the dental hygiene community is more than just a response to a staffing crisis but a strategic investment in the future. By focusing on the people who make dental practices run smoothly, Darby is ensuring that the industry is resilient and thriving.
Through initiatives like Hygiene HQ, ergonomic resources, and investments in solutions like onDiem, Darby is not just tackling the DSO industry’s number one problem. They are leading the way in reimagining how that problem is solved. As the industry evolves, Darby’s commitment to innovation and support for dental hygienists will likely set a new standard for how suppliers and DSOs can work together to build a stronger, healthier industry.
Picture this: A customer grieving the loss of their faithful four-legged companion receives an unexpected package in the mail. Inside, along with their usual pet supplies, lies a heartfelt note from the Chewy team expressing condolences and understanding. It’s a small gesture, yet it speaks volumes about Chewy’s values—a company that recognizes the profound bond between pets and their owners and isn’t afraid to show it.
Now imagine another scenario where a pet owner, struggling to find the right products for their furry friend’s unique needs, reaches out to Chewy’s customer service. Instead of robotic responses, they find genuine empathy and personalized recommendations tailored to their pet’s requirements on the other end of the chat line. It is a story of going above and beyond, with the understanding that each pet is more than just a transaction but a beloved member of one’s family.
In every customer interaction and package sent, Chewy.com tells a story of empathy, connection, and the enduring bond between pets and their humans. This narrative transcends commerce, reminding us that even in the digital age, the power of genuine care and compassion still leaves a lasting impression.
Darby Dental Supply is the Chewy of dental supply. Just as Chewy transformed the pet industry with its empathetic approach, Darby is revolutionizing the world of dental supplies through its commitment to exceptional, outstanding service. Darby recognizes the human element behind every purchase, striving to provide products and a sense of care and personalization to dental professionals nationwide. In the dental industry, Darby is a testament to empathy’s transformative power in business.
Darby encourages its account managers with a simple yet powerful directive.
“At Darby, we believe if you can say yes to the customer, say yes to the customer,” says Scott Walsh, Vice President of Sales. “We don’t just talk about taking care of customers, it’s something that is ingrained in our DNA and runs through every single department – from sales to accounting and everyone in between.”
This philosophy serves as a guiding principle, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing customer satisfaction above rigid adherence to policies, procedures, or bottom lines. Darby empowers its team to exercise discretion and flexibility in meeting each customer’s unique needs.
This customer-centric approach fosters stronger relationships and drives sustained growth in revenue and profitability. By prioritizing responsiveness and adaptability, Darby ensures that every interaction leaves a lasting positive impression. In turn, the company has built a reputation as a trusted and customer-focused leader in the dental supply industry.
“At Darby, we believe if you can say yes to the customer, say yes to the customer.”
– by Scott Walsh, Vice President, Sales
Dee Fischer, CEO of Fischer Professional Group, has decades of experience growing DSOs by helping doctors create systems, accountability, and passion in the workplace. She relies on Darby as part of her success.
“Working with Maria Mulé of Darby has been an excellent experience. Her level of customer service is truly top-notch – possibly the best in the nation! At every step of the way, she has been attentive and knowledgeable, and she always goes above and beyond to ensure everything runs perfectly,” Dee shares.
Darby’s Account Managers receive regular training throughout the year. Pictured is one session with Leonora Purellku, Darby Training Manager.
“The repair man your team found for us cleared his schedule and got to our office the next morning with a loaner machine while he fixed ours. In our moment of crisis, I appreciate everything that the entire Darby team did to help us,” says Adina Ferguson of Union Family Dental, another happy Darby customer.
This is finding ways to say “yes” to the customer, and often, it makes all the difference. One tell-tale sign of excellent customer service is often long-term relationships built with trust and sustained over time. They are also vital in business. In dental supply, these partnerships are crucial for consistency and growth.
“I’ve been working with my account manager for over ten years. During this time, we’ve expanded to 23 locations and are still growing. We chose Darby for many reasons – their attention to detail and ability to go above and beyond to help us expand Nuva Smile. Without Darby and our long-term relationship, we wouldn’t have the support and knowledge to keep up with the changing times. I’m lucky to be partnered with a company that puts our needs first,” shares Angelika Yermolenko, the Hygiene Director/ Procurement Manager of Nuva Smile.
In another instance, a recent DSO customer faced a common challenge plaguing many multi-location dental practices: inconsistent equipment solutions and pricing across their various offices. This lack of uniformity created logistical headaches and led to disparate experiences for patients and staff alike. Recognizing the need for cohesion and standardization, Darby, led by their dedicated account manager, stepped in to provide tailored solutions. Through meticulous coordination and personalized guidance, their account manager worked closely with the customer to streamline their equipment procurement process, ensuring that every office would receive the same high-quality experience. This collaborative effort alleviated the burden of managing multiple suppliers and bolstered the DSO’s reputation for excellence across all their locations.
Advertisements
“When I joined Darby, I thought I’d be walking into traditional sales training. I was blown away that rather than learning how to sell things, it was all about how to treat people.”
– by Leonora Purellku, Sales Trainer
A much larger DSO, Signature Dental Partners, faced significant hurdles in finding cost-effective solutions. With 93 locations, they needed to deliver the same quality in each location while also saving money. Their Darby account manager stepped in to offer personalized assistance, identifying private label items to help them maintain the same excellent quality product but with significant savings.
Darby and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island teams at the ribbon cutting for the Darby-sponsored “Kids Closet.”
This effort and partnership addressed the DSO’s immediate challenge while positioning them for continued success in the future.
So, what is the secret to such customer service success? At Darby, it hinges on a simple yet profound principle: taking care of their employees. Darby prioritizes all aspects of their team’s well-being, from professional growth to health and wellness. They equip their staff to excel in their roles. With over 100 hours of product training provided annually, they also equip employees with the knowledge and expertise needed to deliver exceptional service to customers.
“When I joined Darby, I thought I’d be walking into traditional sales training,” says Leonora Purellku. “I was blown away that rather than learning how to sell things, it was all about how to treat people. Rather than up-selling, our training revolves around Darby’s methodology and how to treat the customer and anticipate their needs and wants. Another huge differentiator is that our account managers receive an unprecedented amount of product training to develop their mindset as well as their professional growth, which really helps our customers navigate product selection and feel confident in viewing our team as trusted advisors.”
By caring for their employees with excellence, their employees can do the same with their customers. Darby demonstrated unwavering support to its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company sent monthly PPE care packages to every employee, working to provide whatever they could to keep their employees and their families safe. Darby also took proactive steps to educate its sales team on alternative product options, ensuring customer needs could be met even when certain items were unavailable.
The company encourages employees to get involved in philanthropic efforts and comes alongside them in support. Their reach has extended from food and toy drives in local offices to 5K and walks around the country to helping to build a dental hospital in Rwanda.
Darby is a proud partner of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island (BBBSLI). Darby’s purchasing and warehouse teams coordinated a delivery of supplies to help local students prepare for the upcoming school year. Pictured left to right: Hans Dietz and Will Diaz.
Across levels and departments, Darby prides itself on giving back to the community. Liz Meyers, Darby’s EVP Global Procurement, spearheads Darby’s Social Responsibility Program which is committed to making positive impacts on local, national and global communities.” Liz is also longstanding member of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Board of Directors, a nonprofit organization that Darby is proud to support. Darby’s purchasing and warehouse teams coordinated a delivery of supplies to help local students prepare for a new school year, and the organization sponsored a new “Kids Closet.”
“Creating a culture of success and inclusivity requires a vision that not only includes success with business objectives, but a very real dedication to employee wellbeing and social responsibility,”
– by Andrea Hight, Division Director, DSOs
Another is Beyond The Game, which provides children with the resources, support, and mentorship opportunities they need to succeed. Allison Alexander, Vice President, Darby Group Companies, recently spoke to local elementary school students about the importance of generosity and gratitude as part of Beyond the Game’s “Girls with Pearls” youth program. This initiative is focused on mentoring and uplifting young girls through sharing important life skills like confidence, communication, and setting goals.
“In joining the Darby team, I learned that this dedication to doing good is threaded throughout all we do. Today, in addition to my role as Division Director for DSOs, I am participating as a board member for the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) in choosing a new executive director for this organization. NNOHA exists to support the success of community health centers and other nonprofit organizations in assuring access to dental care for the communities served across the country. Because Darby supports my board role with NNOHA, I am able to contribute training and education for clinicians and administrators, chair NNOHA’s membership committee and ambassador program and participate in conferences. All of this is part of supporting the success and sustainability of oral health safety net programs. I am honored to represent Darby in these ways,” she adds.
Darby is proud to support Beyond The Game, a non-profit organization that provides children with the resources, support, and mentorship opportunities to succeed. Allison Alexander, Vice President at Darby Group, companies spoke to local schools about the importance of generosity and gratitude.
In addition to prioritizing overall well-being among its staff, Darby is also committed to raising mental health awareness and supporting key initiatives and organizations that support well-being.
“Creating a culture of success and inclusivity requires a vision that not only includes success with business objectives, but a very real dedication to employee well-being and social responsibility,” says Andrea Hight, Division Director, DSOs.
Darby believes that when employees feel valued and supported, they are better equipped to provide care and attention. Their commitment to investing in their team’s growth and development enhances employee satisfaction and translates into tangible benefits for customers that set them apart.
Darby’s dedication to caring for its employees is reflected in the remarkable average employee tenure of 13 years. This speaks to the care provided to each employee and the support they receive to grow professionally within the organization.
By delivering exceptional customer service with a “say yes” attitude, Darby becomes an integral player in its clients’ success stories. In today’s dynamic and quickly evolving dental landscape, having a reliable partner like Darby becomes priceless.
Vyne Dental’s Game-Changing Impact on Dental Practices
All it takes is one patient encounter to illuminate broader challenges within the dental industry. For Steve Roberts, CEO of Vyne, this pivotal moment came early in his career when a 22-year-old man walked through the doors of a dental clinic he was working in. The man was seeking dentures despite his young age. His family history painted a picture of generational reliance on dentures, a trajectory he seemed resigned to uphold and ready to accept.
But good news was in store: This patient would not need to live the rest of his life with dentures. Instead, he could receive therapy to treat his periodontal disease.
But then something unexpected happened. Roberts was disappointed that the patient’s excitement did not match that of the provider team because of one question: “Does insurance cover it?”
So, amidst the optimism of a possible therapeutic solution, Roberts could not overlook a glaring reality. The decisive factor in this patient’s willingness to pursue an alternative hinged not solely on a clinical recommendation but also on insurance coverage.
What we do matters – maybe even more than you realize. It matters so much that I have dedicated nearly my entire career to solving problems in the insurance reimbursement space. Vyne is here to revolutionize the way care is delivered and practices are paid,” Steve shares.
– by Steve Roberts, CEO, Vyne Dental
“In that pivotal moment all those years ago, I realized the profound impact dentistry has on people’s lives,” Roberts says. “What we do matters. It matters so much that I have dedicated nearly my entire career to solving problems in the insurance reimbursement space. Vyne Dental is here to drive a paradigm shift in the way dental care is delivered and practices are paid.”
Another defining moment came just months ago, when Roberts first learned of the Change Healthcare data breach. As the leader of Vyne Dental®—a provider of end-to-end revenue acceleration that engages practices, payers, and patients via vendor-neutral connectivity, claims and attachment management and facilitates secure communications solutions—he knew Vyne had to act to ensure patients received care and practices were paid with minimal disruption.
Ultimately, Vyne Dental emerged from the Change Healthcare situation as a vital lifeline for the dental industry, expediting the launch of a new digital, self-service experience to accelerate onboarding more than 10,000 new customers within three weeks, enabling them to continue serving patients. The new service empowers prospective and existing customers to independently manage onboarding, implementation and training.
With easy access to extensive resources from online training courses to contextual guidance within the application to process improvement webinars, customers can be as autonomous as they wish, while maximizing the benefits they gain from Vyne Dental’s solutions.
In addition to the new self-guided experience, Vyne Dental also took several other steps to continue delivering exceptional customer service during the data breach, including: scaling its workforce by adding permanent and temporary staff to help new and existing customers with onboarding and support, enhancing call management to more accurately route customers to the proper support team in order to facilitate faster, more efficient resolution for all customers, and expanding digital resources to all customers that empower process optimization and revenue growth initiatives within their practices.
Advertisements
Tammy Barker, Vyne Dental’s Vice President of Customer Success and Women in DSO® Advisory Board Member, attributes these achievements to the hard work and commitment of the customer service and success teams.
“We are grateful for the trust our customers have in Vyne Dental,” Barker says.
“Vyne Trellis has a passion for listening to their customers and using feedback for continuous reinvention of their services. ”
– by Stacy Piskun of Heartland Dental
Vyne Dental’s robust platform, Vyne Trellis®, is designed to seamlessly support the operational complexities of emerging and mid-market DSOs. With a suite of tools encompassing practice management, revenue cycle management, patient engagement, and practice marketing, Vyne Dental empowers DSOs to streamline operations across their entire network. With centralized access to essential resources and insights, DSOs can better optimize efficiency and standardize workflows, fostering consistency and cohesion across all locations. This inclusive approach resonates with multi-location practices seeking a partner capable of supporting their growth and scalability without compromising on quality or efficacy.
“Vyne Dental’s end-to-end platform has been a game-changer for our multi-location DSO,” says Lori Brady, the Insurance/Revenue Cycle Manager for New England Dental Partners, Inc. “By streamlining workflows and providing comprehensive solutions, Vyne [Dental] has accelerated revenue and enhanced operational efficiency across all our practices. Their software has become a necessary tool in driving success and growth for our business.”
Vyne Dental is also dedicated to providing unparalleled support and customer service. The organization won The LiveHelpNow Challenge Best Customer Service award and has been named to the Inc. 5000 annual list of the nation’s most prestigious and fastest-growing private companies for 15 consecutive years.
As he leads Vyne into the future, Roberts remains steadfast in his commitment to leveraging his diverse experiences to drive positive change across the dental healthcare industry. “Every day, I draw on my past experiences to inform our strategic direction,” he emphasizes.
“Vyne Dental’s end-to-end platform has been a game-changer for our multi-location DSO.”
– by Lori Brady of New England Dental Partners, Inc.
“By combining insights from both corporate leadership and frontline practice administration, we are developing innovative solutions that empower dental practices to succeed in an ever-changing landscape.”
Through the Vyne Trellis platform, dental revenue acceleration is evolving. Today, Vyne Dental serves more than 800 hospitals and health systems, 84,000 dental offices, and 800 dental insurance plans and payers across the U.S.
Vyne Dental is leading a paradigm shift in the dental industry toward real-time claims and payment resolution to improve provider and payer financial performance while fostering patient satisfaction and loyalty. As it looks to the future, Vyne Dental is eager to pioneer advancements to help patients improve their smiles and providers enhance their profits.
Straumann Group launches the very first brand dedicated exclusively to supporting enterprise-level customers in an ever-evolving market.
The history of Straumann Group is one rich with innovation and steeped in a reputation for quality and precision. While our company got its start in dental implants, our brand has evolved over the past seven decades to include a diverse portfolio of solutions and services with each one maintaining our commitment to quality and to unlocking the potential of people.
Today, Straumann Group, one of the most established companies in the oral healthcare sector, is proudly supporting a dedicated brand developed to address the needs of dental support organizations (DSOs) and large account dental groups. Our tradition of innovating in response to growth and change has led to the recent formation of a most extraordinary entity: Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions.
According to a report by Precedence Research, the size of the dental support market is forecasted to increase significantly by 2032.
The data bears out the fact that we are witnessing a shift from solo provider practice to the dental support organization (DSO) model on a large scale, necessitating a fundamental shift in the way industry providers, suppliers, and consultants assist these organizations.
Why Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions? DSOs are inherently complex—a single entity must strive to generate profit through the mitigation of highly variable factors across a range of diverse holdings. Implementing workflows, processes, and systems equally across every dental practice in a DSO is a formidable feat. Many solutions currently available for DSOs may not fully address the daily complexities these organizations face. The portfolio offered by Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions, however, provides DSOs with a holistic and harmonious range solutions and services all in one place.
Additionally, DSOs today face uncharted waters when it comes to scaling and growing market share. Despite experiencing prolific growth, the DSO market is a neonate with little established precedent for DSOs to follow. In a very real sense, the leaders of successful organizations today are pioneers who push the boundaries and sometimes struggle in the face of unanticipated challenges such as establishing a brand identity and strategy, recruiting and retaining employees, scaling sustainably, and pivoting in times of economic uncertainty.
Straumann Group has always embraced innovation and so we celebrate the DSO leaders who do the same. This new customer group is very important to us and we strongly believe that it also plays a critical role in improving access to oral care. In light of the rapidly expanding DSO market and the ongoing challenges these organizations face, Straumann Group has dedicated a large part of our organization to serving the DSO customer group. We have developed specialized teams, clinical digital workflows, and services that focus on helping DSOs to activate growth potential, elevate clinical excellence, and enhance operational efficiency.
A recent review of the branding and positioning for our DSO portfolio indicated a need for expanded efforts to ensure that forward-thinking leaders can fully benefit from Straumann Group’s expertise and insights.
“Straumann Group’s commitment to serving the fast-growing DSO customer segment dates back approximately 6 to 7 years, with the establishment of a specialized DSO organization in 2017,” says Straumann Group CEO Guillaume Daniellot. “As the dental industry undergoes transformation and the demand from our DSO partners becomes increasingly distinct, we recognized the importance of formalizing our dedication to this target group. Our customers can expect highly customized solutions, including digital workflows and related services that we are actively developing.”
“As the dental industry undergoes transformation and the demand from our DSO partners becomes increasingly distinct, we recognized the importance of formalizing our dedication to this target group.”
– by Guillaume Daniellot, CEO, Straumann Group
A Closer Look at Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions At Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions, our aim is to support dental support organizations and other enterprise-level oral healthcare providers in transforming oral care specialties and the delivery of oral care as a whole with our customized, scalable, and digitally-powered solutions and services and our dedicated team of experts. We provide a holistic portfolio of resources tailored to support DSOs at all operational levels and stages of growth.
We are among the first movers in the industry to effectively accommodate the scale and needs of DSOs, offering them bespoke resources in the form of clinical solutions, comprehensive digital workflows for specialty treatments, on-site training, clinical education, and consultation services with industry experts. We serve as the comprehensive resource and strategic empowering partner for leaders aiming to develop more resilient and growth-oriented enterprises.
Given our trusted Straumann Group history and our commitment to growth and innovation, it was only fitting to give our new brand a crisp visual identity that instills a sense of confidence, uniting our trusted corporate heritage values and widely respected industry experience. Our new visual identity embodies our philosophy of being powered. The colors include blue for trust, professionalism, and expertise, and mint green for freshness, innovation, and advanced technology solutions. The interconnected rings symbolize unity and integration.
Advertisements
Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions may be the new name, but we have already been hard at work curating insights and developing solutions for the past 6-7 years. Our team working around the globe are working hand-in-hand with DSO customers to support them in achieving their own objectives, and we leverage our deep collaboration, collected data and customers’ feedback to continue innovating and improving the solutions we design.
Among our portfolio of solutions trusted to enhance operational efficiency, is CareStack. Powered by award-winning, innovative technology, Carestack offers a holistic range of features including scheduling, clinical operations, billing, patient engagement, and reporting, all on a single cloud-based platform.
We are also dedicated to developing thought leadership materials that serve executives within organizations with the insights and strategies they need to lead effectively and to innovate. These resources are designed to enhance decision-making and drive industry advancements.
Our initiatives also focus on fostering robust engagement among C-Suite executives of DSOs. For example, we host the annual Global DSO CEO Summit which fosters a collaborative environment where leadership can exchange ideas that drive transformative change within their organizations.
“The Global DSO CEO Summit not only provides a robust networking platform for our DSO CEO customers worldwide, uniting leaders from across the globe, but also serves as a venue for exchanging visionary insights, co-creating concepts, and sharing best practices on a global scale.”
– by Marie-Rose Wagner, Global Head Executive Engagement, Straumann Group
Besides our comprehensive portfolio of trusted Straumann clinical products, Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions also offers end-to-end fully digital workflows (Enterprise Specialty Workflows) designed to improve efficiency and standardize outcomes in high-production specialty treatment areas such as restorative dentistry including implant treatments, and orthodontics.
“The Restorative Dentistry 360 workflow reduced stress during surgery and achieved high placement accuracy, maintaining the highest standards for clinical excellence,” reported one satisfied customer. These workflows aim to streamline cases for greater productivity all while boosting clinician confidence and neutralizing variables that might otherwise result in inconsistent outcomes. Orthodontics 360 offers premium, smile design through efficient workflows for a superior patient experience.
We also place great emphasis on providing consulting services and comprehensive clinical education. These initiatives are designed to empower our DSO partners, enhancing both their operation efficiency and clinical excellence.
Enterprise Consulting with our select team of knowledgeable experts assists DSOs in developing and implementing actionable plans that will help the organization achieve objectives in the areas of demand generation, case acceptance, employee retention, and leadership evolution. Our consulting services supply organizations with customized growth strategies replete with the assets, training, business education, and real-time monitoring and fine-tuning of the strategy to ensure goals are met.
Enterprise Academy equips clinicians with the training needed to work efficiently and with confidence. We have been concentrating a lot of our efforts and investments in education as we believe this is one of the most important supports we can provide to our customers’ clinicians to facilitate the delivery of high quality specialty treatments such as implant therapy and clear aligners.
“The Restorative Dentistry 360 workflow reduced stress during surgery and achieved high placement accuracy, maintaining the highest standards for clinical excellence.”
Moving into the future with confidence, together It is with great pride and joy that we formally announce the launch of Straumann Group Enterprise Solutions. The establishment of this new brand signifies a continuation and formalization of our commitment that was initiated several years ago, acknowledging our longstanding dedication to DSOs and other large-scale oral healthcare enterprises.
We hold the strong conviction that this brand underlines the importance of responding to the unique needs of DSOs with a tailored approach. It is our hope that our ongoing engagement with executives combined with careful monitoring of the market and a proactive responsiveness will enable us to adapt to those evolving needs effectively.
We are committed to fostering innovation and sharing insights that enhance lives, and we take pride in being a trusted, comprehensive source of support for DSOs at the enterprise level. Straumann Group eagerly welcomes the ambitious leaders of DSOs of all sizes to contact our team to leverage our insights and discover bespoke solutions for success.
Celebrating more than 25 years of YES at Aspen Dental
07/09/2024
|
11 min. to read
Since the beginning, we’ve been dedicated to breaking down barriers to care and empowering dentists. It starts with a deep understanding of who the Aspen Dental patient is and what their needs are, while also creating a culture of collaboration and support that attracts dentists and team members who want to deliver life-changing care every single day.
Everything started with ‘Yes’ Aspen Dental was built on a foundation of “Yes”–yes to an easy and convenient patient experience, yes to rewarding careers and opportunities for dentists and team members, and yes to embracing the best protocols, treatments, and technologies available.
Founder and CEO of TAG – The Aspen Group, Bob Fontana.
After starting his career in a dental office in New England, Aspen Dental founder Bob Fontana couldn’t help but notice the multitude of friction points for patients and providers alike.
He wanted to solve the problems inherent in the traditional dental practice model to deliver a better experience for both patients and providers, which meant finding ways to break down barriers to care, both emotional and practical. For patients, that meant more convenient locations with extended hours; scheduling patients with urgency and accepting walk ins and emergencies; onsite labs that enabled quick turnaround on treatments like dentures; as well as transparent billing and affordable patient financing solutions. It was all about designing a model that would eliminate as much of the friction from the dental experience for patients as possible.
Equally important as designing a model that patients would choose was developing one that works for providers. That means The Aspen Dental model would also make things easier for dentists, by offering comprehensive, non-clinical business support, promoting opportunities for growth, enhancing job satisfaction, and fostering a stellar culture steeped in collaboration, mentorship, and fun–not to mention better incentives and payment.
In 1998, Bob turned this hypothetical model into a reality by opening the first Aspen Dental office in Greece, New York. Every piece of the Aspen Dental consumer experience was based on a deep understanding of the patients, from where they want to go, to how they want to be seen, to how they want to pay for their care. We got to know Aspen patients as consumers so we could meet them where they were at, finding creative ways to solve their problems conveniently and quickly.
As we grew in those first few years, we also worked to elevate the provider experience. Clinicians value flexibility, freedom, mentorship, and lifelong learning, and that’s what we sought to deliver. As we scaled the business, we continued to find new ways to help empower providers, introducing the Managing Clinical Director (MCD) program to our supported dentists in 2002. The MCD program was designed to help treat dentists as owners, recognizing their role as leaders in the practice and aligning goals for the entire office. We wanted to reignite dentists’ passion, energy, and commitment to the business while also breaking down silos between dentists and team members. As dentists became more engaged, our supported practices’ turnover decreased, while their income, practice profitability, and patient satisfaction all increased.
The results were so impressive that we quickly realized we needed to not only empower our supported dentists as clinicians–but we also needed to promote a complete path to practice ownership for more dentists.
The ownership inflection point By 2004, Aspen Dental had grown to just over 60 locations. From the MCD program, we’d learned how to better align dentist and business interests, as well as how to best meet the needs of clinicians. We realized, however, that we needed to do more than help our supported practices to just give dentists jobs–we wanted to promote and empower broader ownership of highly successful dental practices. To do that, we created the Practice Ownership Program (POP).
POP allowed new and established dentists to realize their ownership dreams much faster than they would at traditional practices, waiting decades for the current owners to retire. With POP, we could help dentists build lifelong careers at Aspen, supporting them “from hire to retire.” Bob credits creating POP as “the single most important decision in Aspen Dental’s history.”
With POP, we could continue to better align dentist and practice interests, working together to grow this business with clinicians. Empowering more dentists through real ownership opportunities helped us both attract and retain top talent, which further fueled our growth.
The results quickly spoke for themselves. Offices with POP dentist-owners proved to be all-around more successful: better team member engagement, better workplace culture, better patient satisfaction, and better business outcomes. POP is a ‘win-win-win’–dentists build practice equity, patients receive better continuity of care, and the business as a whole performs at a higher level.
Even though we had to radically transform our business model to introduce POP, this revamp made all the difference to Aspen Dental’s trajectory. From 2004 onward, we started gathering momentum. We held our first annual meeting in 2005, and continued growing our small family into a larger and larger one. We used our momentum to power through the 2008 recession; at its height in 2009 and 2010, we were hiring between 800 and 900 people per year. If there was any doubt about the benefits of the POP model, our success silenced them. We even surprised ourselves; we thought, at first, that Aspen Dental would be a small- to medium-sized regional company. With the introduction of POP and our rapid growth thereafter, we realized we had a national company on our hands.
The culture inflection point As we ballooned from 60 practices in 2004 to 400 in 2013, we reached another inflection point. With nearly 5,000 team members, we worried about keeping such a large group both engaged and connected to our core values. At this point, our biggest challenge was determining how to build a great culture at scale.
In the early days of Aspen Dental, everybody knew everybody on a personal level. It was easier to be aligned, and all team members were clear about Aspen’s mission and purpose. But given the rapid growth of the organization, we could no longer rely on a handful of people to accomplish that colossal task–we needed systems and a structure in place to get the job done.
In 2013, we built that structure and put systems into action. We created a 20-week program to help reengage everybody with our core values and our purpose, and we introduced the “Words to Live By” campaign, which helped fuel our passion, boosting engagement by 19% year over year. Our goal was to make everyone feel like a vital part of Aspen Nation, because we know that the patient experience will never exceed the team member experience. When Aspen team members can “bleed blue” and come together to support our larger purpose and mission, then an incredible patient experience naturally follows.
Advertisements
The Healthy Mouth Movement has initiatives like the Overseas Outreach program, pictured above.
Our annual Leadership Retreats reinforces our mission and strengthen our relationships. The first Aspen Dental retreat was at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York in 2005, and since then, our retreats have gotten bigger and better. From Las Vegas to Chicago to Miami, we gather at world-class destinations to have fun, get together, reflect, celebrate, and remind ourselves why we are dedicated to what we do. We also take the opportunity to let loose, whether that be through talent shows, performances, standup comedy, Lip Sync Battles, and dance competitions. We’re able to all connect on a different level, and this spirit of lightheartedness further contributes to our enriching culture. Aspen team members leave refreshed, reinvigorated, and maybe with an ASPY (Achieve Superior Performance Yearly) award in their suitcases.
In addition to providing a fun release valve in the form of Leadership Retreats, we also introduced another pillar to our cultural foundation–service. We recognized that providing care is a wonderful thing, but providing care to those without access is also vital to our mission. We started the Healthy Mouth Movement in 2014 so dentists and their teams could give back to their communities, both locally and globally.
The Healthy Mouth Movement started with the Aspen Dental MouthMobile, a dental practice on wheels, that brought much-needed care directly to underserved communities. We also introduced a Day of Service to provide free care to veterans. Finally, we set our sights internationally, planning service trips to countries such as Haiti, Tanzania, Guatemala, and Mexico. Aspen dentists and team members have provided free dental care to communities all over the world. To date, the Healthy Mouth Movement has donated over thirty million dollars worth of free care. Providers who participate in any aspect of the Healthy Mouth Movement often say those experiences are some of the most rewarding of their lives.
During Aspen’s first fifteen years, we grew by about 28 new locations each year. After strengthening our cultural foundation through campaigns, programs, retreats, and community service, we started growing by closer to 60 new locations a year, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even today, we’re continuing to refine our culture. The strength of our relationships with dentists is critical, and in our business planning sessions, we still discuss new ways to make dentists’ and other team members’ lives easier and more meaningful, with increased support, new service programs, advanced training, and more. This organization is better when we have the right model and deep relationships with providers.
“As the organization grew, we had to be more thoughtful about onboarding, immersing people in our culture and values, and keeping everyone engaged.”
Rebranding and expanding Aspen Dental was headquartered in Syracuse, New York, for nearly 20 years. However, as we continued to grow and spread across the country, we realized we needed a larger and more central location. In 2018, we relocated our headquarters to Chicago’s West Loop.
Our original West Loop building didn’t contain us for long; in 2021, we opened a brand-new, larger office in Chicago’s Fulton Market. In conjunction, we invested six million dollars to establish our TAG Oral Care Center for Excellence, a state-of-theart facility that serves as a central place for gathering, training, giving back, learning, and growing.
Growing our organization requires a solid recruitment funnel, given that we open a new location every three to four days. We want more dentists to join our ranks, so we routinely offer new opportunities. In fact, over the past few years, we have put over twenty million dollars toward learning and development for Aspen dentists and team members.
By the time we moved into our new home in Fulton Market, we had matured from our humble beginnings in upstate New York to a national organization encompassing a family of brands, including dental, urgent care, medical aesthetics, and veterinary care.
As a reflection of that growth, in 2021 The Aspen Group (TAG) was born. While TAG may operate in four different healthcare categories, our brands are united by one singular vision: To bring better care to more people.
Nationwide, TAG supports 20,000 team members, 5,200 clinicians, and 1,350 locations. Despite all this growth, we’ve never lost sight of who we are and what we stand for.
Staying on the cutting edge We didn’t get to where we are today by resting on our laurels, and we don’t intend to start now. We’re always looking for new ways to bring the best possible care to patients, from free new patient exams for patients without insurance, to online appointment scheduling, to denture money-back guarantees, to our patient financing promise.
We also enthusiastically embrace new technology. We’re working to incorporate everything from artificial intelligence to 3-D printing as we continue to transform the business to be fully digital. Being able to scan a new patient’s mouth during one visit and then deliver a 3-D printed set of dentures a day later is revolutionizing both the patient and provider denture experience–and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to incorporating new technology into provider workflows.
We’ve built this business by being committed to our core values, nurturing relationships, elevating the patient and provider experience, meeting people where they are, and embracing change. We care deeply about Aspen team members and patients, and every decision we make takes their needs into account. We’ve worked hard to grow a company-wide culture that makes team members excited to come into the office every day, and that excitement invariably trickles down to patients.
The past twenty-five years have been a time of incredible growth, learning, and innovation. We can’t wait to see what the next twenty-five will bring.
