Most dental providers have reopened their clinics, but it’s far from business as usual. A new report by CareQuest Institute outlines the findings from a recent survey of 2,767 providers, and it’s clear that the COVID-19 pandemic remains a source of stress and uncertainty with potential long-term implications for the financial foundation for dentistry.
Some findings from the report:
- 3 in 4 (76%) providers say the maximum number of patients they can see each day is reduced due to changes in treatment protocols, with 1 in 4 (25%) of those saying that they can see less than 50% of the normal patient volumes.
- Only 18% of providers say their daily patient volumes are more than 80% of their usual pre-pandemic total.
- Only 35% of providers say their practices or clinics are experiencing normal or near normal levels of revenue.
- Dental providers who see adult Medicaid patients may suffer revenue losses as states seek to close budget shortfalls.
How has COVID-19 changed the way dentists will practice going forward? The report highlights several strategies, including the expanded use of teledentistry, a greater focus on disease prevention and measurement and the use of alternative payment models that can help address the challenges created from the pandemic.
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You may also be interested in:
- Dental Care’s New Normal: Provider Survey Reveals the Need to Adapt and Redesign, a report on a survey conducted in May as the pandemic was in the early stages in the United States.
- Best Practices for Infection Control in Dental Clinics During the COVID-19 Pandemic, a 20-page guide filled with practical tools and resources.