We all have seen those advertisements that show kids jumping into candies and chocolates, only to scream in pain as their tooth starts to give them trouble. What next? Changing your toothpaste? That’s what they show us; but what happens if the problem is too severe? Well, then straight to your 2:30 appointment at the dentist. And we all have been to the dentist’s office at some point of time. Our visits may range from a regular dental checkup, to having an aching tooth removed, having out teeth whitened, or getting braces fitted. Whatever it is, dentists go a long way in keeping our teeth in good shape, no pun intended.
Dental Facilities Solve our ‘Teething’ Problems
The data from CDC certainly backs up the whatever I mentioned above regarding the importance of dentists. For example, 13.2% children between the ages of 5-19 years had untreated dental caries between 2015-2018. Furthermore, in 2019, almost 65% of adults aged 18 years or above made a visit to the dentist, while this number was even higher at 86% for children between 2-17 years. The high demand for dentists has naturally created a lot of scope in the market for dental equipment, with a number of companies having the required knowledge and expertise to operate in this space. These equipment can be categorized under radiology equipment, lasers, systems and parts, laboratory machines, hygiene maintenance devices, and others. With dentists facing higher volume of visits in recent years, the efficiency, functioning and maintenance of equipment attains prime importance.
COVID-19: Shaping the Industry Future?
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a telling impact on the global market, with governments uniformly implementing lockdowns and social distancing norms for the general population. Dental procedures have been negatively impacted, being as they are classified as non-essential procedures. Furthermore, they have been considered as one of the riskier pathways in terms of being affected by the virus, which has created major challenges for the entire industry. As such, the dental equipment market is expected to witness delayed growth in the coming years. The near future is expected to be characterized by dental establishments trying to procure new and innovative procedures and equipment that can keep away the pandemic from the patients.
Some noticeable trends seen during the coronavirus pandemic, and what they would mean for the coming years, have been tabulated below:
| Aspect | COVID-19 Impact | Post-COVID Outlook |
| Physical Visits | The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the dental equipment market, as government-induced lockdowns and classification of dental procedures as non-essential led to a sharp drop in physical visits by patients and clients. | As governments across majority of the countries have relaxed lockdown norms due to fall in COVID-19 cases, dental clinics have slowly but surely resumed operations, which is expected to drive the industry towards positive growth in coming months. |
| Equipment Safety | The Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice states that dental services may be among the last to relaunch in post-pandemic relaxations since procedures are at high risk of transmission. | Even as dental procedures make a return, there is a high demand for more safer equipment and tools. It is expected that practitioners will introduce features such as decontamination processes and PPEs, which will positively impact the dental equipment industry. |
| How Are Dental Equipment Companies Coping? | According to PSNet, dentists have been advised to utilize dental hand-piece with anti-retraction function, high evacuation suction and rubber dams, and four-handed dentistry, as a means to minimize droplet splatter and aerosol generation. | The requirement of a number of equipment that can ensure safety for both the patient and dentist is expected to drive industry growth in the coming months. For example, A-dec has introduced a number of equipment to ensure proper sterilization at the dental facility. On similar lines, Planmeca has introduced the Planmeca Cleanic 500 air purification system specifically for dental clinics. Such equipment can be expected to become mainstay in the coming years. |
Final Thoughts…
Notwithstanding the substantial impact of the pandemic on the dental equipment industry, it is expected that the market will bounce back in the near future, and the innovations and developments by the major market players will have a huge role to play in this regard. What’s more, in this age of digitization, it is expected that the combination of physical visits and teledentistry will keep the industry in sync with consumers. Furthermore, as medical tourism bounces back, and the geriatric population continues to expand in the coming years, we can expect the dental equipment industry to hopefully thrive in a positive environment.
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