DSD Ortho Clinical Mentor, Dr Daniel Ramos, treatment planning at the DSD Planning Center.
Becoming a DSD Clinic is the most comprehensive membership option a dental clinic can have with DSD. For clinicians, clinic owners and teams, it comes with a range of benefits like product discounts, implementation guidance and exclusive marketing materials.
But a common question we hear from dentists who are getting started with DSD or thinking about becoming a DSD Clinic is what the difference is between a DSD Clinic and a non DSD dental clinic. What extra value does a DSD Clinic offer for patients?
In this article, we will explain how DSD dentistry is done and how it changes the experience patients have in a DSD Clinic compared to other dental clinics.
What makes DSD dentistry different?
DSD dentistry encompasses five standards that patients can rely on when they go to a DSD Clinic. These are digitalization, 3D facial design, digital treatment planning, smile test drive, and guided treatment.
Though non DSD dental clinics certainly follow some or a combination of these, a DSD Clinic guarantees all five in every smile makeover treatment. Our network of certified clinics can explain these five standards to their patients as quality assurances for the treatment they will receive.
DSD Clinic vs non DSD dental clinics: the Five Smile Makeover ‘Standards’
| DSD Clinic | Non DSD dental clinics | |
|---|---|---|
| Digitalization | Patient records taken digitally. Systematic protocol can reduce time spent by clinician and patient and improve patient experience. | Patient records may be taken using traditional methods. There may be no systematic and optimized protocol, increasing the time spent by clinician and patient. |
| 3D Facial Design | We create a project that adapts to the patient’s unique characteristics. Working in a 3D environment means we can analyze this design from an esthetic point of view and taking into account function and biology. | There may be no prior smile design or 2D smile design. When the upper alone is designed, we don’t know how this relates to the lower. |
| Digital treatment planning | Seeing the end of the treatment before starting guarantees effective decision making, less stress and predictable results. We can generate valuable content so that the patient really understands the proposal. | The dentist may make treatment plan decisions alone. Collaboration with specialists may be limited by location and availability. Decisions may be made during treatment execution. |
| Smile test drive | Patients experience what their new smile feels and looks like. This starts the conversation from an emotional perspective which facilitates the conversation about treatment. | Around half of ideal dental treatments aren’t accepted because patients don’t really understand the proposal. Dentists communicate in a technical way, without visuals to facilitate understanding. |
| Guided Treatment | Patients feel safer and less anxious knowing that their pre-approved treatment is guided by planning and 3D printed appliances. | Treatment execution may depend on the decisions, skill and experience of the clinician with decisions made in the mouth. |
What patients can expect from each of the five ‘standards’ at a DSD Clinic
1. Digitalization
This step is about creating an exceptional first appointment for our patient. It has two main objectives:
To gather the ideal information that is essential for us to carry out a complete analysis and make the necessary decisions to generate the best treatment plan. We do this in a unique way and efficiently collect what we need: no more, no less, and always thinking about the patient's experience.
To work with the DSD Planning Center on a patient case, clinics send specific types of patient records.
Download DSD Documentation protocol here
To start the process of converting the patient into a fan who values our work method and understands the importance of this step. This will increase their motivation to move forwards and help them understand that they are in the right place. This step is fundamental because if we don’t do it properly we may lose this potential patient after all the effort made to bring them to our clinic.
2. 3D Facial Design
3D facial design all starts with a facial analysis of our patient. This allows us to create a project that adapts to their unique characteristics, and working in a 3D environment means we can analyze this design from an esthetic point of view (how it will look on their face), always taking into account function and biology. This planning is key because it allows us to create realistic projects which are analyzed from all points of view and meet the expectations of the patient and the dentist.
Another huge advantage of 3D planning is that it allows us to generate educational content that is easy to understand. The clinician can use these images and videos to help the patient understand the needs of their case and the reason for the proposed treatment plan. These visuals can also help the clinician to manage expectations, reduce stress or the possibility of surprises during treatment and increase the predictability of results.
Last but not least, it is an essential step to generate the guidelines that allow the treatment to be carried out, ensuring the result as close as possible to what was proposed.
3. Digital Treatment Planning
DSD Clinics collaborate on their patient cases with the team of specialist dentists at the DSD Planning Center. For patients, this means that whatever treatment their plan involves:
A team of specialists digitally designs their treatment and quality checks every step
They can see a digital treatment simulation to understand every option and end result
They can make a fully informed decision about their smile makeover treatment
They can approve a plan and have their dentist follow through on it
They receive the highest standards of treatment
4. Smile Test Drive
The Smile Test Drive gives patients the opportunity to see, feel and understand the full impact of a smile makeover before any treatment begins. By trying on a temporary mock-up of their smile and seeing a virtual simulation of the treatment plan on a digital model, they have a powerful visual to help them better understand their proposed treatment and outcome. In this appointment, they have the chance to ask questions about their treatment and make informed decisions going forward.
Why a smile test drive and not a simulation? Even if a virtual simulation is ‘perfect’ and the mock-up isn’t, a patient will never experience the same level of emotion by looking at a simulation compared to the real mock-up appointment. Seeing their potential new smile on themselves for the first time can be a life-changing moment.
The DSD Clic Guide.
5. Guided Treatment
Guided treatment means that we create 3D printed guides and appliances which allow us to replicate our digital treatment planning in the patient’s mouth, and achieve outcomes that are as close as possible to what the patient approved in the planning.
For our patients, guided treatment can have a significant impact on their experience of dentistry. When patients see the proposed end results before treatment begins - and know that 3D-printed appliances guide our hands to execute treatment that has been planned digitally - it offers them peace of mind that their treatment will be reliable, predictable, accurate and safe.
Patients are reassured at DSD Clinics
By following the five smile makeover standards, DSD Clinics give patients comfort, confidence and assurance that treatment will give them the results they want.
To become a DSD Clinic, dental offices can apply to enroll on the DSD Clinics Program. This involves a period of implementation coaching for you and your team before yearly membership. Find out more about the DSD Clinics option by choosing an option below:
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