From promises to proof

Amy Piper, a treatment coordinator with extensive experience, had grown weary of making promises to patients without being able to visually demonstrate what could be achieved with a proposed treatment plan. “I’ve been doing TCO consultations for years and became very aware of how you promised the world to people without anything other than your word,” Amy says. This inner conflict was magnified in her own life; she had a diastema and wouldn't commit to closing the gap because she, like many patients, struggled with the uncertainty of not knowing what the outcome would look like. “If I can’t see what it’s going to look like, I can’t go for it; it might look brilliant, but it might not look like me,” she explains.

When the clinic’s principal dentist, Dr Victoria Holden, first introduced DSD to the practice and explained about the new concept of the smile test drive, Amy remembers feeling skepticism at first. It wasn't until she became a smile trial patient herself during the DSD Consultancy, an in-clinic training session, that she fully grasped its potential. “I had never seen myself without a gap between my teeth. I never imagined what it could look like. So there was a real nervous anticipation about it. The best moment was seeing that photo of me and going ‘Oh my god, that’s me!’” she recalls.

This firsthand experience transformed Amy's approach to patient consultations. Armed with the power of visual communication, she could now walk patients through the DSD process with a newfound confidence. “I think I’m much more confident with it now. How I run my consultations has changed since we’ve done DSD because I feel like now there’s a certainty within me that says, ‘look, this is what we can deliver and this is why we can deliver it,’” she elaborates.

Implementation payoffs

Amy explains that the implementation of DSD at The Briars Dental Centre resulted in a significant improvement in the team’s workflow and overall approach to treatment planning. Prior to using DSD, the practice found it challenging to manage complex cases, with specialists often having differing opinions on where to begin treatment. Amy describes their previous process as "clunky and inefficient". Once the team began to use the treatment planning services of the DSD Planning Center, every case had a clear starting point, allowing the team to work backwards from the ideal smile and deliver a comprehensive plan that considers all necessary steps and specialisms.

This structured approach streamlined the patient journey and improved communication within the team. Amy emphasizes that with DSD, "everybody knows what they’re doing," leading to a more cohesive and efficient working environment. The team embraced DSD, moving away from individual clinicians "dabbling" in the system to a unified practice where, as Amy explains, "the whole practice embodies what we're trying to achieve with it".

DSD provided a clear roadmap for treatment, ensuring everyone was on the same page. This fostered a shared understanding of patient goals and ultimately created a smoother and more enjoyable experience for both the team and the patients.

Reflecting on her experience, Amy wholeheartedly recommends DSD to any dentist seeking to enhance patient care and practice efficiency. “I couldn’t understand why we had never done it before. The difference it makes to your treatment planning, the difference it makes to your patients, you can’t argue with it, you can’t fault the process, it makes complete sense."

For her, DSD is more than just a technology; it's a philosophy that empowers the entire dental team to deliver predictable, personalized care while building stronger patient relationships.