Seeing the light: discovering DSD solutions

Prior to adopting DSD, Kristen faced several challenges common among dental practitioners: increasing treatment acceptance for comprehensive cases, integrating advanced technology into daily operations without overwhelming the team, and distinguishing her clinic in a competitive market.

Kirsten was recommended to DSD by a periodontist whose opinion she trusts implicitly. At the time, she was already an early adopter of intraoral scanners as she understood the potential of digital dentistry and the future impact of technology on patient care. When she attended her first DSD course, all the dots between technology and patients outcomes began to connect in a significant way. She explains, “I realized this was the next step for me and exactly what I was looking for. It resonated with me perfectly.”

Kristen invested in the following steps in her DSD journey

• Sending her team to attend the DSD Coordinators course

• Scheduling a two-day DSD Team Consultancy in-clinic training

• Attending a photography course presented by DSD dentists

• Enrolling in the DSD Mastership program to build her comprehensive dentistry cases portfolio

• Becoming a certified DSD Clinic

The more she learnt, the more she knew that DSD was the right place for her to focus her attention.

“To me, the concept of seeing the outcome first, before treatment begins, was huge. It was exactly the missing piece in communicating with patients about comprehensive treatment because without it patients can't visualize the outcome.”

Kristen emphasizes how DSD has significantly improved treatment acceptance for comprehensive cases. By enabling visual presentation of treatment outcomes, patients are more likely to understand and agree to comprehensive treatments that might have been difficult to communicate otherwise. "Case acceptance for comprehensive cases just goes up tremendously when you can visually show the plan and outcomes to patients. They usually respond by saying ‘I see what you mean, let's do this.’"

This approach not only enhanced patient understanding and trust but also significantly impacted the clinic's ability to perform more complex, higher-value treatments, contributing to its growth and success.

The unexpected payoffs

Kristen began to notice other significant benefits the further she progressed with DSD.

“It was such a mind shift. It started off as a powerful way to present treatment to patients and I started thinking about cases in a more comprehensive way, but it really challenged me to do things I never thought I would ever do, like placing TADs for ortho.”

The other value that this approach brought to her clinical life was how it took the stress out of dentistry. She describes the days before DSD where she would have cases that looked beautiful on a model, but once in the patient’s mouth it would just not look quite right. “I liked the idea of eliminating that feeling, that anxiety of delivery day when you're thinking to yourself ‘I hope this looks good,’” she explains.

Another unexpected advantage that Kirsten has experienced is the confidence she has gained since implementing DSD.

“Before DSD, I felt like I was just one in a sea of dentists and now when I go to a study club or a conference, I walk in the room with a bit of swagger with the feeling that ‘I do something that you guys don't do and I do it more predictably’. I have always been a good dentist, but now I feel way more confident. Patients can perceive your confidence and that's why they stick around,” she continues.

Her newfound confidence is grounded in the connection with the DSD community. “My greatest value of DSD is the camaraderie and the encouragement I get from my colleagues,” she says. DSD Clinic exclusive benefits include access to several WhatsApp groups with fellow DSD Clinics and with members of the DSD Planning Center to discuss cases. In addition she can join Live Treatment Planning sessions, as well as regular training sessions for her team and for marketing, known as the DSD Clinic Team CoGrow and Marketing CoGrow respectively.

“Seeing other people doing comprehensive dentistry inspires me to do more. Now I’m doing things that I have mentally held myself back from doing in the past. It's really easy to get tunnel vision, especially as a clinic owner, it can be a little bit lonely. With DSD I feel like I have a whole team behind me, and that I’ve got this,” she concludes.