Chris Salierno’s Insights into Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry

In this episode of The Dental Economist Show, host Mike Huffaker is joined by Chris Salierno, Chief Dental Officer at Tend. 

Join them as they discuss: 

• Artificial intelligence in dentistry
• Creating a culture of improvement and accountability
• The value of effective communication
• The delicate balance between profitability and quality healthcare
• The role of boards and investors in dental practices

Chris Salierno is Chief Dental Officer at Tend, one of the country’s top-rated and in-demand dental practices. Since launching in 2019, they have provided care to over 100,000 patients across five major cities: New York, Washington DC, Boston, Atlanta and Nashville. Chris is also the Chief Development Officer of Cellerant Consulting Group, and a writer at The Curious Dentist. 

Episode Highlights 

What Is “Dental Done Differently”?: Chris says that Tend is rewriting the idea of modern dentistry by centering the company around the patient. He says that instead of trying to spread themselves too thinly and target every demographic, Tend prefers to hone in on “busy business people”. It’s better to be targeted than be everything to everybody. The name of the game is creating a more bespoke service by locating particular pain points, and using them to create a patient-forward experience that’s unique to a “young urban profession”. 

Measuring and Understanding the Standard of Clinical Care: Chris says that while AI is coming on leaps and bounds, Tend uses a range of more traditional key performance indicators. First off, there is the chart audit process which involves an examination of patient records. Secondly, there is regular net promoter score feedback from patients, which can identify areas of improvement. The driving factor in all of this is “setting a culture of continuous improvement”. 

Balancing Profit and Purpose: Chris believes that profit and purpose are not mutually exclusive. It’s important that profit shouldn’t be a dirty word in healthcare. While there are, naturally, ​​bad ways to drive profitability—using cheaper materials, hidden fees, etc.—Chris tries to strike a balance between improving profitability and lowering overheads without being at the expense of oral health outcomes. Indeed, the most profitable businesses tend to be the ones that consistently provide the best outcomes. 

Incorporating New Technology:  Chris welcomes the development of 3D printing with regards to more permanent restorations and milling technologies. What’s more, he says that by investing in 3D printing or partnering with a lab, you can reduce the number of low margin procedures, such as dentures. Chris also believes large language models are a way of ensuring quality control—one way to do this might be to incorporate one into a comprehensive practice management software. 

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