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Volume 3 Issue 6
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N
ews and
E
vents
Results of the 2016 DIAC Future of Dentistry Survey
How dental practices are using the
Internet at record high levels
The Internet is changing the dental profession, from the
way dentists promote and run their practices to a patient’s
approach to learning about dental treatment options.
According to results from the Dental Industry Association of
Canada (DIAC) 20th annual Future of Dentistry Survey,
here’s where growth in online activities is happening:
• Practice promotion:
Over 50% of
respondents use social media as a
promotional tool—a number that
has steadily increased from 13%
of respondents in 2012, when
DIAC first started asking
about social media use in
its survey. Notably, in just
one year (between 2015–16)
social media jumped from the
least used tool to the third most popular tool. Asking for
referrals and promoting new technologies remain the top
two ways for dentists to publicize their practices.
• Patient education:
For the first time in the survey’s
history, the Internet was ranked as the top patient source
for information about dental
treatment options, outranking
family members, friends,
and the dentist and
dental team.
• Internet use in the practice:
All
respondents had an internet
connection in the office in some
form—another survey first—and
92% had an Internet connection
at the front desk.
• Dental purchasing:
More than
80% of dentists reported making dental
purchases online, marking an
all-time high. In 2000, only 8% of
dentists reported making online
purchases.
NewsDIAC Survey ContestWinners
Participation in the DIAC
Future of Dentistry Survey
made dentists eligible to win
prizes.
Dr. Loida Coronel
of
Brampton, Ontario, was this
year’s Grand Prize winner of
a $2500 travel voucher.
Three Ontario dentists won
a $500 runner-up prize:
Dr. Leslie Laing Gibbard
(Toronto),
Dr. Atul Joshi
(Ottawa) and
Dr. Armando
Mastropaolo
(Woodbridge).
Ten dentists won $100 travel
vouchers as consolation
prizes:
Dr. Donald Allen
(Windsor, ON),
Dr. Maryam
Khan
(Mississauga, ON),
Dr. Hana Chatila
(Dorval,
QC),
Dr. Stephen Vanwieren
(Sherwood Park, AB),
Dr. Jas
Bhattal
(Abbotsford, BC),
Dr. Deanna Bubola
(Guelph,
ON),
Dr. Vasant Ramlaggan
(Toronto, ON),
Dr. Naima
Liamani
(Montreal, QC),
Dr. George Cadigan
(Winnipeg,
MB), and
Dr. Curtis Soong
(Aldergrove, BC)
Over 200 practising Canadian dentists responded to the 2016
DIAC survey, with proportional distribution across the country.
Survey results have an accuracy of +/-6.8% 19 times out of 20.