Chien C Kat

This week I attended the Dental Leaders Network It was meeting arranged by the General Dental Council. They invited 2 representatives from each of the major UK 🇬🇧 dental associations. I was there representing the British Association of Private Dentistry. It was insightful day with talks about what we should expect from the future of dentistry and how we can help shape that. There was a lot of talk on the use of AI in dentistry and how that will impact our profession significantly in the coming years. Some examples of which are AI: Receptionists X-rays Clinical note taking Lab work manufacture Even the job of the dentist There was talk about how AI will help us all to work smarter and faster but can’t replace human opinion at this stage and we must be careful to not let it. The AI doesn’t know more than the dentist on how to read an X-ray - it could guide us to parts we may have missed due to human error. AI can write our clinical notes but we need to check them before submitting them to make sure they are accurate. The lab technicians said that although AI can design their crowns, the lab techs still need to spend time amending the margins to make them better. Exciting times we live in. It was a great day to be part off and proud to see our profession coming together from all parts of the UK and all areas of dentistry - dentists, nurses, therapists, technicians, those that create our products.. to share ideas 💡 The General Dental Council don’t get a huge amount of positive press in our profession unfortunately. However, this was a really good thing they arranged. It was one of my first interactions with them and I have it say it was a positive one. 🙌 Looking forward to positive changes in the future. #dentists #legislation

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What does “reception” really mean in a dental practice? Last week, I had the opportunity to attend and speak at the CareStack UK Better vs Bigger event and what I experienced there has stayed with me. We talk a lot about clinical technology in dentistry, but what about the technology that supports the people who support your patients? The front of house (FoH) role is arguably the hardest job in the practice. We expect our receptionists to greet patients, answer calls, manage diaries, take payments, book appointments - and to do it all with a smile! It’s impossible. And frankly, it’s unfair. Now imagine this: • No phones at the desk. • A dedicated telephony team in a back office. • A patient concierge to warmly welcome visitors. • Coordinators who take over post-consultation to plan next steps. • And behind it all? Seamless technology, like VoiceStack UK, which supports the team. Let me paint two pictures: Practice One: You walk in. The receptionist is on the phone, another line is ringing, and no one greets you. You’re anxious about your treatment. You wonder: Has anyone even noticed I’m here? Meanwhile, the receptionist is overwhelmed, trying to juggle it all. Practice Two: You walk in. You’re greeted by name, offered a drink and reassured that your dentist will be with you shortly. Someone takes the time to chat, calm your nerves and make you feel truly welcome. Same space. Different experience. All made possible by rethinking what reception should be with the right technology and team in place. Technology should never make us feel less human. When done well, it frees us to be more human. To be present and to connect. Let’s stop asking our people to do everything, all at once. Let’s give them the tools and the space to do what they do best: care.

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The Guardian has revealed that half of all patients on NHS waiting lists in England have had no clinical contact since their GP referral, with eye care among the specialties carrying the highest number of unseen cases. As a result, patients are being left without basic diagnostic assessments or first appointments, increasing the risk of avoidable sight loss. Our commissioned PA Consulting report, ‘Key Interventions to Transform Eye Care and Eye Health’, demonstrates how community optometry can serve as a vital first port of call. By ensuring that the full range of optometrist skills are utilised before a referral is made, managing minor eye conditions and providing eye care closer to home, High Street optometrists can alleviate pressure on secondary care. We’re calling for a roll out of Community Urgent Eye Services, integrated glaucoma and cataract pathways, and expanded OCT capacity in primary care to release around 1.9 million appointments a year from hospital, A&E and GP waiting lists. Embedding these high-impact changes would ensure community optometry is the first port of call for eye health and eye care, speeding up access, reducing health inequalities and relieving the burden on other areas of the NHS so patients receive the care they need, when they need it. Read more: https://ow.ly/T0xS50WBWft

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In dental finance, the cleanest model isn’t always the best one. I’ve seen beautifully built forecasts in DSOs — production modeled by provider, hygiene fully loaded, payor mix dialed in, supply expense trended to the decimal point. Thirty tabs. Perfectly tied out. But here’s the real question for the C-suite: Can you clearly explain the 3–5 drivers that actually move enterprise value? Because hitting your budget to the dollar doesn’t matter if you can’t articulate: • Why EBITDA is $12M and not $15M • Why same-store growth stalled • Why provider productivity varies 18% across regions • Why cash conversion lags despite “on-budget” performance Precision is not strategy. In a scaling DSO, forecasting is not about being right to the penny. It’s about understanding: → Provider utilization → Hygiene reappointment rates → Case acceptance → Payor mix shifts → Labor efficiency → De novo ramp curves → Acquisition integration velocity If you can’t isolate and pressure-test those levers, you’re not forecasting. You’re formatting guesses. Buyers today — especially sophisticated private equity — aren’t looking for a static budget. They’re looking for evidence of command. They want to see that you can: • Explain your assumptions • Model upside and downside ranges • Identify leading indicators • Course-correct in real time • Scale intentionally They are buying your ability to chart the path forward — not just your trailing numbers. Which raises an important question: Does your organization use FP&A as a strategic partner… Or does FP&A build models in one lane while operations drives the business in another? The difference between those two determines whether you grow… or scale. And buyers can tell.

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I was recently asked to comment on the proposed NHS tie-in for new dental graduates—part of the government’s new 10-Year Dental Plan. From 2025, every new dentist could be required to provide three years of NHS care. At first glance, that might seem like a tough ask. But the real question is: what’s the offer in return? For many students, the cost of training is already daunting. A fully funded route with a three-year NHS commitment could actually feel fair—especially if it comes with structure, mentorship, and real opportunities to grow across NHS settings. But we need clarity. Does that clock start after foundation training? What about students already partway through their degree? You can’t move the goalposts mid-game and expect confidence in the system. If this tie-in is about building a stronger, more stable NHS dental workforce, it has to be more than a condition—it needs to be a pathway. One that people want to join, not feel trapped in. The tie-in itself isn’t the problem. The test is whether the NHS becomes a place people choose to stay. B -- #NHSdentistry #DentalWorkforce #FutureOfDentistry

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We’re delighted to announce a new investment in mydentist (UK), the UK’s leading provider of affordable dentistry. mydentist operates more than 500 dental practices across the UK. With over 3,500 dental professionals and more than 2,500 surgeries nationwide, mydentist is the UK’s largest dental provider by revenue, practices and clinicians. We're looking forward to supporting mydentist in growing its clinical team and expanding access to high-quality affordable dental care. This will be underpinned by continued investment in digital transformation and state-of-the-art equipment, including the roll-out of more intra-oral scanners and other tools to improve patient care and journey, and clinical efficiency. 👏 Congratulations to Jamie Wyatt, Benoit Alteirac, Murdo Armstrong, Elliot Burns, Michael Burton and Victor Rouchy on this latest investment. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eXVqBdMn

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NHS Dentistry Reform: What Dentists and the Public Should Know The government has today announced the most significant changes to NHS dentistry in many years, with reforms due to take effect from April 2026. While no single policy can fix a system that has been under strain for over a decade, these changes represent a genuinely positive and long overdue shift in direction. What this means for patients • Urgent dental care will become a core NHS service, improving access for people suffering from pain, infection or dental trauma and reducing the need to travel long distances or attend A&E • Patients with complex dental problems, such as advanced tooth decay or gum disease, will be managed through a single, structured course of treatment rather than fragmented appointments • Lower and more predictable patient charges for some complex care, potentially saving hundreds of pounds • Stronger emphasis on prevention, particularly for children, through fluoride varnish, fissure sealants, supervised toothbrushing programmes and water fluoridation These changes should make NHS dentistry feel more joined up, more accessible and more focused on keeping people well, not just treating problems once they become severe. What this means for dentists and dental teams • Urgent care is formally recognised and incentivised, rather than being delivered at a financial loss • Fairer payment for managing complex disease, supporting stabilisation, prevention and long term oral health rather than short term interventions • Better use of the whole dental team, including dental nurses and preventive therapies, with improved recognition and remuneration • Increased focus on retention, learning, development and professional support within NHS dentistrys For the first time in years, the contract is moving closer to how dentistry is actually practised. Why this matters For too long, the NHS dental contract has rewarded speed over quality and activity over outcomes. These reforms acknowledge that reality and begin to align funding with ethical, patient centred care. They will not solve everything, workforce shortages and capacity pressures remain, but they are an important foundation on which further reform can be built. This is not the end of the journey, but it is a meaningful step forward. If implemented well, these changes have the potential to rebuild trust with patients, improve professional morale and create a more sustainable future for NHS dentistry. Not a silver bullet, but a genuinely positive step in the right direction for patients and the profession.

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