Virginia-based periodontists’ perceptions: current and future trends of the specialty

BACKGROUND: The aim of this survey was threefold: (1) describe the demographics of periodontists and their practices in Virginia; (2) explore periodontists' perceptions of the impact that changes in the field of dentistry (i.e. increasing corporate dentistry, graduate debt, digitalization, and volume of periodontal procedures done by general practitioners [GPs]) are having on the specialty; (3) explore how periodontists might adjust their practices to account for these trends. METHODS: An electronic survey was emailed to Virginia-based American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) members assessing personal and practice demographics, trends in treatment modalities and practice models, and to survey how periodontists plan to adapt their practices for these trends. Virginia has large urban, suburban and rural municipalities, which renders the state a favorable representation of the United States as a whole. RESULTS: The response rate was 31% (n = 46). Most respondents (87%) were male and practiced full-time (70%). Respondents reported practicing predominantly in urban (n = 19, 41%) and suburban (n = 24, 52%) and less in rural areas (n = 3, 7%). In current practice, respondents reported greater numbers of referrals from more experienced GPs. Student debt after periodontal residency was significantly associated with age (P value = 0.0002), with 56% of respondents aged $250,000 compared with 3% for those aged ≥40 years. Respondents ranked biologic advances, treatment of peri-implantitis, advances in digital dentistry, development of corporate and group practice models, and integration of more periodontal services in GP practices as the most likely trends to impact periodontal practices. The most commonly reported practice adjustments included expansion of existing services, increasing the number of periodontists in the practice, and joining with other specialists or GPs to create group practices. CONCLUSION: Periodontists perceive the need to expand services, increase the number of providers in their practices or create group practices to account for increased corporate dentistry, graduate debt, digitalization, and volume of periodontal procedures performed by GPs.