Generational warfare
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 19th July 2022
Different generations don’t often see eye to eye. From politics to technology, fashion to diet, there’s always a debate to be had among the younger and more well-seasoned generations. Baby boomers and millennials, in particular, often bemoan about one another, but even Gen Z lock horns with millennials from time to time.
From a dentistry point of view, what unites every patient is their right to have excellent oral health, but different generations require varying approaches to care. Depending on where and when the patient was born, their lifestyle and upbringing, they will have different expectations and attitudes surrounding dental treatment compared to others.
Being able to recognise these disparities and tailor your approach to care will help you communicate with patients and deliver treatment more effectively.
Millennials and Gen Z
Millennials (1981-1996) have now surpassed baby boomers (1946-1964) as the largest generation, with approximately 14.26 million millennials in the UK.[i] Baby boomers come in second at 14.14 million, with Generation X (1965-1980) following at 13.95 million. Research[ii] has shown that millennials outperform other generations when it comes to spending money on their smiles. The Oral Health Foundation discovered that more than 53% of under 35s have had cosmetic dental treatment in the UK, spending on average around £750 a year on dental treatments.ii
Younger generations like millennials and Gen Zers are often dubbed the ‘digital natives’. In fact, a recent survey[iii] found that 79% of Gen Z responders said they would make a purchase after seeing an influencer recommendation. The survey also noted that they may opt for platforms such as Instagram, and expect content that keeps up with pop culture and observes trends. It’s easy to see how these generations are influenced by the online material they consume, and are prompted to spend money on their appearance, such as tooth whitening and orthodontics.
As a result, individuals who fall into these generation brackets may have expectations about treatment that must be stringently managed. Orthodontic treatment requires patience and compliance in order to maximise the outcome. Many patients may have already formed an idea about the treatment before they have even arrived for their appointment/consultation, no doubt due to celebrities and online personalities who sport smiles that seem to have been cosmetically-altered overnight. Managing their expectations will help them garner a healthier attitude towards these procedures, and work more productively with the dental team.
Baby boomers
It has been noted that oral health changes over an individual’s life span, much like the principles of aging that affect other organ systems and physiologic processes.[iv] Although older populations are retaining their natural dentition for longer than from previous years,[v] a review of oral health surveys of older people in the UK noted that they may experience worse oral health-related quality of life than the general adult population.[vi]
Gingival recession, characteristic of the aging process, can increase a patient’s risk of root caries due to root exposure.[vii] Similarly, certain medications can trigger xerostomia, putting them at further risk of dental caries and periodontal disease, in addition to discomfort when speaking and masticating.vi A report[viii] published by the Chief Medical Officer found that 42% of workers aged 50-64 live with at least one medical condition, and 24% suffer from more than one. Looking at these statistics, you may very well encounter patients who take several medications; this could make dental treatment planning more complex, therefore requiring a wider range of advanced skills and experience from the professional team.v
Those who fall into the earlier age bracket of the baby boomer generation, around age 70 and upwards, may encounter several barriers to receiving dental care, such as the cost, accessibility, availability and unease around treatment.[ix] To combat these issues, undergoing further training will help you acquire the skills to better manage older patients and ensure they receive the appropriate care.
A lot for a dentist to juggle…
Although the different generations are generalised frequently, every patient you encounter must still be approached as an individual. There are ways you can develop your skills in delivering patient care that is tailored to their specific requirements, increasing your own confidence and competency whilst ensuring your patient is treated safely and effectively.
IAS Academy is proud to offer the Complete GDP course, the perfect programme for dentists looking to improve how they treat every patient. Presented by Dr Ian Buckle, Dr Neil Harris and Dr Chris Dakin, this course is set over three comprehensive two-day modules, with opportunities to partake in stimulating hands-on practicals. You will also have access to online mentoring for a patient case of your choosing. This programme is essential for dental professionals looking to enhance their patient care and achieve biologically stable, functional and aesthetically-pleasing results.
Of course, not every patient will be an exact archetype of their generation, but recognising that those from certain age backgrounds may have different attitudes and needs regarding dental treatment will help you to individualise your approach and optimise your outcomes.
For more information on upcoming IAS Academy training courses, please visit www.iasortho.com or call 01932 336470 (Press 1)
Author:
Dr Tif Qureshi founder and a clinical director of IAS Academy
[i] Statista. (2022). UK generation population 2020. [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/528577/uk-population-by-generation/#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20there%20were%20approximately [Accessed 26 Apr. 2022].
[ii] www.gdpuk.com. (2020). GDPUK.com – Millennials spending more than three times the national average on their smiles. [online] Available at: https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/3604-millennials-spending-more-than-three-times-the-national-average-on-their-smiles [Accessed 27 Apr. 2022].
[iii] Parry, Y. (2021). How Different Generations Use Social media: a Complete Guide. [online] Sprout Social. Available at: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-use-by-generation-en_gb/ [Accessed 26 Apr. 2022].
[iv] Calabrese, J.M. and Henshaw, M.M. (2021). Geriatric Dental Medicine, An Issue of Dental Clinics of North America. [online] Google Books. Elsevier Health Sciences. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=z3ogEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA275&ots=pgxvUOiS8f&sig=o-uZDFZbChiwpi-5MdpZmhPeGO0#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed 27 Apr. 2022].
[v] Commissioning better oral health for vulnerable older people An evidence-informed toolkit for local authorities. (2018). [online] Public Health England. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/738722/CBOH_VOP_V16_Final_WO_links.pdf [Accessed 27 Apr. 2022].
[vi] What is Known About the Oral Health of Older People in England and Wales A review of oral health surveys of older people. (2015). [online] Public Health England. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/489756/What_is_known_about_the_oral_health_of_older_people.pdf [Accessed 27 Apr. 2022].
[vii] Chan, A.K.Y., Tamrakar, M., Jiang, C.M., Lo, E.C.M., Leung, K.C.M. and Chu, C.-H. (2021). Common Medical and Dental Problems of Older Adults: A Narrative Review. Geriatrics, [online] 6(3), p.76. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2308-3417/6/3/76/htm [Accessed 27 Apr. 2022].
[viii] Department of Health and Social Care (2016). CMO annual report 2015: the ‘baby boomer’ generation. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cmo-annual-report-2015-health-of-the-baby-boomer-generation [Accessed 26 Apr. 2022].
[ix] Borreani, E., Wright, D., Scambler, S. and Gallagher, J.E. (2008). Minimising barriers to dental care in older people. BMC Oral Health, [online] 8(1). Available at: https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6831-8-7 [Accessed 27 Apr. 2022].
