The business of care: Rethinking profitability in private dental practice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/Keywords:
socioeconomic, commercialisationAbstract
In the fast-paced world of private dentistry, the drive for success has never been more intense. Dentists today face a complex balancing act: maintaining profitability while staying true to the core values that define the profession. The push toward high-revenue procedures and commercial training programmes has reshaped many practices, but at what cost? Are we, as practitioners, slowly drifting away from the fundamental purpose of dentistry: caring for the oral health needs of all patients, especially those most vulnerable? This editorial invites you to reflect on the evolving landscape of private practice, urging a return to the roots of ethical,
patient-centred care, without sacrificing the future of your business. The question is not whether profitability matters, but whether it can co-exist with integrity in a profession grounded in trust and compassion.
Downloads
References
1. World Dental Federation (FDI). FDI Code of Ethics. Geneva: FDI; 2020. Available from: https://www.fdiworlddental.org/sites/ default/files/2020-11/fdi-dental_ethics_manual_2.pdf
2. Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Ethical guidelines for good practice in the health care professions. Pretoria: HPCSA; 2021. Available from: https://www.hpcsa.co.za/Uploads/professional_practice/ethics/Booklet_1_Guidelines_for_Good_Practice_vDec_2021.pdf
3. Favaretto M, Shaw D, De Clercq E, Joda T, Elger BS. Big data and digitalization in dentistry: A systematic review of the ethical issues. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(7):2495
4. Tonmukayakul U, Calache H, Clark R, Wasiak J, Faggion CM Jr. Systematic review and quality appraisal of economic evaluation publications in dentistry. J Dent Res. 2015;94(10):1348-1354
5. Holtmann A, Olsen E. The demand for dental care: A study of consumption and household production. Journal of Human Resources. 1976;11(4):546-560
6. Mukhari-Baloyi NA, Bhayat A, Madiba TK, Nkambule NR. A Review of the South African National Oral Health Policy. South African Dental Journal. 2021;76(9):551-557
7. Hu T. The demand for dental care services by income and insurance status. Advances in Health Economics and Health Services Research. 1981;2:143-195
8. Wood NH. The ethical imperative: continuing professional development in dentistry. South African Dental Journal. 2023 Oct;78(9):429
9. Holden AC. Consumer-driven and commercialised practice in dentistry: an ethical and professional problem? Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy. 2018 Dec;21:583-9
10. Peres MA, Macpherson LM, Weyant RJ, Daly B, Venturelli R, Mathur MR, Listl S, Celeste RK, Guarnizo-Herreño CC, Kearns C, Benzian H. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. The Lancet. 2019 Jul 20;394(10194):249-60
11. Grol R. Improving the quality of medical care: building bridges among professional pride, payer profit, and patient satisfaction. Jama. 2001; 286(20):2578-85
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
.png){kind=spacer}