While dental cleanings are recommended every 6-12 months, actual dentist appointments are (according to the CDC) needed less frequently. If you're like me, you enjoy the minty fresh sensation of dental hygienist’s cleaning during your annual exam, and actually would like to have dental cleanings more frequently than your annual checkup--but it's difficult and inconvenient to get an appointment for just a cleaning. So, my idea is that we start a "Lens crafters" like retail set up where individuals could go in for lower cost dental cleanings from hygienists, but sell that as a separate service from a dental exam (for example, $30 cleaning, $150 dental exam and cleaning). You could employ multiple hygienists, but only have a dentist that works a few days a week. The baby boomer demographic seems like a natural market for this service as they are concerned with gum health as they age. However, this could also be marketed as a beauty service, perhaps in combination with whitening services or even as part of a salon or spa set up. In addition, regular cleanings lead to better dental health, meaning less tooth decay, which leads to the less pleasant part of dental visits such as receiving fillings.
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I recall discussing the multiple hygienists per one dentist idea with my fiancee, a dentist. It seemed to me that a dental practice should simply hire multiple hygienists, making it easy for a single dentist to accommodate a greater patient load each day. So, like you, I thought it sounded like a great idea! However, while I don't have the specific numbers (as each state has different regulations), there are well-defined rules when it comes to dental hygienists. For example, in North Carolina, a dentist must be present in the office in order for a dental hygienist to see a patient. In addition, there can be no more than (if I recall correctly) two hygienists per dentist. So, to staff multiple hygienists full-time, you would also need to staff multiple dentists full-time (and, honestly, you don't want to know how much that would cost you ... ha-ha).
You can already buy everything you need to clean your teeth, gums, etc. Even battery powered.