Dentistry Stocks in Market

The dentistry of today is not the dentistry of one generation ago. The days of silver fillings and bulky plastic dentures are long gone. Today's dentistry has an aesthetic focus that is friendly to patients. Most people in the past went to the dentist because they had to. Often, the impetus for a dental visit was a big cavity causing a painful toothache. The good news is that this type of situation is speedily decreasing. With the advent of fluoridated water supplies, the prevalence of dental cavities and related dental maladies has significantly decreased over the past thirty years. Between 1971 and 1994, the prevalence of dental cavities decreased by 64%. From 1980 to 1995, the use of complete dentures decreased by 75% in 35-44 year olds and by 50% in patients over the age of 65. We can imagine what you must be thinking right now. These statistics sound fantastic when you consider the well being of the general public, but how do they benefit dentistry economically in any way? If people have fewer cavities and are losing fewer teeth, how is the dental industry going to make more money? What is more important, how am I going to make a profitable investment in this industry if people have better oral health?

At the same time as it is true that the American public does have bettered oral health, this does not necessarily mean that there will be less dental expenditures. Dentistry has become a means by which one can improve both their physical appearance and their psychological well being with recent improvements in dental technology. You have undoubtedly seen the television show Extreme Makeover. Almost all of the show's participants receive dental work even though most of the participants also receive plastic surgeries ranging from nose Jobs to breast augmentations. Everybody wishes to have a beautiful smile. The dental industry now has multiple tools at its disposal to achieve such a smile. Digital x-rays, high speed tooth whitening systems, lasers, porcelain veneers, white plastic (composite) fillings, implants, painless computer controlled anesthesia, and invisible braces are just a few of the technological innovations which attract new patients to the dental profession. People are no longer visiting the dentist because they have to. Nowadays people are visiting the dentist because they want to.

The aesthetic aspect of the dental profession is a great draw for many patients and is a huge reason for the recent increase in dental expenditures. This trend is expected to continue as Americans continue to have improved disposable incomes. There is another trend developing in the dental profession that is only expected to get better in the very near future. The "baby boomer" generation is now entering retirement age and is estimated at 76 million people according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Research shows that the baby boomers will have a longer life span and a substantially higher net worth than their predecessors. These statistics promise well for the Periodontics specialty of dentistry. Periodontics is a dental specialty that focuses on the management of the bones and gums within the mouth. There is an ample supply of patients with over one third of the U.S. population estimated to have periodontal disease. The utilization of periodontal services for patients aged 65 or older increased by 586% from 1980 to 1995 according to the ADA. As the baby boomer population will soon swell the ranks of this age cohort, future operation of periodontal services is anticipated to increase even more.

Beginner Money Investing Dental Stocks Dentistry Stocks in Market Dental in Future Markets Dental Microcap #1: Bio-Lok International (OTCBB: BLLI) Dental Microcap #2: AFP Imaging Corp. (OTCBB: AFPC)