October 14, 2013
For the last few months, we’ve reported the Baird findings that patient volumes are stable, if not slightly increasing.
September 2013 update: Patterson's analyst day recap
The August 2013 dental survey shows sluggish equipment demand, improved patient volume
That’s not the case this month, however. The experts at Baird have attributed the lower patient volume to the approaching season. It turns out that end-of-year spending is mostly on holiday gifts and giant turkeys instead of routine dental work.
The main takeaways from the report are:
- Patient volumes are down, but it’s not surprising: typically this happens around this time of year because of “seasonality (back-to-school driven slowdown in demand)”
- Dentist equipment spending outlook remains cautious, if not slightly improved
- Channel checks are positive, but expectations are concerning
Read more and see the stats for yourself in the newest medical technology report from Baird Equity Research, “October 2013 Dental Survey – Seasonality Kicking In.”
Lauren Burns is the editor of Proofs magazine and the email newsletters RDH Graduate and Proofs. She is currently based out of New York City. Follow her on Twitter: @ellekeid.