Custom Conversations:
The Data & the Future of Orthodontics

KLOwen | Webinar

The Data Shaping the Future of Orthodontics

As orthodontics enters 2026, one thing is clear: knowing your data, leaning into efficiency, and differentiation are no longer optional; they are imperative. That was the central theme of the January 2026 Custom Conversations live panel, where industry leaders unpacked what the latest data reveals about where the industry is headed.

This conversation featured insights from KLOwen Orthodontics CEO Ryan Elmore, Chris Benson, founding member of Benson Copple & Associates, Ryan Moynihan, chief commercial officer of Southern Orthodontic Partners and a consultant with Gaidge, and Dr. Paul Trotter, owner and practicing orthodontist at Trotter Orthodontics, the conversation linked industry trends to real-world clinical and business impact.

Below are the key takeaways shaping the future of smarter orthodontics, and why the conversation is just getting started.

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2025 in Review: A Return to Growth

After several challenging years, the orthodontic industry showed meaningful recovery in 2025.

Production finished up

~4%

year-over-year

Collections increased

~3.4%

Patient starts rose

~2%,

reversing a multi-year stagnation

It was a good year last year. And it’s going to be a better year this year.
– Chris Benson

The Funnel Problem Practices Can’t Ignore

While demand is returning,
the data reveals a critical bottleneck:

New patient calls up ~4.6%
New patient calls up ~4.6%

That gap matters.

With the exam-to-call ratio dropping below 80%, practices that fail to streamline front-end workflows risk leaving growth on the table, even in a healthy market.

If you don’t get them in for an exam, it makes it very hard to convert a start.
– Ryan Moynihan

Digital is no longer about aligners

share-declined

Aligner share has declined to ~23%, down from a peak near 30%.

increased

Bracket-and-wire starts 
(including custom systems) increased ~4.6%

Custom digital braces are emerging as a scalable way to unlock efficiency across all case types, not just select patients.

about-aligners

You can save a couple appointments with indirect bonding. You can save a lot more doing it with a custom solution.
– Chris Benson

The Real Economics of Efficiency

Dr. Paul Trotter shared one of the most compelling segments of the evening: a direct comparison of conventional bonding, custom twin brackets, and custom self-ligating systems.

What the data showed:

Treatment time:

Appointments per case:

Revenue per visit:

22 months (conventional)

17

~$350

18 months (custom twin)

14

~$475

14 months (custom SL)

~9.5

~$620

That distinction matters. Increased value per visit emerged as one of the strongest drivers of profitability, second only to starts per day.

Treatment time doesn’t cost you money. Appointments cost you money.

– Dr. Paul Trotter

For every dollar you increase value per visit, profit increases about $4.65.

– Ryan Moynihan

This is the hidden upside of efficiency: capacity expansion without adding staff, chairs, or days.

Why Adoption Still Lags—and Why That’s Changing

Despite clear benefits, many orthodontists remain cautious about custom digital fixed appliances.

why-adoption

Why?

Fear of change
Past negative experiences with early indirect bonding
Concern about clinical control
Team resistance

But panelists agreed those barriers are eroding fast.

Today’s custom systems allow doctors and teams to:

Plan once and treat predictably
Empower teams to run appointments with confidence
Reduce reactive adjustments and decision fatigue
Improve schedule consistency and team efficiency
Deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes

This is a mechanics-driven orthodontist’s dream.

– Chris Benson

All the decisions happen on the front end. After
that, the visits are largely scripted.

– Dr. Paul Trotter

Setting Your Team Up for Success with Custom Digital Orthodontics

One key insight for practices considering digital adoption: dabbling doesn’t work.

Until about 67% of your cases are digital, you don’t fully express the efficiency.
– Chris Benson

Partial adoption often increases overhead without delivering the payoff. Full commitment, and enough time to get through the workflow crossover, is what unlocks results.

Looking Ahead: Differentiation, AI, and Smarter Practices

As the panel looked toward 2026, three themes stood out:

Differentiation

Custom orthodontics remains a powerful way to stand apart in crowded markets

Efficiency as a growth strategy

Convenience and fewer visits matter to patients

AI and automation

From scheduling to communication, administrative workflows are next

Efficient and convenient practices are going to win
– Chris Benson

Keep the Conversation Going

The January Custom Conversations confirmed what many orthodontists are already feeling: the future belongs to practices that turn insight into action.

Join us in April for the next Custom Conversations:

From Insight to Impact:
The Business of Smarter Orthodontics

We’ll move beyond the data and into execution—exploring how leading practices are translating strategy into sustainable growth.

Register Now

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