Guy Hiscott speaks to Pete Bailey about the challenges – and opportunities – of leading Mydentist’s digital transformation
Technology is driving unprecedented transformation in dentistry. Patients are expecting more, clinicians are stretched thinner, and digital tools are evolving at breakneck speed.
The question facing the profession is no longer whether to change – it’s how to evolve alongside this wave of innovation in a way that makes a meaningful difference.
Pete Bailey leads the digital transformation strategy at Mydentist. With a background in hospital systems and clinical operations, he brings a unique blend of healthcare experience, technical expertise, and human-centred design thinking to the world of dentistry.
And since joining, he’s made it his mission to reimagine the dental experience – focusing not just on new technologies, but on the culture, workflows, and emotional journey that underpin every patient visit.
For all the lofty goals, it’s a grounded approach. He’s as interested in reducing admin as he is in exploring AI. For Pete, digital transformation is not an abstract goal; it’s a daily effort to make real improvements that benefit clinicians, patients, and the broader dental ecosystem.
Perhaps counter intuitively for a head of digital, that transformation is therefore not just adopting shiny new tech for the sake of it. Instead, Pete fixed on answering what he calls ‘the only question that really matters’ in dentistry: ‘How does this improve care for patients and the working lives of dental professionals?’
Listening, learning, and 27,000 miles
When Pete joined Mydentist, one of his first acts was to hit the road. In just nine months, he visited over 120 practices across the UK, putting more than 27,000 miles onto his own car (one that’s subsequently been retired!). The aim wasn’t to audit or enforce – it was to understand.
‘From two-surgery practices in community centres to large, multi-chair clinics, every location had its own rhythm and needs,’ he recalls. ‘You can’t design tech that works for everyone unless you’ve sat beside them.’
Just as dental practices are not uniform in presentation, one of the biggest obstacles to digital transformation in dentistry is the fragmentation of the tech stack.
In simple terms, the ‘tech stack’ is the combination of software tools, platforms, and technologies that work together to run digital operations in a business. In dentistry, this can include everything from patient booking systems and clinical record software to imaging tools and compliance platforms.
The problem, as Pete sees it, is that these tools often don’t talk to each other – leading to inefficiency, duplication and user frustration. It’s not uncommon for clinicians to juggle five or six systems just to complete routine workflows.
His vision is a unified, simplified system: ‘One source of truth, one streamlined experience,’ he says.
But how do you take that and turn it into real-world change? For Pete and his team, the answer lies in active collaboration and honest, grassroots feedback. He’s developed a roadmap to navigate the way – a living framework, but one that can only succeed if tested and shaped in partnership with those using the technology every day. So that’s exactly what he’s doing.
Critics and advocacy
The tech rollout at Mydentist follows a clear phased approach: test in controlled environments, expand regionally, then allow practices to opt in. This ‘hands-up’ method, Pete believes, builds trust and leads to more successful long-term adoption.
Much of the experimentation that underpins this happens within a unique space at Mydentist Support Centre: ‘A digital twin’ – a concept which acts as a virtual version of the technology used in Mydentist practices. The virtual practice includes servers, switches, routers and other technical equipment. Having a virtual set up allows the team to run tests on the software and integrations before they go live to the full estate.
But when it does meet the real world, Pete is quick to reject the idea that innovation comes only from enthusiasts and early adopters.
Some of the most important insights, he says, come from the sceptics.
‘One particularly vocal critic gave us brutally honest feedback during a rollout,’ he recalls.
‘We implemented her suggestions in 24 hours. The next day, she became one of our strongest advocates. That feedback loop – listening, iterating, improving – is everything.’
Balanced perspectives
A vocal advocate himself for systemic digital reform across dentistry, Pete is keen to see his work benefit practices beyond the boundaries of Mydentist.
He’s spearheaded a number of initiatives to that effect, from piloting access to NHS medical data in general dental practice to pushing for the rapid adoption of electronic forms during COVID-19.
‘It’s about showing what’s possible, not hoarding progress,’ he explains.
He’s taken this viewpoint on the road again – though not to the tune of 27,000 miles this time! – to discuss progress in technology more widely through the profession, tackling everything from cybersecurity to the rise of generative AI.
With AI in particular becoming the topic on everyone’s lips, he’s keen to foster balanced, informed perspectives. ‘We can’t afford to be either blindly enthusiastic or blissfully unaware of the risks as much as the benefits of these technologies,’ he explains.
Emotions over processes
Pete has put a focus on empathy at the heart of Mydentist’s digital transformation. With his team, he developed an emotional model to map how patients feel during each step of their visit. One key finding: asking anxious patients to fill out multiple forms upon arrival only adds stress.
‘We don’t see the journey as a straight line,’ he explains.
‘It’s a circle. A cycle of care. Our job is to keep patients in that circle – supported, not just processed.’
Looking ahead, Pete is excited by the potential of large-format practices, through which Mydentist is working to increase accessibility by opening state-of-the-art practices conveniently located on high streets and retail parks. These allow for new patient experiences – from intelligent asset tracking to interactive children’s zones. But he’s just as focused on what he calls the ‘unsexy’ tech: reducing admin burdens, streamlining compliance, and helping clinicians focus on care.
‘That’s the real vision. Technology that empowers; that supports; that gets out of the way when it needs to.’
Because for Pete, digital transformation in dentistry isn’t just about systems – it’s about people. And if done right, he believes it won’t just mean better practices. It’ll mean better care all round.
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