The technology bullet train continues to accelerate the pace of change in dentistry. For those who have predicted the day when everything from scheduling to finished restoration can be handled digitally, the day is here. On the show floor of the ADA Annual Session and Milan Dental Show last month, I witnessed an environment where digital equipment was presented not as gee-whiz gizmos, but as proven and accepted technology that forms the backbone of the modern dental operatory. I expect the upcoming Greater New York Dental Show in November and the Chicago Midwinter Meeting in February also to be the sites of important product debuts.
In practice management software, the big three – Dentrix, Practiceworks and Patterson Eaglesoft – have firmly established themselves as the category leaders; and each continues to devote significant resources to improving the user experience. On the digital imaging front, intraoral digital sensors and the software that manages them continue to improve on proven models. And now we’re seeing the astounding diagnostic possibilities provided by cone beam CT scanners, as scan speed and image capture and enhancement capabilities continue to improve at record speed.
I am hard-pressed to find an area of management, diagnosis or treatment that has not been positively affected by advances in technology. Early caries diagnosis, oral cancer screening, ultrasonic scaling, piezo surgery, lasers, periodontal charting, curing lights, nano-composite restorative materials: Name the procedures and technology touches everything the dentist and hygienist does in the pursuit of excellent patient care.
Most impressive this year has been the explosion in devices dedicated to digital imaging, impressioning and CAD/CAM fabrication of restorations, both chairside and in the lab. I believe this will be the hot topic for 2008, as a number of major players are poised to challenge Sirona's CEREC system, which has enjoyed a virtual monopoly in the CAD/CAM dentistry space for 20 years, at least in the chair-side market. The subject has been the buzz of the industry and media for years now, but dentists have largely maintained a wait and see attitude toward the technology. With the roll out of new systems, materials and capabilities over the coming year, I believe many more dentists will begin to see the technology as a viable alternative for their practices.
In September, 3M ESPE announced the extension of its Lava brand in preparation of the company's launch of the Lava Chairside Oral Scanner. I recently had the opportunity to see the company's new scanner in action. It's impressive. A key difference between the unit and other image acquisition units on the market, such as CEREC and the Cadent iTero, is the use of continuous video capture as opposed to several still images. As with all technology, you should examine all the options before deciding which system is right for you. 3M ESPE’s focus on end-to-end services, producing not just on the technology but the materials and lab network as well, points to seriousness with which the industry’s major players take digital impressioning and fabrication. Of course, 3M also makes materials for other systems, including the elusive and ever-to-be-released E4D, so the company is well positioned for just about any move the category makes. The E4D chairside system, meanwhile, has been rolled out in a limited soft launch, with the company recently showcasing the system for fourth-year students at Baylor and running training programs for small groups of dentists, including well-known clinicians like Tom Trinkner, DDS. Still, the company's last big news announcement was eight months ago, at the Chicago MidWinter Meeting, when it announced the appointment of former Ivoclar Vivadent exec Dr. Gary Severence as VP of Marketing and Clinical Affairs. D4D marks an historic joining of forces, as the company represents a partnership of Ivolcar, 3M ESPE and Henry Schein. We expect to hear another major announcement prior to Chicago.
As for Sirona, CEREC has deservedly established itself as the standard by which all other systems will be measured, and these new entrants will benefit Sirona by heating up interest in digital dentistry overall. While Sirona has certainly benefited from its first-to-market position, the addition of new systems should prove to boost credibility of the category in the eyes of many dentists.
The question remains, however. When will dentists step off the platform and take advantage of these amazing tools, instead of watching the bullet train of advancement pass them by? To that end, I urge my usual advice. Get out there. Go to the shows and see, touch, and use this equipment. Make use of all the tools available for free on Dentalcompare to educate yourself on the unique features and benefits of each system. Study the pros and cons. Envision where you want your practice to be in five years, 10 years, 20 years, and make an honest assessment of which tools can help you get there. The possibilities are endless. All this can be yours.