Digital Dentistry Decoded

Dental 3D printing went from niche to normal in a decade, and SprintRay led much of it. Co-founder Hossein Bassir on what actually changed.In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Hossein Bassir, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of SprintRay, for a wide conversation on where dental 3D printing has been and where it is going. Hossein makes the case that materials, not printers, decide the outcome, and explains how that thinking led to Midas, Crown HT and the highly filled Restore resin.Dr. Ahmad pushes back as a full-time clinician, on printed crown longevity, on the criticism that press technology is smoke and mirrors, and on the post-processing and washing friction that still slows people down. They also get into open versus closed ecosystems, new business models for All-on-X, why only a small share of practices print today, and how better CAD and AI might change that.CHAPTERS00:00:00 Cold Open00:00:40 Guest Welcome - Hossein Bassir from SprintRay00:01:28 A Decade of Dental 3D Printing00:05:13 How Materials, Hardware and Software Connect00:11:23 Workflow and Materials as the Real Moat00:15:28 Why Midas and Press Printing Exist00:21:46 Answering the Smoke and Mirrors Criticism00:26:46 Printed Crowns, Recalls and Clinician Trust00:37:33 Why SprintRay Is the CEREC of 3D Printing00:42:36 The Post-Processing and Washing Problem00:49:14 Open Versus Closed Ecosystems00:55:37 Why Most Practices Do Not Print and the CAD Barrier01:07:36 Culture, the Next Hundred Years and What's Next01:18:25 Closing Thoughts------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistryInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistryTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistryX - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast#DentalThreeDeePrinting #SprintRay #DigitalDentistry #PrintedCrowns #DDDPodcast

The Chicago Midwinter Meeting president on why dental expos are getting harder and how AI and 3D printing are reshaping dentistry. In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Dr Phil Schefke, President of the Chicago Dental Society, for a candid conversation about where the dental industry and its biggest events are heading. They get into why expo attendance is getting harder every year, what is really driving the shift, and why Phil believes any clinician who does not keep pace with AI and 3D printing risks being left behind. Phil shares how the CDS runs the Chicago Midwinter Meeting, why companies still choose Chicago to launch new products, and how his own organization has started using AI in the office. The two also dig into 3D printed ceramic crowns, the reimbursement squeeze in the US, the rural dentist shortage, and where dentistry could go over the next 20 years. A wide-ranging read on the industry from someone who runs one of the largest dental meetings in the world. New to digital 3D printing? Our 3D Printing and Design bundle walks you through bringing it in-house: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/3d-printing-and-design-online-course-bundle/ Read our full Chicago Midwinter Meeting and LMT Lab Day 2026 recap: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/news/chicago-midwinter-meeting-lmt-lab-day-2026/ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction to Digital Dentistry Decoded 00:00:57 Guest Introduction - Dr Phil Schefke from the CDS 00:02:34 Inside the Chicago Midwinter Meeting 00:07:00 Phil's Role and Path in Organized Dentistry 00:09:34 The Digital Wave and Industry Trends 00:12:24 Stay Current or Be Left Behind 00:13:31 One Lifetime of Change in Dentistry 00:16:47 Why In-Person Meetings Still Matter 00:21:07 What Is Driving Falling Expo Attendance 00:26:52 AI in the Practice and an AI Receptionist 00:30:38 3D Printing, Pressed CAD and Printed Crowns 00:32:28 The Reimbursement Squeeze in America 00:35:15 New Graduates and the Rural Dentist Shortage 00:38:21 The Next 20 Years of Dentistry 00:39:55 Why Companies Launch Products in Chicago 00:43:01 Closing Thoughts and Joining the CDS 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #DigitalDentistry #ChicagoMidwinterMeeting #ChicagoDentalSociety #FutureOfDentistry #DentalPodcast

Cosmetic dentistry has changed more in the last decade than in the twenty years before it, and Dr. Jameel Gardee has lived every step. In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Dr. Jameel Gardee, cosmetic dentist and Smile Design educator at Avant Garde in the UK. Jameel trained under Christian Coachman and has spent more than a decade on digital smile design, so the conversation traces what actually changed as the field moved from film cameras and hand wax-ups to scan-first, guided digital workflows. They dig into the principles that still matter (starting with the face), how Jameel's team leans on support staff and a scan-every-patient philosophy, the rise of dental tourism and overtreatment, and where 3D-printed restoratives fit next to zirconia and e.max. If you want a grounded, honest read on modern cosmetic dentistry, this one earns your time. The full course Jameel and the Avant Garde team built with iDD, Aesthetic Smile Design Excellence, is linked below. Thank you to SprintRay for sponsoring this Digital Dentistry Decoded Podcast. To learn more about their 3D Printers and to Book a Demo - https://info.sprintray.com/digital-dentistry-decoded-podcast Aesthetic Smile Design Excellence course - https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/aesthetic-smile-design-excellence-course/ Chapters 00:00:00 Cold Open 00:00:35 Introduction to Digital Dentistry Decoded 00:01:05 Meet Dr Jameel Gardee and Avant Garde 00:02:10 From Glasgow to Boston University 00:04:23 Discovering Digital Smile Design 00:10:16 What Makes Cosmetic Dentistry Different 00:13:29 Start With the Face 00:16:18 From Film Cameras to Digital Predictability 00:20:15 Key Pearls for New Dentists 00:26:41 Why AI Won't Replace Patient Trust 00:30:38 The Scan-First Patient Journey 00:37:44 Dental Tourism and Overtreatment 00:40:11 Scanners, Zirconia and 3D Printing 00:50:04 Navigating Fast-Changing Materials 00:55:16 Final Thoughts 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #CosmeticDentistry #DigitalSmileDesign #DigitalDentistry #DentalPodcast

Cosmetic dentistry case acceptance is a communication problem, not a sales problem, and Dr. Brian Harris breaks down exactly how he closes cases.In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Dr. Brian Harris, a Phoenix-based cosmetic dentist with more than 300,000 Instagram followers and 22 years spent placing porcelain veneers. The conversation digs into the patient journey Brian built around video-based virtual consultations, why he says it drives a 92% acceptance rate on cases over $15,000, and how he uses smile test drives and freehand mock-ups so patients feel confident before they ever commit.They also get into where 3D-printed veneers fit alongside porcelain, the three-tier menu of services Brian offers every patient, how he talks about veneer longevity honestly, and the mindset he calls connection before conversion. It is a practical look at the patient communication and smile design habits behind consistent cosmetic dentistry case acceptance.If you offer cosmetic dentistry, which of your services would you turn into a named three-tier menu? Let us know in the comments.CHAPTERS00:00:00 Cold Open00:00:39 Welcome and Guest Introduction00:02:06 Brian Harris's Background and Dental Family00:04:59 Getting Into Cosmetics Through Social Media00:07:38 Advice for Dentists Entering Cosmetic Dentistry00:09:35 Veneer Materials, Ceramics, and Cements00:12:14 The Scanners He Uses in Practice00:13:31 The Virtual Consult Process and Case Acceptance00:19:18 Social Media as a Lead Generation Engine00:22:02 The In-Person Consult and Smile Test Drive00:28:40 How to Present a Mock-Up to Patients00:30:14 Charging for Cosmetic Consultations00:31:45 3D-Printed Veneers, Neer, and Longevity00:37:36 The Three-Tier Menu of Services00:44:33 Patient Questions and Objections00:48:29 Connection Before Conversion------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistryInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistryTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistryX - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast#CosmeticDentistry #CaseAcceptance #DigitalDentistry #DentalPodcast #Veneers

Shining 3D just launched the Ceramix-Nano, a chairside pod printer the size of a Nespresso machine that aims to print permanent resin crowns in minutes. In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Da Chen, R&D manager of the 3D printing division at Shining 3D, to talk through how it works and where it actually fits in clinical practice. This is a conversation, not a review. Da Chen explains the thinking behind the printer, including why his team borrowed sizing logic from intraoral scanner development to fit a powerful DLP projector into a 2kg body. He walks through the pneumatic layer separation system Shining 3D calls APS (Adaptive Pneumatic Stereolithography), which is built to keep the machine small while speeding up printing and protecting the restoration as each layer peels. You will also hear how the capsule handles mixing automatically, why the curing unit is built into the base of the printer, and how the optional inert gas curing module produces a smoother surface finish. Da Chen shares the print times Shining 3D is quoting (around 8 minutes for a single anterior crown and roughly 9 to 11 minutes for a posterior) and how the full chairside workflow is meant to deliver a finished restoration in a single appointment. The discussion stays honest about the hard parts. Da Chen is candid about the current limitations of the first-generation LumiCera resin, particularly translucency, and explains why high ceramic loading makes aesthetics so difficult. He and Dr. Ahmad also dig into the post-processing and washing challenge that, in their view, no one in the industry has fully solved yet. There is plenty here on the bigger picture too, including the Shining Flow ecosystem, the AI design and credits model, why the printer runs as an open system with third-party scanners and CAD software like exocad, and Da Chen's honest take on whether resin will ever replace ceramic. Da Chen could not share pricing on the episode. We will break down the full cost of the printer, capsules, and credits in a dedicated blog on the iDD website. The specifications and performance claims discussed here come from Shining 3D. As always, iDD remains independent, and we will share our own hands-on assessment separately. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Cold open 0:41 Welcome and meet Da Chen from Shining 3D R&D 3:04 Naming the Ceramix-Nano and shrinking a DLP printer 5:43 Just how small this printer is 6:52 Why a pod printer, and is resin the future of restorative dentistry? 8:02 A 20-minute chairside save (a beta tester story) 9:34 How pod printing works (the pneumatic peeling system) 12:08 Automatic mixing and built-in curing 15:23 Post-processing and wear-resistance testing 16:42 The LumiCera resin and the translucency challenge 23:12 The Shining Flow concept, AI design, and credits 30:46 The washing problem no one has solved yet 41:00 Print times, curing modes, and total chairside time 45:07 Will resin replace ceramic, and closing thoughts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #CeramixNano #Shining3D #ChairsideDentistry #3DPrinting #DigitalDentistry

Dental 3D printing is growing fast, but only 15% of dental practices are actually using it. Formlabs Dental's Georgio Haddad joins Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny to share the data behind what dentists are really printing, where the technology still falls short, and what it will take for chairside 3D printing to go mainstream. Georgio has spent eight years at Formlabs working across product, marketing, sales, and partnerships, and brings a rare ground-level view of where the dental 3D printing market actually sits versus where the hype says it is. In this episode, they cover Formlabs' move to open all Form 4B and Form 4BL dental printers out of the box, what the real utilization data shows about how dentists and labs are printing differently, why models still dominate at around 60% of all prints despite barely being talked about, the honest picture on 3D printed restorations and whether dentists are genuinely placing them, the direct print aligner race and whether it is ready for clinical adoption, and what the unlock for mass 3D printing adoption in dental practices actually looks like. If you are weighing up a printer purchase or trying to cut through the noise around dental 3D printing, this conversation is a good place to start. --- ⏱️ Episode Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:24 - Georgio Haddad and 8 years at Formlabs Dental 01:10 - Formlabs goes fully open - the strategic shift explained 02:46 - Why the previous open material mode did not work 03:47 - 50+ third-party resins now validated on the Form 4B 05:04 - Open systems as a competitive advantage in the lab market 06:06 - Which resin manufacturers have joined the platform 07:33 - Lucitone and Dentsply Sirona validation on the Form 4BL 10:15 - Is an open platform the future of dental 3D printing? 12:04 - Customer psychology and the peace-of-mind factor 13:07 - Lessons from CEREC, TRIOS, and intraoral scanner history 14:17 - Has material innovation in 3D printing plateaued? 16:17 - Direct print aligners - the next big frontier? 19:41 - Are intraoral scanners commoditized? 21:19 - What is left to innovate in 3D printing? 23:38 - Direct print aligners - are they ready for clinical adoption? 25:07 - 3D printing penetration data - 15% of practices, 50%+ of ortho 26:12 - What will unlock mass adoption in dental clinics? 28:17 - Formlabs' edge - the world's largest professional desktop 3D printer manufacturer 32:31 - What are dentists actually printing? The real breakdown 33:44 - Why utilization rate is the most important metric 36:25 - Models dominate at 60%, splints second, restorations at the tail 38:15 - Are 3D printed crowns gaining real clinical acceptance? 41:57 - Historical parallels - implants, zirconia, and e.max skepticism 43:00 - What is coming next from Formlabs Dental? 44:59 - Pod printers - market trend or here to stay? 50:39 - Closing thoughts and where to find Formlabs Dental 🔗 Full written blog: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/podcast/s04-e10-formlabs-reveals-the-data/ --- 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #DigitalDentistry #DentalTechnology #Formlabs

Chairside 3D printing adoption is stuck. Pac-Dent's Ayush Bagla explains why CAD is the bottleneck, and what his team is doing about it. In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Ayush Bagla, Managing Director at Pac-Dent and former CEO of Ackuretta, to unpack the real numbers behind 3D printing adoption in dentistry. Only 18% of US clinics have a 3D printer. Of those, most are still only printing models. Ayush argues the missing piece is not the hardware. It is the CAD step, and the cost, training, and time it adds to every chairside case. The conversation covers the Pac-Dent acquisition of Ackuretta and how the two companies are merging analog and digital workflows. Ayush walks through their Chicago Midwinter launches (the SOL SE printer, the Chroma Flash curing unit, and the new CrownPod pod printer), and he and Ahmad dig into why bulb-based flash curing outperforms LED, whether nitrogen curing still matters, and whether pediatric crowns printed on demand could be the first real chairside printing application that actually scales. If you have been wondering why so many dentists own a printer but still only use it for models, or what the next phase of digital dentistry looks like beyond scanners and CAD, this episode is for you. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Welcome and Why the Dental Industry Feels Different in 2026 01:28 - The Pac-Dent and Ackuretta Acquisition (Inside the Deal) 04:38 - Why Industry Consolidation Will Keep Happening 07:32 - 3D Printing Adoption - The Lab vs Chairside Gap 08:55 - The Forgotten Metric (Adoption vs Utilization) 10:30 - Are Printed Crowns Hitting a Strength Ceiling? 12:28 - Pac-Dent's Chicago Midwinter Launches 12:50 - SOL SE Printer (Faster, Smarter, Same Platform) 14:16 - Chroma Flash Curing Unit (Why Bulbs Beat LEDs) 17:00 - CURIE Plus vs Chroma Flash (Which One for You) 20:24 - Is Bulb Curing the Future? 20:59 - The Nitrogen Curing Debate 26:00 - Splints, Aesthetics, and the Glaze Story 28:51 - The CrownPod and the Catalyst Workflow 29:33 - Print Crowns Without a Scanner or CAD Software 32:23 - Beyond Pediatric - The CrownPod Roadmap 34:24 - Whitening Trays and Rodin Works 37:34 - Is Pod Printing the Future of Chairside? 40:42 - When Will the CrownPod Ship? 40:55 - The 3D Printer Oversupply Problem 41:52 - What's Exciting in 3D Printing Right Now 44:29 - How HeyGears Multi-Material Denture Printing Works 45:23 - Could PolyJet Ever Go Chairside? 46:52 - Final Advice for Dentists Adopting Digital in 2026 48:03 - How to Choose Your First Printer 50:06 - Outro 🔗 Full written blog: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/podcast/s04-e09-cad-problem-killing-chairside-3d-printing-adoption/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn -https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️ Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #DigitalDentistry #3DPrinting #DentalPodcast #ChairsideDentistry #PacDent

Bite-Finder CEO Björn Zäuner joins Dr. Ahmad to reveal what the data from millions of scans actually shows — and the number is worse than most dentists want to admit. Björn built Bite-Finder from the inside out. Starting with his family's dental lab, he identified that occlusion, shade, and contacts were the three leading causes of crown remakes — and set out to solve the bite problem with software. Today, Bite-Finder is integrated directly into exocad and a growing list of scanners, and over 12,000 users worldwide have signed up since its public launch in 2023. In this episode, Dr. Ahmad and Björn go deep on why bad bites happen, what the data actually shows across scanner brands, and what labs and dentists can do right now to improve their outcomes. They also cover the xSNAP acquisition, patient-specific articulators, Margin Finder, AI-powered scan QC, and the bigger vision of making quality dentistry accessible at scale. If you work with an intraoral scanner or run a dental lab, this one is worth your time. 🕐 CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction and Bjorn's Background in Dental Tech 05:04 - What Is Bite-Finder? The Elevator Pitch 06:50 - How Bite-Finder Integrates Into Your Existing Workflow 10:36 - Why Digital Bites Get More Scrutiny Than Analog Impressions 12:37 - Dynamic Occlusion and Patient-Specific Jaw Simulation 21:51 - Open Data, Integrations and the Road Ahead 27:50 - The Data: What Bite-Finder Sees Across Millions of Scans 29:17 - The Three Reasons Bite Scans Fail (Scanner, Operator, Patient) 32:09 - Do Scanner Brands Actually Make a Difference? 36:42 - xSNAP, Margin Finder and the Evolving Platform 42:39 - Why AI Prep Analysis Still Isn't Built Into Scanners 46:34 - Quality at Scale for DSOs and Large Labs 47:38 - 40 Million Edentulous Americans: The Access Problem 52:10 - Final Thoughts and How to Try Bite-Finder Free 🔗 LINKS AND RESOURCES Try Bite-Finder free and book a demo: https://bite-finder.com [PLACEHOLDER - Add iDD blog post or related article URL here when published] 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny and Dr. Luken de Arbeloa debate quadrant vs. interdisciplinary digital dentistry - who's right, and when does each approach actually win? Ahmad runs a 41-chair family practice in New Zealand where same-day CEREC crowns are a daily workflow. Luken comes from the DSD world, where full-mouth interdisciplinary planning is the foundation. In this episode, they go head-to-head on the two dominant approaches to digital dentistry, comparing workflows, ROI, patient communication, and what it really takes to implement each in a real practice. The conversation covers a lot of ground, including how AI is changing single-visit crown design, why the lab bill can drop by 80% when you bring manufacturing in-house, the communication skills dentists don't learn in dental school but can't succeed without, and the mindset shift that separates dentists who go fully digital from those who never get past the scanner. If you're trying to figure out which direction to take your digital practice, this debate is one of the most honest and practical conversations you'll find on the topic. 🎙️ This episode was originally recorded for Dr. Luken de Arbeloa's Quarterback Dentist podcast (DSD) and is reposted here with permission as part of the Digital Dentistry Decoded podcast series. 00:00 - Preview clip 00:26 - Introduction and episode overview 01:50 - Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny background - 41-chair family practice 03:29 - What digital dentistry actually looks like in daily practice 09:06 - Patient workflow - which records to take and when 13:00 - Treatment decisions in a group practice setting 14:47 - Why speed matters in same-day dentistry (and when it doesn't) 18:00 - The interdisciplinary approach explained 21:36 - How dentists evolve from quadrant to full-mouth planning 24:10 - Patient communication and why case acceptance fails 27:18 - Pre and post-case acceptance - Luken's framework 32:11 - Communication as the most critical skill in dentistry 38:13 - The biggest innovation in same-day dentistry right now 39:33 - AI in CAD/CAM - how good is it, really? 41:08 - The two main challenges to implementing one-day dentistry 44:33 - 3D printing vs milling machines in 2025 46:06 - Practical advice for dentists who want to start this week 51:00 - Digital dentistry is a team sport - closing thoughts 🔗 PODCAST PAGE Listen to more episodes of Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD 👉 https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/digital-dentistry-decoded-podcast/ 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #DentalTechnology #3DPrinting #DigitalDentistry #IntraoralScanner #DentalLab

3D printing is transforming dentistry, but which printer should you actually buy? In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Dr. Luken de Arbeloa from The Quarterback Dentist podcast to break down everything you need to know about dental 3D printers, from choosing the right machine and resins to avoiding the most common post-processing mistakes. With 10 printers in his own practice and years of hands-on testing, Dr. Ahmad shares his honest picks for the best printers, best-in-class resins for every indication, and the critical post-processing steps most clinicians are getting wrong. Whether you're buying your first printer or looking to expand your digital workflow, this conversation covers the real-world details that sales reps won't tell you. 🎙️ This episode was originally recorded for Dr. Luken de Arbeloa's Quarterback Dentist podcast (DSD) and is reposted here with permission as part of the Digital Dentistry Decoded podcast series. 00:00 - Introduction and Dr. Ahmad's 3D Printing Background 01:31 - How Many 3D Printers Does Ahmad Have? 02:33 - Three Questions to Ask Before Buying a 3D Printer 05:00 - Why Training and Support Matter More Than You Think 06:19 - Understanding What You Want to Print First 08:21 - Why Education Is the Key to Making the Right Decision 09:34 - Getting Started with 3D Printing (The Form2 Story) 11:37 - What Can a Dental 3D Printer Actually Do? 13:25 - 3D Printing Is Simpler Than You Think 15:15 - Price Range for Clinical Dental 3D Printers 16:33 - Lab Printers vs Chairside Printers (Key Differences) 18:25 - SprintRay Midas and Chairside Printing 19:30 - Why Formlabs Support Won Luken Over 21:06 - Biocompatibility and FDA Approval (Why It Matters) 23:05 - Which Printer Goes in the Clinic vs the Lab? 25:18 - You Can Own More Than One Printer 25:43 - The Open Materials Revolution (Best Resins Discussion) 26:33 - Does Speed Really Matter in Dental 3D Printing? 28:46 - Same-Day Dentistry and Print Speed 31:29 - Build Platform Size (Labs vs Clinics) 32:35 - Why Resins Matter More Than the Printer 33:13 - Formlabs Goes Open System (Why This Is Huge) 35:08 - Pac-Dent Titan, OnX & Lucitone Resins 37:24 - Best Resins for Full-Arch Temporaries 38:29 - Best Splint Resin (KeySplint Soft Explained) 40:06 - Best Crown Resins and the Midas HT 42:08 - Printing Indexes and Guides with Splint Resin 43:20 - Post-Processing (The Step Most Clinicians Get Wrong) 46:33 - Curing Mistakes and Why One Setting Doesn't Fit All 47:36 - Washing Mistakes and Contamination Risks 51:13 - How to Properly Dispose of Isopropyl Alcohol 53:33 - The Future of Dental 3D Printing 55:21 - Printed Crowns (The Three Big Challenges) 56:58 - Multi-Layer Printed Materials (The Next Frontier) 57:40 - 3D Printed Aligners and What's Coming 58:28 - Ahmad's Top 3 Printers and Top 3 Resin Brands 01:00:19 - Price Range Summary and Final Advice 🔗 PODCAST PAGE Listen to more episodes of Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD 👉 https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/digital-dentistry-decoded-podcast/ 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry X - https://x.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #DentalTechnology #3DPrinting #DigitalDentistry #IntraoralScanner #DentalLab

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny has tested over 30 intraoral scanners, and in this episode he reveals what the industry won't tell you about investing in digital dentistry. Ahmad joins Dr. Luken de Arbeloa on the DSD Quarterback Dentist podcast to cut through the marketing noise and give dentists the honest breakdown they actually need. From a $25,000 3D printer that ended up collecting dust to the real reason only 10% of dentists ever go beyond scan-and-send, this conversation covers the digital dentistry investment decisions that matter most. Ahmad shares his top five intraoral scanners currently in clinical use (including CEREC Primescan, Shining 3D Elite, TRIOS 5, Medit i900, and Alliedstar), explains why education should always come before any equipment purchase, and discusses the CAD software barrier that still holds most clinicians back. Whether you're just starting out with digital dentistry or trying to figure out what comes after the scanner, this episode is for you. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 - Teaser and Opening 00:29 - Welcome and Guest Introduction 02:17 - How Pain Led to Creating iDD 03:17 - Ahmad's Origin Story in Digital Dentistry 04:36 - The 3M True Vision Moment That Started It All 05:53 - Misinformation Still Plagues the Industry 06:56 - Education as Your First Investment 08:43 - Real Stories of Costly Equipment Mistakes 09:28 - From E4D to CEREC, Why Ahmad Owns So Many Scanners 10:44 - The $25,000 EnvisionTEC Printer Mistake 12:16 - Getting Objective Advice from Trusted Sources 13:15 - 30+ Scanners Tested and Reviewed 14:05 - Ahmad's Top 5 Intraoral Scanners for Clinical Use 15:48 - Alliedstar, Best Value Scanner on the Market 17:16 - iTero's Role in Interdisciplinary Dentistry 18:14 - The Course That Changed Ahmad's Career 19:17 - Digital Dentistry Is an Evolution, Not a Revolution 20:19 - From 20 Minutes to 30 Seconds, Scanning Mastery 21:44 - Why Digital Dentistry Shouldn't Be a Separate Specialty 23:35 - First Course Recommendation for Beginners 25:02 - Soft Tissue Management and Scanning Technique 26:24 - Different Pathways, Smile Design vs CAD/CAM vs Aligners 27:08 - Make Your Impression Material Expire 27:55 - Building Your Digital Roadmap 30:22 - Why Only 10% of Dentists Go Beyond Scan-and-Send 32:00 - The Smartphone as Your Most Powerful Digital Tool 33:24 - Diagnose Your Practice Before Buying Equipment 34:35 - The Intraoral Scanner Is Your Gateway to Digital 35:28 - 3D Printing, 70-80% of Dentistry Can Be Printed 36:33 - CBCT, Facial Scanners, and Beyond 37:02 - Ahmad's Final Thoughts on Digital Investment 38:20 - In-House Manufacturing vs Lab Partnerships 39:30 - 3D Printing vs Milling, Choosing the Right Output Device 39:54 - The CAD Software Barrier Nobody Talks About 41:43 - Why Digital Dentistry Has Never Been This Exciting 42:43 - Reducing Stress Through Digital Workflows 43:14 - Closing Thoughts and What's Next Read the full blog post: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/podcast/s04-e05-i-have-used-every-scanner-on-the-market-heres-what-nobody-tells-you/ 🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE iDD Scanner Reviews: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/category/intraoral-scanner-reviews/ DSD Quarterback Dentist Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalSmileDesignOfficial 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital DentistryAt the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/

Is iPad scanning about to reshape the intraoral scanner market? In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr. Ahmad sits down with Medit's Matt Mock to find out. Matt Mock, Senior Director of Education Marketing at Medit, joins Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny for an in-depth conversation about where digital dentistry is headed. They discuss Medit's remarkable transformation over the past year, their shift from hardware-focused company to software solutions provider, and what the i900 Mobility's iPad-based approach signals for the broader industry. The discussion covers a lot of ground, from the surprising utilization gap between 3D printers and mills in dental practices, to the new Ortho Suite with AI-powered treatment planning that had orthodontists buzzing at AAO. Matt shares candid insights on why scanner accuracy has become largely commoditized, the technical realities of Wi-Fi scanning, and the design philosophy behind Medit Link Express's streamlined interface. Dr. Ahmad and Matt also dig into what's coming from Medit in 2026, including new diagnostic features, software innovations, and some hints at future hardware developments. Plus, they tackle the most common questions dentists have been asking about iPad scanning. Whether you're a Medit user curious about what's next or simply interested in where intraoral scanning technology is headed, this conversation delivers practical insights straight from the source. Read the full blog post: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/podcast/s04-e04-is-ipad-scanning-the-next-major-market-trend-with-medits-matt-mock/ 00:00 Introduction and Medit's Year in Review 02:35 The Digital Dentistry Ecosystem Beyond Scanning 04:56 3D Printers vs Mills: The Utilization Gap 08:17 3D Printed Crowns and the Materials Question 12:40 Training Your Team for Digital Workflows 15:12 Medit Ortho Suite: AI-Powered Treatment Planning 21:22 Lat. Ceph Tracing and 3D Treatment Objectives 27:12 Has Scanner Hardware Reached Its Ceiling? 30:39 New Imaging Technologies: OCT and Beyond 31:50 Medit i900 Mobility: iPad Scanning First Impressions 39:34 Wi-Fi Setup and Router Requirements Explained 45:22 Apple Chips vs Windows Laptops for Scanning 47:27 Medit Link Express: Simplified Software Design Philosophy 52:22 i900 Mobility FAQs with Matt Mock 54:04 Future iPad Features and Apps Coming to Mobility 56:52 What's Coming from Medit in 2026 1:00:36 Closing Thoughts Subscribe for weekly digital dentistry insights, honest scanner reviews, and the latest industry news. 📲 Let's be social! Follow iDD on the following platforms: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/instituteofdigitaldentistry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/idigitaldentistry/ LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/instituteofdigitaldentistry TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@idigitaldentistry Twitter/X - https://twitter.com/iDigitalDentist 📍Institute of Digital Dentistry At the forefront of digital dentistry education - your digital dentistry journey starts here! https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/ 📚 Join iDD's Free Academy and get instant access to over 40+ Free digital dentistry courses and eBook PDFs! https://idd.to/freeacademy 💻 Check out our online course bundles: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/ 🎙️Listen to our 'Digital Dentistry Decoded with iDD' podcast on your favorite streaming platform now! https://idd.to/podcast #MeditI900Mobility #iPadScanning #IntraoralScanner #DigitalDentistry #MeditScanner #DentalTechnology #DigitalDentistryDecoded #iDD

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny interviews Rune Fisker, former VP of Product Strategy at 3Shape and current Executive Advisor, about the top digital dentistry trends for 2026. The discussion covers five key areas: AI agents entering clinical workflows, generative AI in daily practice, intraoral scanning reaching the standard of care status, the rapid rise of 3D printing technology, and the challenges of connecting dental ecosystems. Fisker shares insights on adoption barriers, material limitations, and integration challenges while reflecting on 2025's developments and predictions for the year ahead.

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny interviews Jay Kim , VP of Business Development at TruAbutment , discussing the company's 2025-2026 product roadmap and industry trends. Kim reveals TruAbutment's iPad-based T-Marker photogrammetry system , full workflow integration plans, and entrance into 3D printing materials. The conversation covers market conditions, scanner commoditization, the photogrammetry versus horizontal scanbodies debate, and AI integration in dental technology. Kim provides detailed explanations of upcoming products, including Dual Align Scanbodies, bite capture devices, and flexible printing materials, while discussing strategic positioning for practices at different full-arch case volumes.

In this episode, Ahmad speaks with Julio Rojas , Director of Product Development at Osteon Medical , about the development of the NEXUS iOS system—the first horizontal scan body solution for full-arch digital workflows. The discussion covers Osteon's origins as a university startup and specialized milling center, the technical challenges of achieving passive-fit restorations from intraoral scan data, and the market resistance faced when introducing the technology in 2020. Julio explains the accuracy requirements for digital full-arch cases, manufacturing considerations, and the recently launched Nexus Connect platform that opens the system to independent labs.

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny interviews Dentsply Sirona's new CEO, Daniel Scavilla , and Max Milz at DS World 2025 in Las Vegas, marking CEREC's 40th anniversary. Scavilla discusses his transition from spine robotics to dental, drawing parallels between medical and dental digital adoption. The conversation covers major announcements, including CEREC on DS Core, new milling options (Primemill 2-motor and CEREC Go), 3D diagnostics capabilities, and AI integration. The discussion explores barriers to chairside dentistry adoption, the future of cloud-based platforms, and the coexistence of milling and printing technologies in modern dental practices.

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny interviews Jorge Hernandez (National Sales Manager) and Jerico Elomari (Senior Application Engineer) from Shining 3D about their latest product developments and clinical applications. The discussion covers the Aoralscan Elite's intraoral photogrammetry technology, addressing specific clinical challenges, including blood interference with scanning and proper cleaning protocols for coded scan bodies. The guests detail new releases, including the Elite Wireless, AccuFab F1 DLP printer, MetiSmile MR with jaw tracking capabilities, and a nitrogen curing unit. The conversation explores practical implementation considerations, the importance of team training, current 3D printing applications in clinical practice, and future developments in digital dentistry workflows. Technical specifications, pricing, and troubleshooting methods are discussed throughout.

In this episode, Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny interviews Amir Mansouri, CEO and co-founder of SprintRay, about the company's recent acquisition of EnvisionTEC's assets following its bankruptcy under Desktop Health. The discussion covers the strategic rationale behind the acquisition, immediate plans for supporting stranded EnvisionTEC customers, and SprintRay's entry into the dental laboratory market. Mansouri explains how the asset purchase includes patents, IP, and customer lists while avoiding liabilities. The conversation explores the differences between chairside and laboratory markets, cross-platform resin compatibility plans, and the future of both brands within the dental 3D printing industry. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:00:45 - The EnvisionTEC Story 00:04:16 - Acquisition Details 00:07:40 - Customer Support Plans 00:09:23 - Cross-Platform Compatibility 00:13:13 - Lab Market Strategy 00:17:53 - Brand Future 00:21:08 - Industry Consolidation 00:24:48 - What's Next 00:28:53 - Closing

Join Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny as he interviews ASIGA's Cory Lambertson and Bryce Hiller about their game-changing IDS 2025 product launch. Discover how ASIGA's revolutionary Print Pods offer 5x reusability compared to single-use competitors, their new Cure unit that solves the "two potato problem" with dose-curing technology, and AI-powered software that automates your entire 3D printing workflow. The team reveals 7 major releases including Crown Kits, new materials at $175/kg, and the ability to print 80% filled ceramics. Learn why ASIGA's open-system approach matters and get realistic insights on direct aligner printing. Products launch late 2025-early 2026.

Dr. Ahmad Al-Hassiny, founder of the Institute of Digital Dentistry (iDD), joins Straumann executives Dr. George Raeber and Florian Kirsch at IDS 2025. The conversation covers digital dentistry's current state, including market consolidation, AI adoption, and platform challenges. Ahmad shares insights on why the industry needs fewer products, how labs should adapt to survive, and why current platform offerings aren't compelling to clinicians. The discussion includes an analysis of the Straumann-SprintRay partnership and predictions about future technologies. Recorded live at IDS Cologne with background noise.