David North, digital specialist at Metrodent, gives his view of Exocad.
After leaving school at 16 and going straight into a dental lab I never thought I would spend 32 years as a dental ceramist.
The number of changes over these years has been incredible. The first scanner I used was the Procera Piccolo. A small touch scanner scanning one die at a time, which some may remember.
And now I’m scanning with the DOF freedom light scanners, using Exocad and Exoplan software in a digital seamless way. Scanning full articulated models, merging and meshing scans in all aspects of dental cases.
A good comparison of the changes some of us have seen would be the simple TV tennis game I remember as a child compared to a modern day tennis game with ultra HD graphics on PC or console.
I would never have imagined how digital technology would have progressed to present day.
Reflecting on Exocad
The last 10 years has brought a lot of changes, especially with Exocad. Starting in 2009 as Fraunhofer IDG, who started research into dental computer aided design (CAD).
Who would have thought all this digital design technology software and images we see in Exocad comes from a simple triangular mesh?
Exocad is the tool for every dental technician who wants to be part of the future in digital dentistry.
Already the standard version of Exocad covers a wide variety of indications, making it an attractive choice both for expert users and newcomers in the dental CAD field.
The strength of Exocad is its simplicity. There is no point in creating software that makes your job harder. It is extremely logical and easy to use, because the software emulates the analogue work of a dental technician.
To digitally design a restoration has never been as easy and accessible without the learning curve of the past. Exocad will help you maximise productivity and profits. It is reliable and robust even when dealing with complex cases on a day-to-day basis.
It is easy to expand your Exocad standard version according to your needs with Exocad add-on modules to enhance the feature-set of the standard version.
The module system allows great flexibility, and you can purchase what you need for your lab requirements, making it a very attractive economic proposition, with all the Exocad modules available, it is not difficult to add these to a new or existing Exocad dongle.
Exocad has put together bundle options including the Ultimate bundle option in every Exocad module.
With Exocad the choice is yours
Easily and seamlessly integrate Exocad dental CAD software with all Exocad products and modules in a digital workflow. Exceptional usability, performance and flexibility are guaranteed.
Thanks to its open and neutral software architecture, you can use Exocad with your existing equipment, such as any open scanner, 3D printer or milling machine.
With Exocad, you control the desired workflows. Expand your portfolio with a wide range of add-on modules to improve collaboration with clients and service providers alike for reliable results that are cost and time efficient and effective.
Start learning, always learning
From my point of view, with Exocad you start learning by using the Exocad help wizard. This is basically Exocad software telling you what to do step by step. It even tells you when you have forgotten specific instructions.
When you get confident using the wizard you can easily switch to expert mode. Then you are telling Exocad software what you want it to do. The limits are endless.
And now with the integration of Exoplan this brings together the surgery and lab, communicating easily and quickly to produce any dental prosthesis in a digital format.
With a lot of dentists now looking into intraoral scanners, a dental software is key for any dental laboratory looking into digital.
So, take a look at Exocad you won’t be disappointed. Particularly with the new release of Exocad Galway 3.0 and Exoplan Galway.
Digital design and workflow
If you are a crown and bridge lab or a prosthetic lab, Exocad offers a digital design and workflow for all aspects of your lab.
Love it or hate it, digital has and is still changing the dental industry.
From being a ceramist in the lab for 32 years, I am now digital specialist at Metrodent. I’m installing and supporting the Exocad software along with all other digital aspects within the industry. Now there’s a change I didn’t see coming. So, what other changes are coming?
Digital dentistry will keep on developing within the industry. There is still a place for conventional work and think there always will be. Exocad can help you be a part of this whole new digital world.
This article first appeared in Laboratory magazine. You can read the latest issue here.
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