Twenty years of having his finger on both the pulse and keyboard of digital dentistry gives 3Shape’s Rune Fisker a unique insight into where the industry is going in 2024.
1. Generative AI for everyone
The impressive capabilities of ChatGPT and the rapid progress of generative AI will continue to make artificial intelligence the dominant 2024 technology trend. In dentistry, we see exciting opportunities for its application within diagnostics, planning and treatment ie AI supported diagnostics of X-rays.
In 2023, we witnessed just how far generative AI has come with the huge growth of 3Shape Automate. More than two million crown designs have been downloaded with a 92% design acceptance rate from the totally hands-free AI powered service.
Other applications include AI driven automatic phone support and marketing.
2. Intraoral scanner boom and transformation
The adoption of intraoral scanners (IOS) by dentists and labs keeps growing. IOS penetration in the USA, Nordics, and Australia is now over 50%, with 33% of all lab cases in the USA beginning from an intraoral scan.
Most intraoral scanner users consider their scanner as an efficient digital impressions solution, but I believe technological developments to scanners will soon transform the way we work and practice dentistry.
3. 3D printing resins fueling the change
Along with intraoral scanners, 3D printers are the hot equipment. The true game changer though, is 3D printing material. Every month new and improved dental resins are released.
In 2023, we saw a material breakthrough for 3D printed dentures. This year we will continue to see progress in printed temporary and final crown materials. The solutions that currently generate the most excitement is Dentsply Sirona Lucitone and SprintRay crown materials.
4. The digital consumer experience
We are all familiar with a seamless digital consumer experience via smartphone apps or when shopping online. Dental patients are expecting that same digital consumer experience, but equally, so are dentists when they communicate with their lab and other treatment partners.
We are seeing intraoral scans, X-rays and treatment simulations being used more and more to engage patients – particularly in the first appointment. Offering patients a next level simulated or interactive treatment proposal will increasingly become the standard of care.
5. Cloud & platforms rolling in
One of the strongest underlaying technology trends is moving data and software to the cloud to enable access to it from anywhere on any device. Moving forward, we will see many simple dental tasks managed from smart phones so professionals can work from anywhere.
The major dental technology companies continue to invest heavily in platforms for managing digital dentistry and the truly open platforms will continue to gain a significant advantage over closed solutions.
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