Digital Technology Reigns Supreme for Dental Laboratories

All dental laboratories apply technology and innovations to suit their specific needs. Whether big or small, they have the hands-on experience to not only manufacture dental inventions but also inform research and the future of technology. For labs, keeping up with the latest technology can give an edge over the competition when it comes to new customers and opportunities.

Knowing what technologies lie ahead can help labs in this way, and the best method of knowing is consensus. The Dental Lab Products® 2022 Technology Survey asked dental lab professionals which kinds of technology they use daily and what technology they hope to see in the future. Demographically, 81% of respondents are lab owners, with 19% being lab managers, and the majority working in the dental lab business for more than 2 decades. Read on to see what these experienced lab professionals have to say about the future of dental lab technology in the industry. Answers are rounded up or down to the nearest whole percentage.

Hard-Earned Purchases

As with most technologies, dental lab technology can change the way labs operate regarding efficiency, cost savings, and expansion. Fifty-nine percent of respondents say their priority when choosing new technology is research and deliberation, which is unsurprising given the expense and investment of some dental lab technologies. Another popular response at 35% is return on investment (ROI), another factor when considering money spent.

Money Matters

With 35% of respondents saying ROI was a key factor in purchasing habits, the survey asked which products offered the strongest ROI for their dental lab. Pressing ovens, digital design software, and digital benchtop scanners topped the list, with more than half of respondents affirming the strong ROI on these investments. Despite this, 61% of respondents said their digital intraoral scanner did not have a strong return on investment.

Everyday Experience

With each dental lab fitting different needs, it is no surprise there is a wide range of technologies used by respondents. Technologies like microscopes, digital benchtop scanners, and electric waxers are the most popular when it comes to everyday use, whereas 3D printer purchases and parts washer purchases loom on the horizon for a few respondents. With each dental lab having different priorities, it may come as no surprise that certain technologies are more popular than others.

Everyday Experience Continued

With each dental lab fitting different needs, it is no surprise there is a wide range of technologies used by respondents. Technologies like microscopes, digital benchtop scanners, and electric waxers are the most popular when it comes to everyday use, whereas 3D printer purchases and parts washer purchases loom on the horizon for a few respondents. With each dental lab having different priorities, it may come as no surprise that certain technologies are more popular than others.

Marketing Insight

Respondents seem to agree to disagree. Most technologies listed lack a majority in strong agreement or disagreement, with many neutral answers. Standing out amid the neutrality is digital design software, where more than half of respondents strongly agree it could be a powerful tool during face-to-face interaction with clients and customers. Another standout is 3D printers, where half of respondents strongly agree it is a good way to draw in and market to clientele.

Variable Value

Respondents seem to be in agreement that many lab technologies and workflows add at least a little value to the dental lab. Most staunchly protected are combination ovens, microscopes or loupes, lab management software, and digital design software, with 78% of respondents strongly disagreeing they did not add value. For the most part, strong agreement is scarce, other than in the digital intraoral scanner category. With 45% of respondents agreeing that digital intraoral scanners did not add value, it trends with the ROI question as not adding value and lacking a good ROI. What this means for the future of the technology in dental labs remains to be seen.

Recruitment Tools

As lab owners and technicians look to attract new technicians to the lab, having the latest technology can help draw in the workforce they need. Asked to select technologies that would attract new technicians, respondents have selected technologies in the digital department as the most popular. 3D printers, and digital design software came in tied at 89%, while digital benchtop scanners came in near the top at 83%. Following closely behind are microscopes or loupes, pressing ovens, and wet/dry mills at 67%. Newer technology brings in new talent, according to respondents.

The Future Is Bright

As workflows and technologies evolve, dental lab professionals on the front line perhaps best understand the trajectory of the industry. Thirty-nine percent of respondents say that 3D-printed dentures are the next big step for the industry, which comes as no surprise. 3D-printed dentures are quick, efficient, and more durable with each innovation. This was followed by 28% of respondents saying artificial intelligence and/or automated case design are the next big developments. This seems to be a wider reflection of the dental industry as a whole, as artificial intelligence and machine learning progress in areas such as case design, diagnostics, and front office processing.

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