The Digital Dentistry Takeover
70% of US dental practices own an intraoral scanner
Intraoral scanning is rapidly becoming the de-facto choice for record-taking in dental practices today. We estimate greater than 70% of US dental practices own an intraoral scanner1 . Factors such as decreasing costs of ownership, increased demand from patients, and free scanner offers have accelerated digital adoption.
Furthermore, US practices owning 2+ scanners is becoming the norm. As adoption has increased, more practices are opting for one scanner per operatory or per clinician. Our research shows that more than 40% of US practices are using 2+ scanners in their practices today2. As scanners increase in the practice, more clinicians are searching for the most cost effective options to reduce costs.
At Dandy, we have a unique perspective on intraoral scanning. When we opened our dental lab to the world 6 years ago, we made an industry-shocking choice to not accept physical impressions.
Our Research and Development team has tested nearly every intraoral scanner on the market. We can confidently advise on what to look out for when searching for your next intraoral scanner.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SCANNER FOR YOUR PRACTICE
Not all scanners are created equal. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. This means that some scanners are great at presenting treatment to a patient. But maybe not so great at scanning soft-tissue. Some scanners have flashy software tools, but may not take as accurate of an impression. As you make your decision to take your practice digital, add a new scanner to your practice, or change your current scanner, keep all of this in mind.
INDICATIONS THAT PUSH SCANNERS TO THEIR LIMITS
We hear from many practices who wish they were scanning for more complex cases. Unfortunately they don’t have the technology to scan with high clinical confidence. An example of this is denture and partial dentures. Some scanners struggle to capture soft tissue and edentulous areas. This creates a negative patient experience with long chairtime. And many times these clinicians switch back to analog for these cases.
EVALUATE WITH CLARITY
Dandy’s Research and Development team has evaluated nearly every major intraoral scanner on the market. This guide highlights the scanners we see most often in dental practices and provides an objective view of their strengths and limitations.
The right scanner should fit the clinical needs of your practice, deliver consistent accuracy, and improve efficiency at the chair. It should also expand the indications you can treat digitally, from routine crowns to more complex cases.
We created this guide to help you evaluate your options with clarity. By understanding how scanners perform across different criteria, you can choose a solution that supports your patients, your team, and the future growth of your practice.
