1. Digital workflow systems.

Ragy explains that digital workflow systems have significantly transformed dental practices, enhancing both patient-facing aspects, such as seamless bookings, and procedural efficiency. 

‘In the past, we used heavy cameras and films, which required processing in a dark room with chemicals. Now, everything is digital,’ he says. Beyond saving time, Ragy highlights that digital workflow systems have improved accuracy and reduced human error. 

The pinnacle of this advancement is arguably the CEREC system, a computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. Introduced in the 1980s, CEREC primarily supports prosthetics, implants, and orthodontic workflows. 

Dentsply Sirona’s CEREC system, launched almost 40 years ago, recently introduced the revolutionary cloud-based scanner Primescan 2. This allows dentists to complete a full arch scan in less than a minute. 

‘In the past, if a patient wanted to get a crown, they needed to visit the dental practice three to four times. The best-case scenario was about two to three weeks,’ says Ragy. ‘Now they can have a permanent crown fixed in less than one hour, in one visit.’ 

2. Artificial intelligence.

Underpinning all this technology is artificial intelligence (AI), says Ragy, who describes it as the ‘core of our innovation’. 

‘AI has simplified dental processes and made things easier and faster, as well as more accurate and more convenient,’ he says. ‘It’s slashed processing times.’ 

For example, Ragy says dentists are now able to design personalised crowns and bridges. Not only is the digital workflow making the mapping process easier and faster, but AI helps the dentist to create crowns and bridges that look more natural too. 

‘It’s no longer like a library of moulds, where you pick and choose from a set number of styles,’ Ragy explains. ‘Now each design is unique to that patient’s needs. It's like a fingerprint.’ 

And despite how far AI has pushed the envelope to date, Ragy says there are more ways the industry can harness its potential. 

‘We're just at the beginning of the road. AI can still do so much more,’ he says. ‘We're currently working on more complex projects where it will make a huge difference in the future.’ 

3. 3D Printing.

The use of 3D printing is revolutionising dental surgeries in many ways. Not only is it used to print personalised molds, but also for creating aligners, retainers, implants, dentures, and casting models.  

‘In the past, making molds was a very messy process involving plaster and casting, followed by trimming,’ explains Ragy. ‘Every dental practice needed a ‘messy plaster’ room, but now all you need is a PC and a printer.’  

The process is accurate, personalised for each patient, and comes with the added benefit of being mess- and dust-free. 

4. Cybersecurity innovations.

With the digitisation of dental processes, including patient records and sensitive information, Ragy highlights the importance of dental industry-specific cybersecurity offered by Dentsply Sirona.  

‘We're providing dentists with a secure option to run their practice from home, allowing them to diagnose, design treatment plans and collaborate with other associates using our technology,’ says Ragy.  

This is made possible through specially-designed cloud storage that dentists can access from anywhere to review patient images, scans, and exams.

‘We are committed to keeping patient data secure and out of personal storage solutions like Dropbox or WeTransfer,’ he explains. ‘This is a major project for us, where we are working directly with Google to save patient records to a secure cloud platform. So far, we’re the only company doing this. It’s a new era for the dental industry.’