AI in dentistry is no longer just radiographs — it’s transforming prosthetics and practice efficiency. In Episode 21 of The Technology Evangelist Podcast, sponsored by Medidenta Digital Solutions, Dr. John Flucke sits down with his longtime friend Dr. Pamela Maragliano, board-certified prosthodontist, Chief Editor of Dental Economics, co-host of Dentistry Unmasked, and private practitioner in Salem, MA.
Key Highlights:
- Origin Story: From reluctant dental hygiene student (1990s “great job for a woman” era) to Tufts DMD → UCLA prosthodontics residency → discovering Carifree and winning ADA Adult Preventive Care Practice of the Year (2010) → accidental lecturer/author → editor-in-chief at Dental Economics.
- 3D Printing & Exocad Revolution: Dr. Maragliano’s team now uses Exocad + 3D printing for instant mock-ups and provisionals. Additive cases (veneers, composites) skip multiple appointments — patients see the final smile the same day and walk out with printed provisionals that become the true prototype.
- Overjet AI Integration: Identifies coding errors, perio maintenance lapses, and incipient lesions; highlights widening PDLs and subtle changes humans miss under time pressure. “An extra set of eyes” that never fatigues.
- Perimetrics Implant Stability: Quantitative percussion device replaces subjective “wiggle” tests — baseline at restoration delivery predicts screw/abutment issues before catastrophic failure.
Team-Centric Adoption: Success hinges on the team, not the doctor. Dr. Maragliano empowers assistants with design/scanning roles; gentle pressure (“this wouldn’t happen with a scanner”) flips resistance into excitement. - Future Outlook: AI + 3D printing = shorter appointments, higher case acceptance, and provisionals that are actual prototypes instead of last-minute acrylic rush jobs. Practices ignoring these tools risk falling irreparably behind.
Dr. Maragliano’s mantra: assess your team’s strengths, implement what plays to them, and never let fear of the unknown stop progress.
Check out Dr. Maragliano on the Dentistry Unmasked podcast and as Chief Editor of Dental Economics.
