3D printing in dentistry has transformed labs from wax-ups and lost-wax casting to instant digital workflows. In Episode 23 of The Technology Evangelist Podcast, sponsored by Medidenta Digital Solutions, Dr. John Flucke talks with Kim Solomon, Director of Business Development at Pac-Dent with 40+ years spanning dental tech, sales leadership at Nobel Biocare, iTero, and more.
Key Insights:
- Origin Story: Started in 1982 in a small lab (plaster room → full tech). Witnessed gold → base metals → palladium → all-ceramics → zirconia. Piloted NobelProcera/All-on-4; saw labs shrink as digital rose.
- Lab-to-Clinic Shift: Labs embraced digital faster (scanners, mills, printers) due to necessity. Offices lag — many still analog for models/trays despite low resin costs (~$3–15 per unit).
- Pac-Dent’s Role: Focus on open-system resins validated on 40+ printers. Enables guided surgery + same-day printed provisionals (“purgatory” restorations — not temps, not finals). Speeds workflows, reduces visits.
- Future Outlook: In 12–18 months, AI integrates systems (design → print → cure → notify). Labs/offices become “hybrid” — techs as expanded-function assistants. Profit margins soar on consumables; patient expectations demand speed/esthetics.
- Advice for Practices: Build lab relationships for knowledge sharing. Embrace turnkey/open ecosystems. Start simple (trays/guards) → scale to implants/dentures. Empower teams — low turnover, higher satisfaction.
Kim’s takeaway: Technology isn’t replacing techs/doctors — it’s eliminating drudgery, boosting profitability, and letting humans focus on patients.
Explore Pac-Dent resins at pac-dent.com.
