Step-by-Step Digital Dentistry Online Course: Featuring Scanning, Software, 3D Printing, Milling, Implant Surgical Guides, Crowns, Full-Arch Cases!

New Volume 3! In Volume 3, our biggest update yet, we have released incredible new updates on the latest trends in scanning, printing, software, and now… milling!

Are you confused by 3D Printing? Does the thought of being able to go completely digital terrify you? Have you always wanted to make your own surgical guides or crowns? Have you talked to sales reps for dental companies and frustrated by how much it costs to get into printing in your own practice/lab?

This exciting course covers everything you, your assistants, and your laboratory needs to know about 3D printing and will answer all of your digital questions and address your digital concerns! We cover the basics all the way up to the advanced level methods of using intraoral and optical scanning techniques, free software to edit dental models, 3D printing techniques, and multiple methods for fabricating surgical guides. We teach using low-cost, desktop grade 3D printers that cost less than $4,000 for a printer and dental models only cost around $1-2 each and surgical guides $4-5 each! We also teach established workflows using affordable laboratory printing and milling equipment to print and mill occlusal guards and crowns!!

This course utilizes learning skills and educational content that is 10% projection slides and 90% video-based education. We emphasize simulated “LIVE” video based techniques to demonstrate the use of scanners, printers, software, and surgical guide fabrication and demonstration. You will be provided with files containing DICOM and STL files of demonstrated cases for you to follow along. Finally, we provide multiple “cheat-sheet” handouts for you to print in your practice to simplify digital techniques for you and your assistants to best learn all of these technologies!

To receive the best education possible, this course is broken down into 5 sections:

Section I: Fundamentals of 3D Dentistry & Intraoral Optical Scanning

Covering all of the basics of digital dentistry, how to incorporate affordable intraoral scanning techniques and a review of multiple scanners available on the market.

Topics include:

Historical Overview of 3D Dentistry
A Review of Scanners on the Market
Cost Analysis
Accuracy of Scanners
Scanning Workflows
Strategies for Implementing Intraoral Scanning into Clinical Practice
Clinical Examples Using Scanners

Section II: Using 3D Printers and Free/Open-Source Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software

This section focuses on the basics of using intraoral scans, exporting STL files, the basics of working with the files including modeling and basic smoothing techniques. We walk you through downloading the software, opening STL files, and working with them. Also included is how to set-up the Formlabs, Sprintray, and Nextdent desktop 3D printers, installing cartridges, and getting basic models to print successfully!

Topics include:

Downloading and Installing Software
Exporting STL files from an Intraoral Scanner
Open STL files in Open Source CAD Software Packages
Basic and Advanced Editing of Dental Models
Working with Multiple STL Layers
Exporting Models into STL Files
Basics of Clay Modeling, Boolean Procedures, Parametric Designs
Setting up the Formlabs, Sprintray, and Nextdent 3D Printers – Installing Resin Cartridges & Tanks
Using 3D Printer Software to Print Dental Models
Understanding Post-Processing Techniques Including Dr. Scherer’s Unique “Contemporary Wash Station Design”
UV Curing 3D Printed Models: Techniques and Equipment Choices
Finishing and UV Curing Dental Models

Section III: 3D Printing and Free/Open-Source Computer Aided Design (CAD) Techniques for Restorative Dentistry

A comprehensive introduction and in-depth discussion regarding using free software downloaded from the internet to help with basic to advanced restorative dentistry topics. We emphasize using a custom virtual tooth library that you can install into your software for free, using virtual wax-up teeth, wax-up for esthetic restorations, and making clear aligners for missing teeth!

Topics include:

Digital Restorative Dentistry Basics
Making 3D Printed Bleaching Trays
Printing, Fishing, UV Curing Models and Vacuum Forming Trays
Using Meshmixer to Modify and Virtually Extract Teeth
Creating a Virtual Tooth Library in Meshmixer
Intraoral Scanning Denture Teeth
Create a 3D Printed Temporary Retainer (Essix®) Using a Virtual Tooth Library
Printing the Temporary Retainer, Finishing and UV Curing the Models, Vacuum Forming, Using Composite Resin to Make Teeth in the Temporary Retainer
Basic Digital Wax-up Techniques in Meshmixer for Esthetic Dentistry
Advanced Digital Waxing for Crown & Bridge Dentistry
Printing Models for Crown & Bridge Dentistry Temporaries, Vacuum Forming Matrix, and Clinical Examples of Digital Crown & Bridge Dentistry

Section IV: 3D Printing for Medical and Dental Modeling

This section is quite exciting and fun at the same time! We cover the basics of CBCT scanning, understanding the role of cheeks and soft tissue separation technique, positioning patients for scanning, performing scans, processing DICOM files, and multiple free or low-cost methods to convert from DICOM to STL files for 3D printing. Finally, we cover amazing new innovations of scanning denture teeth, dental models and other objects with your CBCT scanner to utilize in restorative dentistry and printing techniques!

Topics include:

Understanding Radiographic Options for Dental Applications
Using a CBCT Scanner: Understanding Patient Positioning, Voxels, and Field of View
Soft Tissue Isolation
Preparing a Patient for a CBCT Scan
Making a CBCT Scan and Processing DICOM Files
Converting DICOM to STL: Software Options
Downloading and Installing Open Source Imaging Software For Converting from DICOM To STL
Demonstrating Multiple Software Methods for Converting DICOM to STL
Using Open Source CAD Software to Clean-Up Medical Models Prior to Printing
Printing Medical Models
Finishing, UV Curing, and Polishing Medical Models
Scanning Dental Models with a CBCT Scanner
Scanning Dentures and Denture Teeth with a CBCT Scanner

Section V: 3D Printing Surgical Guides and Using Blue Sky Plan for Implant Dentistry

Guided implant surgery with 3D printed guides is an amazing way to practice! This exciting section covers everything you will need to get started with 3D printing your own bio-compatible surgical guides in your office for a few dollars instead of hundreds at the laboratory! We cover the basics to advanced concepts and also review actual surgeries and techniques for placing dental implants with guided surgery instruments.

Topics include:

Fundamentals of Guided Surgery: Background, Terminology, Techniques, Understanding Trajectory and Detph Control During Surgery
Blue Sky Plan Basics: Importing DICOMs & Essential Planning Technique
Optical Scanning Options for Fabricating STL Files for Surgical Planning
Importing Optical Scans and Fusing Onto CBCT Scan for Implant Planning
Advanced Methods of Model Registration: Matching Teeth, Point by Point, Manual Manipulation Techniques
Universal Guide Tubes and Surgical Guide Design
Indirect, Model-Based Surgical Guides
Printing Models, Fitting Guide Tubes, Vacuum Forming Indirect Guides, Polishing, Clinical Examples of Indirect Surgical Guides
Changing Resin Tanks & Cartridges for Models vs. Surgical Guides
Direct, Digital-Based Surgical Guides: Pilot Guide with Blue Sky Bio Drills
Printing Surgical Guides, Cleaning & Finishing, Fitting Guide Tubes, UV Curing, Clinical Examples of Pilot Guided Surgery
Direct, Digital-Based Surgical Guides: Fully-Guided Surgical Guides
Printing Surgical Guides, Cleaning & Finishing, Fitting Guide Tubes, UV Curing, Clinical Examples of Fully-Guided Surgery

Section VI: Advanced Full-Arch Implantology & Surgical Guide Design

Focusing on full-arch implantology, soft tissue supported, guides, partial extraction cases, guide pins, and working with more complex designs than in Section V! We cover the basics of full-arch guides to advanced concepts and demonstrate with video-recorded surgeries and techniques for placing dental implants.

Topics include:

Fundamentals of Full-Arch Guided Surgery: Background, Terminology, Techniques
Working with Partially-Edentulous Full-Arch Guides
Extracting Teeth and Using Partially Tooth Supported/Tissue Supported Guides for Full-Arch Dentistry
Using “Crown-Down” Treatment Planning
Working with Guide Stabilization Pins
Understanding the Role Between Soft-Tissues and Visualizing Soft Tissues on a CBCT
Radiopaque PVS Impression Technique
Utilizing Fiduciary Markers and Scan Appliances with CBCT
Using Intraoral Scanning with Scan Appliances
CBCT Scanning and PVS Fiduciary Markers
Impression Inversion Techniques & Fabricating Guides from Inverted Models
Working with Creative Full-Arch Design

Section VII: Clinical and Laboratory Workflows with 3Shape, Exocad, Printing, and Milling

NEW Section!! This amazing new section is for clinicians that want to get a bit more “serious” with digital! We focus on developing the “in-office combined clinical-laboratory digital practice” and how the role of 3D printing is evolving with milling and how we can produce ceramic restorations, occlusal guards, and many exciting things within our offices! We cover the basics of how to set up laboratory digital equipment to software concepts of 3Shape Dental Systems, exocad, and Blue Sky Plan. We go through the step-by-step clinical and laboratory procedures to make production cases for clinical-laboratory practice success!

Topics include:

Envisioning the Combined Clinical/Laboratory Hybrid Practice Model
How Do I Get Started?
Introduction to Dental CAD Software
Crown & Bridge Scanning with the Medit i500 and 3Shape TRIOS Scanner
Designing a Restoration and Models Using 3Shape/exocad Software
Designing a Restoration and Models Using exocad Software
3D Printing Models and Prototyping Restorations – Nextdent 5100, Sprintray Pro
Milling Monolithic Zirconia Restorations
Despruing, Sintering, Post-Sintering, Stain and Glazing the Monolithic Zirconia Restoration
Delivery the Monolithic Zirconia Restoration
Digital Occlusal Guards – Introduction & Material and Manufacturing Options
Intraoral Scanning for an Occlusal Guard using the Medit i500 and 3Shape TRIOS Scanner
Designing an Occlusal Guard using exocad
Designing Models for the Occlusal Guard using exocad Model Creator and 3Shape Model Builder
3D Printing the Occlusal Guard and Models using the Nextdent 5100 and Sprintray Pro 3D Printer
Milling the Occlusal Guard
Laboratory Adjustment Procedures of the Milled Occlusal Guard
Delivering the Occlusal Guard
Cleaning and Maintaining 3D Printers
Cleaning and Maintaining the Milling Machine