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“Digital solutions enable improved patient communication every step of the way”

3DISC has named their latest scanner OVO so that its name is easily understood across many languages. OVO indicates both its shape and the positive meaning “to shout for joy” in Latin. (Image: 3DISC)
Dental Tribune International

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 30. March 2023

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The International Dental Show 2023 provided the perfect opportunity for thousands of companies to showcase their latest product releases to an interested audience of dental professionals. Dental Tribune International spoke with CEO and president of 3DISC Marie-Laure Pochon and Luigi Zenere, the company’s commercial director for Europe, about a new intra-oral scanner and about the value of transitioning to a digital workflow.

Marie-Laure Pochon, CEO and president of 3DISC. (Image: 3DISC)

Ms Pochon, you have a very robust background in both business and engineering. How does this influence your role at 3DISC?
Pochon: As the CEO of 3DISC, I focus my energy on three things: The first and foremost is research and development, which drives the future of our company and the development of new products. My role involves considering what we need to put on the market in order to take us further. My second focus is on ensuring that our customers are satisfied, and my third goal, which is just as important, is to drive the commercial team.

Speaking to the development of new products, what goes into the decision-making process when a global company like 3DISC decides to update a product or programme?
Pochon: We have a product committee that listens very closely to the voices of our customers through our customer service, sales and technical departments. We combine this feedback with information from other departments and hold regular discussions with the research and development team. Together, we build the bricks that will take us to the next stages of product development.

What could you say to clinicians who are already comfortable using intra-oral scanners to convince them to switch to one of your products?
Pochon: During IDS, we launched a second scanner called OVO, which combines three technologies into one product: a scanner, a 2D camera and dedicated software that enables communication with the patient. In fact, what we want is that dentists don’t just use this scanner to send files to the laboratories but also use it as a communication tool with their patients. We want the patient to have an improved understanding of what the clinician wants him or her to do and what the problems are in his or her mouth. When a patient presents at the dental clinic with one problem, often the clinician will note other existing issues. We want to help the clinician explain the other issues better so that the patient can easily understand what is going on with his or her mouth.

“Using a digital solution helps keep the discussion with your patients open.” — Marie-Laure Pochon, 3DISC CEO

Luigi Zenere, 3DISC's commercial director for Europe. (Image: 3DISC)

Zenere: In order to do so, we sell our scanner with an iPad so that, after a preliminary examination, the practitioner can document the 2D and 3D scans, along with comments, an optional smile design and all monitoring data in one app on the iPad. This can then be put in the hands of the patient, and the patient can literally play with their own 3D rendering. If the clinician chooses to use the smile design feature, then the patient will be able to see the design pictures and have a clear idea of the proposed outcome of the planned procedure.

What advice would you offer to a clinician who feels overwhelmed when transitioning from analogue options to a digital workflow?
Pochon: Over and above the feeling of being overwhelmed, there is a need to understand why a certain step would be the best first step to take. It is important to first understand that using digital options ensures that you are more accurate in what you do. Utilising a digital process ensures that your crown or implant will have a better fit. Digital solutions enable improved patient communication every step of the way. It also ensures a safer workflow; you can do scans every day, two or three times per day, with zero risk to clinician or patient. A clinician can also keep far better track of the success and status of patient treatment from one visit to the next. With our scanner, you can easily check the differences between scans taken six months ago and scans taken today. Monitoring progress is very important for longer-term therapy. Using a digital solution helps keep the discussion with your patients open.

Zenere: With our scanner we have something that is called the quality map so dentists can check the quality of an impression before they send it to the laboratory. Our quality map has three easy colour schemes: green indicates that you have enough information, red indicates you do not have enough information and yellow means you are in between. With one click, you can literally see whether you have scanned in enough information or whether you just need to scan a little more around the area of interest. You don’t need to have everything green; you can focus on a particular area of interest or, if it is an orthodontic issue, you can scan the whole arch.

Do you have anything else you would like to share with our readers about 3DISC?
Pochon: Our first priority at 3DISC is to provide products that are just simple. This is key for those dentists who do not view themselves as tech-savvy. When the technology is really mature, the technology becomes simple. It is much more about bringing to the dentist something which is sufficiently simple and ready to be used widely.

Dental innovation International Dental Show Intra oral scanner Patient communication

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