Digital dentistry: from buying technology to adopting it
Processes, training, integration and practical indicators: turning dental technology into a workflow the whole team can use.
DENTAL INNOVATION · INSIGHT
Intraoral scanning and cloud: connecting practice and laboratory workflows
Lorenzo Riccelli · Dental Innovation
A scan becomes useful when the right information reaches the people who need it, in the right context. When choosing an intraoral system, it is therefore worth looking beyond acquisition to review, sharing, design and the management of laboratory requests.
Cloud services can connect these steps. Their value depends on the features available and how the team incorporates them into daily work. Scanning speed remains one factor to assess alongside others; equivalent performance across all systems should not be assumed.
Storage, collaboration and acquisition are different functions
“Cloud” can describe very different services. To compare them, I suggest separating three questions:
- Where is the data stored? Check storage arrangements, availability of copies and export options.
- How is the case shared? Assess recipients, permissions, messaging and version control.
- Where does processing take place? Distinguish work performed on the device from activities requiring remote services.
This is a practical assessment framework, not an official classification of scanners. A local architecture does not automatically make a system obsolete; what matters is whether it supports the intended work.
What changes in collaboration with the laboratory
For Primescan 2 with DS Core, Dentsply Sirona describes data acquisition within the cloud platform and sharing with the laboratory. The Italian product page also specifies that a paid subscription is required. This is a concrete example of integration, not evidence of universal superiority. [1]
Operationally, I suggest evaluating a platform through an actual handover: does the laboratory receive the correct version? Are the instructions complete? Is it clear who should respond when further information is requested?
Bringing files and communication into one environment can help, but it does not automatically make a case complete. Clear responsibilities and a shared approach to identifying approved data are still needed.
CAD, cloud and artificial intelligence are not interchangeable
An online service does not demonstrate that software can diagnose or design a prosthesis independently. Each feature should be assessed for what it actually enables the user to do.
Align presents the exocad-based iTero Design Suite as software for designing models, splints and restorations for production workflows. This describes a CAD capability; it does not establish that the entire process runs in a browser or produces autonomous diagnoses. [2]
For a feature presented as AI, the useful questions are specific: which activity does it support, what data does it use and what oversight does the operator need to provide? I would avoid attributing a clinical benefit to AI simply because cloud services are available.
Test connectivity and operational continuity
There is no single bandwidth threshold that applies to every platform. Before adoption, consult the chosen system’s requirements and test the network in the spaces where it will actually be used. Dentsply Sirona provides dedicated resources covering Internet requirements and Primescan 2 configuration. [3]
An operational trial should also cover exceptions: what happens if the connection drops? Which activities remain available? How is an incomplete transfer recovered? Answers should come from the documentation and terms of service.
Data protection: technology and organisation
Cloud services do not automatically make data processing secure or compliant. In the European context, the GDPR also governs relationships with data processors and requires technical and organisational measures appropriate to the risk. [4]
Platform assessment should therefore clarify roles, access, retention, terms for data return or deletion, and any transfers outside the European Economic Area. The assessment concerns both the service and its actual use, supported by appropriate privacy and IT expertise.
Assess the cost of the whole process
When comparing offers, I suggest including subscriptions, additional services, training, support and the work required to export or transfer cases. Any reduction in local IT activity needs to be checked; savings are not guaranteed for every practice.
An initial trial can track incomplete handovers, clarification requests and response times. These are useful organisational indicators for understanding adoption, not automatic evidence of clinical improvement.
Value lies in the quality of the connections
Cloud services become meaningful when they make shared, verifiable information easier to work with. The choice should begin with the desired workflow and the people involved, then identify the tools that support them.
This is the principle behind digital dentistry adoption. It remains distinct from acquisition quality, explored in the article on full-arch photogrammetry.
Sources
- Dentsply Sirona, Primescan 2, official Italian documentation: dentsplysirona.com
- Align Technology, Restorative Dentistry — iTero Design Suite: itero.com
- Dentsply Sirona, Primescan 2 Resource Hub: dentsplysirona.com
- Regulation (EU) 2016/679, particularly Articles 28 and 32 and Chapter V: EUR-Lex
Manufacturer sources support the stated features, not comparative clinical effectiveness claims. Documentation reviewed: 4 October 2026. Availability and terms may vary by market and configuration.
