3D Printed Smiles and Beyond
Back in 1985, French dentist François Duret and colleagues took an idea that first emerged in the 1970’s and applied it chairside using CAD/CAM technology (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture) to create dental impressions. By replacing messy molds with digital scanning, they made capturing oral cavity data faster, more accurate and far more comfortable for patients.
Today, that legacy thrives at UFCD, where cutting edge tools like 3D printers and milling machines fabricate implants, bridges and crowns in minutes—work that once took weeks in a traditional lab. In some cases, patients walk away with
same-day restorations. Intraoral scanners capture tooth surfaces with precision, while facial scanners capture a patient’s extraoral features to ensure harmony and esthetics. Sophisticated digital software enables seamless design and treatment planning, blending scientific rigor with artistic finesse to deliver truly personalized, superior esthetic results.
A New Era of Training and Technology
Over the past four decades, dental innovation has accelerated at an extraordinary pace. For dental schools, the challenge is equipping students with the skills and fluency to navigate emerging technologies – ensuring they graduate ready to deliver the highest standard of patient care.
That’s why in late 2023, UFCD opened one of the largest digital dentistry centers of any U.S dental school. The center brings together hardware, software and expertise to give our learners hands-on experience in evaluation, treatment planning and patient care. The center features two technicians/digital designers, 25 student design stations, digital intraoral scanners, milling machines and 3D printers, as well as a suite of technologies from leading industry partners. By streamlining treatment workflows and improving accuracy, these integrated tools enable clinicians to deliver restorations of the highest quality – faster and with greater precision.
Built for the Future of Care
The UFCD Digital Dentistry Center is designed to evolve alongside the field. As new technologies emerge, they can be rapidly integrated into both training and clinical practice—keeping students, residents and faculty at the forefront of patient care.
Beyond the classroom, UFCD incorporates digital dentistry into our faculty practice center. This means patients benefit directly from customized, tech-enabled treatment planning and care delivery. The results: more accurate diagnoses, optimized treatment plans and faster, better outcomes.
At UFCD, digital dentistry isn’t just the future—it’s happening now.