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ePaper created 2018-01-31, 10:01:59 | version 1.38.0
| interview “A truly open solution” open solution by DTI At the latest Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM), global dental imaging technology specialist 3DISC showcased its newly developed Heron IOS scan- ner. Dental Tribune International had the opportunity to speak with Sigrid Smitt Goldman, CEO and Executive Chairman of the 3DISC group, about the company’s entry into the intraoral scanner market and what sets the device apart from competing products. Sigrid Smitt Goldman, CEO and Executive Chairman of the 3DISC group, with the company’s Heron IOS scanner during the 2017 Greater New York Dental Meeting. After a two-year development process, you show- cased the market-ready Heron IOS in New York. What were priorities in the development of the scanner? The Heron’s lightweight design and ability to update in real time make it an essential tool in the contempo- rary dental practice. In development, we focused on er- gonomics for the dentist and comfort for the patient. Recognising that size and flexibility in scanning are es- sential, we developed a small, lightweight hand- and mouthpiece with a 360° rotating tip for maximum flexi- bility and comfort when scanning the upper and lower arches. Were there any challenges you had to overcome in the development process? During the development process, we took initial con- cepts to dentists early on in the design phase and were 54 CAD/CAM 1 2018 quite surprised to find that they had very different ap- proaches to some basic things, like how they would pick the unit up. Some used a pen grip, others lifted it from the top. This feedback led to several changes to the shape of the unit and drove the design of the 360° rotating tip that allows the scanner to be comfortably held and used in every situation. When will the device be available to customers and in which markets? We open for sales in Europe and USA in the first quar- ter of 2018 and the first scanners will be in clinics early in the second quarter. “The 360° rotating tip allows the scanner to be comfortably held and used in every situation.” Increasingly, dental manufacturers are introducing open solutions. Is Heron IOS compatible with solu- tions other than those of 3DISC too? Yes, the scanner output is entirely open, providing both STL and PLY format, and expected to be compatible with most open dental CAD systems. Our QuantorClinic software is a combination of our own scan software and exocad’s DB software, with den- talshare as the primary laboratory sharing tool. It facil- itates order management, scanning, validation, com- menting and order submission to the laboratory. The Heron offers an all-in-one application accessible from one interface—a truly open solution with what we believe is one of the market’s best-optioned CAD inte- grations. Have you already planned any updates, such as in- troducing a wireless Heron IOS version in the future? Naturally, the development of the solution does not end with the upcoming launch. We primarily expect updates on the software side, such as improvements to the free QuantorClinic software license that comes with the scan- ner. This means that dentists that order the first-genera- tion software now will automatically get the updates with their software at no extra charge.