A great business should aim to make things better by improving the quality of life of its customers. What I’m most proud of in the dental industry is our shared principle of service to others — and I’ve worked ceaselessly to make sure that’s been the true north star of my business for over 50 years. In practice, in our Glidewell way, that’s meant relying on innovation to make treatment better, faster and ultimately more accessible.

Digital dentistry is the most disruptive field of innovation I’ve seen in my career. In less than a decade, over half of all dentists implemented digital scanners and virtually every lab installed CAD/ CAM systems. Guesswork? Gone. Off days? Largely gone. We’re left with programmatic precision and predictable outcomes on both sides of the dentist-lab equation. And because of this sea change, we have more ability than ever to extend the reach of our care — to help patients who previously had no access to treatment.

You might be objecting right about now: “Insurance reimbursements are down. Staff costs are up. My lease renewal is eye-watering. I need big-dollar cases for my practice to survive.” By no means do I mean to downplay the financial realities of today’s practitioner. But, I want to offer you an alternate pathway: Allow Glidewell’s digital tools to reduce your everyday costs, and gain the freedom to treat every patient in need.

We’ve partnered with Medit to offer the fastscan.io™ Scanning Solution. If you scan and send a case to our lab, you’ll save $20 per unit and $9 on shipping. After just 11 crowns, that’s $319 in savings, which more than covers the monthly payment of your new scanner. Each crown afterward delivers pure savings: Your lab cost for the average restorative case is reduced by over 25%, and you have an opportunity to pass those savings on to patients whose finances get in the way of treatment acceptance. And that’s accelerated even more if you adopt our glidewell.io™ In-Office Mill and create crowns in your practice.

Cost-savings are just one benefit offered by digital tools. While my passion lies in broadening the reach of dentistry, throughout this issue of Chairside^® magazine you’ll find articles that demonstrate the speed, control and simplicity of these technologies. We’ve dedicated this issue to all things digital, and I encourage you to consider if these innovations are right for your practice.