‘A truly open solution’ - 3DISC’s new Heron IOS scanner to be introduced

At this year’s Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM), imaging company 3DISC is showcasing its newly developed Heron IOS scanner. Dental Tribune Online had the opportunity to speak with Sigrid Smitt Goldman, CEO and executive chairman of 3DISC Americas, about the company’s entry into the intraoral scanner market and what sets the device apart from competing products.

fter a two-year development process, you are showcasing 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 contemporary dental practice. In development, we focused on ergonomics for the dentist and comfort for the patient. Recognizing that size and flexibility in scanning are essential, we developed a small, lightweight hand and mouthpiece with a 360° rotating tip for maximum flexibility and comfort when scanning the upper and lower arches.

Where there any challenges you had to overcome in the development process?

During the development process, we took initial concepts to dentists early on in the design phase and were quite surprised to find that they had very different approaches 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 the first quarter of 2018 and the first scanners will be in clinics early in the second quarter.

Increasingly, dental manufacturers are introducing open solutions. Is Heron IOS compatible with solutions 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 dentalshare as the primary laboratory sharing tool. It facilitates order management, scanning, validation, commenting 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 integrations.

Have you already planned any updates, such as introducing 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 scanner. This means that dentists that order the first-generation software now will automatically get the updates with their software at no extra charge.