Though once considered an innovative breakthrough, 3D printing is now a well-established tool in the dental industry. From digital scanning to immediate intramural manufacturing, the technology has become growingly accessible, well-integrated into workflows, and easy to use. With successful implementation, dental practitioners can further their practices, maximising the technology’s value by empowering the entire dental team to use it confidently.
Trusting your tools and your team
In the majority of clinics, 3D printers are still treated like a specialist tool. Training merely a few individuals within a workplace on equipment so vast in potential is a huge disservice in itself. However, the more individuals within the practice able to operate the equipment, the better the team can fully maximise on its potential. Furthermore, the team approach towards a 3D printer deems it an even more attractive investment for practices currently without one.
Though it can be daunting to offload responsibility and skillsets to colleagues, it is already being successfully achieved in many areas of the profession. For example, dental nurses are progressively becoming trained in a plethora of departments and roles.[i]
Expanding their expertise not only benefits practice efficiency, but also improves the team’s agility and adaptability. Increasing accessibility of tools such as 3D printers to more colleagues allows the practice to gain flexibility in its clinical workflows and eventually, builds business resilience. Trained staff can help speed up appointments, developing more trusted and dynamic relationships with patients, and significantly expanding the prospect of business growth.[ii]
Strategic upskilling
Upskilling actually means saving costs in the future. With dental nurses able to safely share the workload, dental practitioners are able to utilise their time more efficiently. When dentists are able to delegate tasks, they have more time to focus on higher value treatment or seeing more patients. A survey exploring the motivation and job satisfaction around upskilling dental nurses proves the benefits to be immeasurable. With additional responsibility granted, team members feel greater recognition, improved collaboration with peers, and overarchingly, develop higher job satisfaction.[iii] With practices nationwide facing recruitment and retention challenges, these elements are absolutely essential. Practices demonstrating innovative methods of staff delegation and digital progression attract talented and ambitious clinicians and team members who seek to work with modern tools in a mutually-trusting work environment.[iv] This undoubtedly leads to a higher calibre of applicants, only bettering practices; the return on investment is incredibly valuable.
One of the theorised inhibitions of 3D printing is that the knowledge needed to ensure efficient equipment operation relies on extensive training and time. However, leading dental systems today often do not require the degree of preparations anticipated. Short, practical onboarding sessions for team members can encourage the confidence and skills necessary to navigate tools and understand processes. Dental nurses’ clinical confidence increases, as well as their communication and responsiveness with patients.[v] This concept also provides positive career development for individuals, further benefiting the practice and again building confidence and morale within the team.
Investing in the right tools
The reality is that in a post-pandemic world, patients expect flexibility and speed of treatment, something that makes a huge difference to where patients choose to go to for their dental care. 3D printing provides the opportunity for same-day dentistry, leading to the faster, more affordable solutions patient desire. Additionally, patient benefits of being treated using a 3D printer include more personalised care,[vi] improved treatment predictability and precision, enhanced comfort,[vii] and even benefits regarding health and sustainability such as lower radiation exposure.[viii] Of course, progressing a team and practice requires more than merely enthusiasm, but the right tools too. 3D printers are an investment, require relevant training, and proper maintenance.
The SprintRay Midas 3D printer addresses these obstacles directly. Designed specifically for rapid chairside use, Midas has the ability to create high-quality crowns, veneers, indirect fillings, and more, whilst offering same-day dentistry with a turnaround of just 45 minutes for a single crown from design to placement. Reduced chair time optimises chair efficiency for practitioners, and creates time to spend with more patients. Moreover, the product requires minimal training, with error-free technology.
Investing in 3D printing is more than merely introducing a new machine, it is the beginning of an investment into the whole team and practice future. New technology is good, but implementing it with a shared team ethos is great. When revolutionary tools and extensive usage of such are implemented into daily practice, the rewards are endless: shortening treatment time, enhancing engagement, boosting team morale, and improving business performance. Advancing with tools such as 3D printers can often be deemed unnecessary due to perceived usage. However, return on investment is absolutely worthwhile when fully utilising the equipment, which includes training the whole team.
For more information on the 3D printing solutions available from SprintRay, please visit https://sprintray.com/en-uk/
Author: Ross Phillips – SprintRay Area Manager UK & Nordics
[i] Gnich, W., Deas, L., Mackenzie, S. et al. (2014) Extending dental nurses’ duties: a national survey investigating skill-mix in Scotland’s child oral health improvement programme (Childsmile). BMC Oral Health 14, 137 https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6831-14-137
[ii] Simran Sethi, Dr. Vijit Chaturvedi, Dr. Pushpa Kataria , A Review of Upskilling in the Healthcare Sector with special emphasis on Nurses.(2023).Int. J. Life Sci. Pharma Res.13(4), L1-L11 http://dx.doi.org/10.22376/ijlpr.2023.13.4.SP6.L1-L11
[iii] AlKatheri, N., Niven, V., Sayers, M. et al. (2025)A survey to explore the motivation, scope of practice, job satisfaction and timings of procedures undertaken by dental nurses with additional duties at one NHS trust. Br Dent J https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-8272-0
[iv] Onabolu, O., McDonald, F. & Gallagher, J. (2018). High job satisfaction among orthodontic therapists. BDJ Team 5, 18055 https://doi.org/10.1038/bdjteam.2018.55
[v] Kerr, D., Ostaszkiewicz, J., Dunning, T., & Martin, P. (2020). The effectiveness of training interventions on nurses’ communication skills: A systematic review. Nurse education today, 89, 104405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104405
[vi] Dawood, A., Marti, B., Sauret-Jackson, V. et al. 3D printing in dentistry. Br Dent J 219, 521–529 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2015.914
[vii] Alyami M. H. (2024). The Applications of 3D-Printing Technology in Prosthodontics: A Review of the Current Literature. Cureus, 16(9), e68501. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.68501
[viii] Tack, P., Victor, J., Gemmel, P. et al. 3D-printing techniques in a medical setting: a systematic literature review. BioMed Eng OnLine 15, 115 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12938-016-0236-4
