CAD/CAM dental systems may assist dental practices and labs to cope with increased load in case of staff shortage. The connection of scanning, digital designing and manufacturing allows getting rid of repetitive work and avoidable handoffs. CAD/CAM systems do not replace qualified clinicians or technicians but allow to enhance the productivity of the people you already have.
How CAD/CAM Dental Systems Assist with Staff Shortages
With Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), restoration manufacturing goes into the scope of digital workflow. No need to rely on physical impressions, manual handling of models, duplicate data entry and multiple back-and-forths: a team can scan the case, design it, prepare manufacturing instructions and manufacture the restoration or appliance from the corresponding digital files.
This is important since staffing remains one of the major concerns in the business world. According to the outlook for 2026, prepared by the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, 54.2% of responding dentists name staffing as one of the top-three challenges in their work. The aim of dental CAD/CAM is not to accelerate the work of the under-staffed office. This is to exclude low-value operations, to standardize repeatable tasks and to ensure that the attention of the specialists remains focused on patients, design, manufacturing, finishing, quality control and communication.
Product and Service Overview
The dental CAD/CAM system is the suite of digital instruments that is used for capturing, designing and manufacturing dental restoration and appliances. The complete solution is the set of scanners, CAD software, CAM software, milling machine or 3D printer, approved materials, finishing instruments and technical support.
Axsys Dental Solutions provides the open digital systems for practices, laboratories and milling centers. The product line covers scanners, software for design and manufacturing, Versamill dental machining centers, 3D printers, sintering furnaces, tooling, restorative materials, implant components. Since the system is open, the customer has the possibility to choose the compatible components depending on clinical needs, production goals, existing technologies and budget.
CAD and CAM Are Not the Same
The two terms may be grouped together since they belong to the same process but they play different roles:
CAD, or Computer-Aided Design, transforms the scanned data into the virtual restoration, which has defined borders, contacts, occlusion and anatomy.
CAM, or Computer-Aided Manufacturing, transforms the designed restoration into the milling or 3D printing instructions.
Manufacturing device transforms the design into the final restoration from the compatible blank, disc, block or printable material.
When the proper matching of the parts takes place, the files go through the consistent process. This allows documenting the knowledge and transferring it between the employees.
Features That Help a Short-Staffed Dental Team
The best dental CAD/CAM systems are not just quick machines but the set of software, hardware, materials and services forming the consistent and comprehensible workflow.
The most important workforce-focused features are:
- Connected case data. The scans, designs, manufacturing files and notes remain associated, eliminating the transcription and misplacement of the information.
- Guided design tools. The software helps to automate the routine operations while a trained specialist performs crucial decision
- Automated CAM strategies. The established nesting and toolpathing minimize the repetitive setup and operator variability.
- Multi-axis milling. Suitable five-axis machines are able to reach complicated geometry and cover different indications.
- Job queuing. The automation or loading capabilities ensure continuous movement of approved cases while employees perform other activities.
- Digital traceability. The saved files help to check the previous case, reproduce the design, solve problems and collaborate.
- Compatibility of the open systems. The teams get more freedom to use the scanners, software, machines and materials.
- Training and support. The education makes the learning curve shorter and decreases the dependence on one “expert”.
The choice of the features depends on the particular practice or lab. The same-day workflow is not the same as the manufacturing of full-arches.
Benefits of CAD/CAM Dental Systems During a Labor Shortage
Increased Capacity Without the Direct Proportionality of the Same Manual Work
After the design has been approved by the trained person, the software and equipment can perform some parts of the preparation and manufacturing. One employee can supervise the production queue while checking the quality or finishing another restoration. The capacity can be increased without the same proportion of manual work.
Reduced Handoffs and Administrative Burden
The digital workflow minimizes the number of impression shipping, model handling, manual instructions and file conversion. Less handoffs equals less delays and better clarity regarding the case status for clinical, front-office and production teams.
Improved Consistency Across Shifts and Operators
The saved parameters, libraries, calibrated devices and standardization of the quality check become more reproducible than memory-based operations. For the newer employees, this means the clear path to competency while experienced staff saves the time spent on the recreation of routine settings.
Decrease the Labor Consumption Associated with Avoidable Remakes
The digital tools do not eliminate the remakes. The preparation, scanning, design, materials, calibration, tooling, finishing and the technique in clinic all are crucial for the good outcome. However, the controlled process allows to identify the errors more easily and reliable digital data decrease the labor consumption associated with avoidable reworks.
Increase Convenience and Resilience
For the applicable cases, the chairside CAD/CAM technology allows performing the single visit dentistry. This eliminates the necessity of the second visit scheduling, temporary restoration activities and follow-up calls. Digital files are easier to transfer to a qualified production partner than the physical work.
In case staffing pressure slows down your restorative workflow, Axsys Dental Solutions can help you to understand what steps of your process are suitable for digital automation and what CAD/CAM configuration suits your team.
Applications and Indications of CAD/CAM Dental Systems
The CAD/CAM technology is used in a variety of restorative and appliance workflows. The exact indications depend on the scanner, software, manufacturing device, material instructions and clinical needs.
The most common applications are:
- Crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers
- Bridges and other multi-unit restorations
- Crowns on implants and custom abutments workflows
- Full-arch and overdentures components
- Temporary restorations and diagnostic provisionals
- Dentures and removable prostheses workflows
- Models, guides, splints and some orthodontic appliances
- Wax, PMMA, zirconia, glass-ceramic, composite, titanium, cobalt-chrome and other suitable materials
Practices may focus on certain restorations at the point of care. For laboratories, the priorities may be high throughput, material options and in-house production. The milling centers need the reliable queuing and equipment for the intense schedule.
How the Digital Workflow Can Save Labor
The labor-efficient workflow is the consistent sequence of the steps and not the set of the isolated devices. Below, there is the example of how a typical case can flow through the system:
- Capture the case. An intraoral scanner records the clinical picture or a desktop scanner scans the model. The operator checks the scan before the further actions.
- Validate the prescription. The material, shade, due date and design instructions should be attached to avoid chasing of the lacking information.
- Design the restoration. A trained user defines the margin and adjusts the anatomy, contacts and occlusion before approving the design.
- Prepare manufacturing. The CAM software nests the case and calculates toolpaths for the selected equipment, tooling and material.
- Mill or print. The machine repeats the production routine while the employees perform the other tasks.
- Finish and verify. The trained people finish the restoration according to the requirements and check the result.
- Retain the record. The saved files are useful for remakes, audits, continuous improvement and future care.
The labor saving comes from the avoidance of the duplicative work between the steps. If the scan must be exported manually, renamed several times, re-imported to the other software and matched with a paper ticket, the company has digitized its equipment but not its workflow.
Chairside CAD/CAM for the Understaffed Dental Practices
The chairside CAD/CAM can facilitate the chosen restorative appointments. In the planned single visit workflow, the practice scans, designs, manufactures, finishes and seats the restoration without any external production cycle.
According to the Axsys Dental Solutions, Versamill Chairmaxx is the right device for the single visit dentistry. For the proper practice, it allows to reduce the amount of temporary restoration, second-visit scheduling, shipping and case status calls.
The chairside milling is not suitable for each case. The practice needs the space, defined responsibilities, training, validated materials, maintenance and realistic scheduling. The hybrid approach may allow to keep the laboratory support without overloading the clinic staff.
In-House Laboratory Automation for the Laboratories and Milling Centers
The in-house laboratory automation can reduce the dependence on the outside production. The automation is helpful in case the technicians spend too much time on the loading of repetitive jobs, managing of inconsistent files or setup repetition.
The automation-ready milling machines can separate machine time from the manual work of the technicians. The specialists are responsible for the approval of the strategy, management of materials and tooling and verification of the result but the machine performs the production cycle while they focus on the work needing the decision.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts about 7,700 annual openings, on average, for dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians in 2024-2034 mainly due to replacement of the leaving workers. This pressure increases the value of the documentable and shareable workflow.
How to Assess the Return on Investment
Do not compare just the cost of the equipment with the salary of the employee. It is necessary to understand how the system will affect the cost, time, capacity and reliability of each case.
It is recommended to track the baseline before purchasing, including:
- case volume by indication and material
- outsourced production and shipping costs
- hands-on labor by the workflow step
- remake, adjustment and rush rates
- turnaround time and machine downtime
- software, training, tooling, maintenance, materials
- expected utilization at the current and projected volume
Assess the conservative, expected and high volume scenarios, taking into account the ramp-up time. The credible business case is the combination of the capacity, turnaround, consistency, decreased outsourcing and patient convenience rather than one dramatic labor saving promise.
The Practical Implementation Plan for a Small Team
The technology relieves the pressure only when the implementation process is manageable. The phased approach helps to avoid disruption of the patient care and production during the learning period.
- Define the workflow. Mark the delays, duplicative entries, errors and operations known only to one employee.
- Choose the application. Start with the repeatable and sufficiently frequent case type and clear quality standard.
- Assign the responsibility. Define the primary and backup operator for each step; cross-training is mandatory for the lean team.
- Document the procedure. Describe the naming conventions, materials, machining strategies, tool changes, maintenance, inspection and escalation procedures.
- Protect the training time. Use the realistic cases without overloading the learning by emergencies.
- Measure the results. After 30, 60 and 90 days, assess labor, throughput, remake rate, downtime and team feedback.
- Expand gradually. Add materials or indications after the first workflow becomes reliable.
Why Choose Axsys Dental Solutions?
The efficiency of CAD/CAM depends on the integration, training, strategies, materials, tooling and services, not just on the specifications.
The main advantages of Axsys Dental Solutions for the customers solving the workflow and staffing issues:
- customized system design. The experts configure the solution for an upgrade or for the new workflow.
- open digital workflow. The clients have the possibility to choose the compatible components according to their needs, budget and plans.
- broad portfolio. Scanners, software, Versamill machines, printers, furnaces, tooling, materials and components can be configured together.
- production environment diversity. The range includes from chairside milling to five-axis machining with higher capacity.
- training and support. The education can help the team to create the repeatable procedures, cross-train and keep the uptime.
- manufacturing experience. Axsys knows how software, machines, tooling, fixturing and materials work together.
The integration is critical for the lean team. The solution-oriented provider can help to define both the workflow and support plan before the production starts.
The CAD/CAM dental systems can relieve the staff shortages by decreasing the repetitive work, reducing handoffs and helping the employees to focus on the value-added operations. The system works better when the match to the demand, the cross-training and the measurement of the results take place.
The practices can benefit from the smooth chairside workflow and fewer second visits. The laboratories and milling centers can benefit from the increased throughput and the production control. In either case, the thought-out automation is more important than just a purchase of the machine.
Ready to create the more productive digital workflow with the team you have today? Call Axsys Dental Solutions at (855) 687-7941 to discuss the scanners, CAD/CAM software, Versamill dental milling machines, training and customized solution.