User experience of 3D printing in dentistry: A transnational questionnaire survey

CAD-CAM technology and 3D printing are increasingly adopted by dental professionals, as digital dentistry technologies can help and customize treatments according to patient needs. While preliminary data on the usage, accuracy and indications of additive technologies exist there is limited scientific information on the user experience of 3D printing which can assist dentists in navigating the expanding market. Hence the aim of this trans national survey was to gather insights from dental professionals in 80 different countries on the maintenance /fees, the number and type of printers used and their accessibility in different locales.

The first part of the online questionnaire included questions on the demographic data and the individual experienc, with digital technologies while the second focused on the qualitative aspects of the specific 3D printers used.

The survey indicated that six and ten times more respondents own and are willing to invest in 3D printers compared to milling machines. Brand reputation emerged as a significant factor in the selection of both 3D printers and post-processing equipment. However, many expressed concerns on the long-term stability (24.7 %), biocompatibility (19.8 %) of 3D printed products, and the toxicity of the resins (19.8 %) used in 3D printers. Interestingly, there is a greater price variance in the of 3D printers in the two jurisdictions (ranging from $ 250 to $ 22,000), while the overall satisfaction scores of the users were relatively mixed (ranging from 3.25 to 4.22).

To our knowledge, this is the largest trans-national survey of this nature reported in the literature, to date. Our findings indicate that a three quarter of the respondents correctly believe that additive manufacturing technologies are more accurate than traditional methods. The most popular commercially available printer brands were Formlabs, Sprintray and Dentsply Sirona. Our survey highlights the transformative impact of 3D printing technology in dentistry while revealing the challenges dental professionals face in adopting these innovations.

This is the largest data collection to date on dental professionals' experiences with 3D printing in dentistry worldwide. It provides unique insights into clinical adoption, highlighting both the transformative potential and the ongoing concerns regarding safety, costs, and long-term reliability.