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The New Dental Checkup – AI Powered Dental Diagnostics
With the launch of the 3Shape TRIOS 6 intraoral scanner and its exclusively compatible AI-assistive Dx Plus diagnostic software, the diagnostic routine may undergo a profound transformation.
In this blog post, Dr. Jan Paulics looks at the conventional patient checkup and compares it with one performed with the new TRIOS 6 and AI-assistive Dx Plus diagnostic software.
A change, he says, will redefine your diagnostic routine, improve communication, and build better understanding between you and your patients.
The Traditional Dental Checkup
Dr. Jan Paulics: As we know, the routine dental patient checkup is a structured and detailed diagnostic process that ensures patient health, identifies emerging issues, and informs treatment planning.
I won’t go through each step as we are all familiar with the checkup. But as you know, the process begins before we even pick up the mirror or probe. We, or our assistant, review the patient’s journal.
This means looking at our notes or X-rays from months ago and trying to create an image in our mind of how the patient looks.
If we compare X-rays, we need to put them up next to each other and physically measure the changes. If not, we make a qualified estimate.
For me, the challenge has always been remembering what happened last time. Getting all those facts straight and not forgetting to check something that you may have checked last time. Or even remembering that you wanted to check something the next time the patient visits.
In addition, being able to compare the data accurately is very challenging. Am I measuring in the same place? If I am doing a pocket probing, it's extremely tough to find the same position every time you measure.
So, for me, I would say the main challenges with the traditional patient checkup are consistency and recall.
We are relying heavily on our memory – comparing current conditions with past visits, trying to recall exactly where and what was observed, and ensuring no areas are overlooked.
This is where digital diagnostics with TRIOS 6 and Dx Plus software can revolutionize your patient experience and care.
How AI Elevates Your Dental Diagnostics
3Shape TRIOS 6 and Dx Plus software leverage artificial intelligence with your intraoral scans to provide you with a second set of eyes. The solutions provide you with impartial feedback that is objective, precise, consistent, and never gets tired or stressed. It does what it does the same way, every time.
That objectivity not only reduces diagnostic errors but also saves you time. Your appointments become more productive and more focused on decision-making, not data-gathering.
A 3Shape Market Survey found that nearly half of all dentists polled spent 50% of their time on patient exams. AI’s speed and predictability could certainly help make your checkups more efficient.
Redefining the Dental Checkup
Doing your dental diagnostic exams digitally changes everything. Here are three important ways I believe a digital exam will significantly benefit your practice and the patient experience.
3 ways your dental diagnostic checkup will never be the same
1
The digital diagnostic checkup begins with a TRIOS 6 intraoral scan. When you view the scan in the 3Shape Unite software you activate the Dx Plus software which then assists you with diagnostics on the scan: helping you to identify plaque, tooth wear erosion, gingiva recession and surface caries.
2
Dx Plus software enables you to compare the present scan with your earlier scans to precisely quantify changes to your patient’s oral situation over time.
3
Your patients see a 3D image of their own teeth on-screen, with color-coded indications showing areas of concern. But even more powerful is the ability to compare scans over time: “This was your tooth wear last year – now look at it today.” Visual evidence makes it easier for your patients to understand the need for treatment and accept proposed procedures.
You are showing your patients, using digital scans, what’s happening in their mouths. The days of vague descriptions or unclear X-rays are over.
I also believe that this transparency builds better understanding. Patients are no longer left wondering if they truly need treatment. They see the evidence with their own eyes, participate in the decision-making process, and are more likely to accept and adhere to your treatment plans.
In a conversation I had with renowned practitioner, Dr. Nazariy Mykhaylyuk at IDS 2025, he reiterated the point, saying: “the transparency that TRIOS 6 and the software bring to your dentistry will help patients make the right decisions about their treatments. Treatment proposals will no longer be based solely on what your doctor tells you, but because you now see the problem onscreen for yourself.”
Streamlining Your Patient Record-Keeping
Dx Plus software is being integrated with Practice Management Solutions. This could be a huge step for practice efficiency. Instead of having to manually type in observations, the integration would automatically update your patient charts with precise data—eliminating any errors and reducing the administrative burden on your team.
This would certainly improve the continuity of your care. When a patient returns after six months or a year, you can instantly compare the new scan with the previous one. Dx Plus highlights the changes and allows you to focus on areas of concern, rather than trying to recall or re-measure changes to the oral situation manually.
The Game Changer - Patient Communications
The visual aspect of digital diagnostics also creates a radical change to your communications with your patient.
When we bombard a patient with tons of information on how they should better care for their teeth, they are at a disadvantage. They may be nervous, or even scared, so they only remember half of what you told them when they’ve left your operatory.
In the old checkup, you might give them a brochure or leaflet to take home and read.
For the digital checkup, you show them first with images and now even better, 3Shape has a patient mobile app dedicated to patients, DentalHealth.
3Shape DentalHealth mobile app
The digital checkup begins with visualizing scan results together in the practice. Now, with 3Shape’s DentalHealth app, patients can take those visuals home to support better understanding and ongoing engagement in their oral health.
DentalHealth enables patients to take home their scans and diagnostic results. They can see what’s happening in their mouths and make educated decisions based on your recommendations. In the app, you can also give them instructions on what they need to do. And they can even compare their scans with old ones and see their changes over time.
You are transparently educating your patients and strengthening your dentist-patient relationship. Patients feel that their care is tailored to them, not generic. It’s their scan, their treatment plan, and their oral health.
Revolutionizing the patient experience with digital dental diagnostics
Digital dental diagnostic tools are not about replacing dentists. They’re about supporting you with another set of eyes. As dentistry continues to evolve, tools like TRIOS 6 and Dx Plus software will play a central role in redefining what it means to deliver quality oral healthcare.
I believe with these new tools every dental visit will not only be more efficient but also significantly improve your patients’ experience and be more empowering for both you and them.
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