Dr. Joerd van der Meer

3D technology and digital workflows are a portent of radical changes in the dental profession in general but also in specialized fields, such as endodontics. Whether it’s being applied to support spatial skills during undergraduate training or to plan a difficult clinical case, 3D technology can be applied in some form. The digital workflows consist of a digital acquisition phase, a planning and design phase and a production phase and are especially suitable for planning difficult clinical cases. Because all of the phases of the digital workflow have undergone tremendous developments in the last 10 years, we can expect this to have a huge impact on our work. Eventually this technological shift should lead to highly reliable treatment results with an unsurpassed quality in our clinical work.

Objectives:

• Explore the potential of 3D technology and digital workflows in endodontics
• Highlight the potential harbingers of an irreversible change in our conventional dental pursuits.
• Discuss what is still needed to bring all of the technologies together to start this irreversible process of change
• Answer the question - is the future of endodontics truly digital?

Dr. Joerd van der Meer graduated in 1989 at the dental school at the University of Groningen. During his study he also followed several hardware and software courses. He has worked as researcher and trainee at the Endodontic department of the University of Nijmegen.

Since 2002 he has joined the Medical Centre and University Hospital of Groningen where he specialized in 3D technology like the cone-beam CT, 3D scanners and 3D preoperative surgical planning. Since 2009 he has been Honorary Research Associate at the University College of London Eastman Dental Institute.

"Adhesive Technology Innovations for Esthetic Dentistry"

Chairman: Dr. Dennis Fasbinder