Breakthrough in dental software

By ADAM GIFFORD

Listed Auckland dental practice management software company Software of Excellence has bought exclusive rights to a dental animation product developed by Dunedin company 3Dtooth.

Chief executive Paul Weatherly said the 3D Tooth product complements what Software of Excellence does, and will be offered to its 3000 customers as an option in the next upgrade of its Exact software.

"What 3D Tooth is doing is patient education - it has created animated video sequences which dentists can use to explain the different treatment options," Mr Weatherly said.

"There are other companies doing that, but what 3D Tooth has done is world class."

Mr Weatherly said 3D Tooth will continue to develop the product, and will also contribute some technology to Software of Excellence's core offering.

Software of Excellence has paid 3D Tooth "a six figure lump sum" to use the software, and will make additional payments if sales exceed projections.

3D Tooth is a spin-off from Dunedin animation specialist Ra Productions, and consists of Ra head Scott Pearson and animator Stacy Hunt, a dentist who got tired of attempting to explain the same processes over and over.

Mr Pearson said while the company was able to develop a product, "we did not have the resources to really bring it to market".

3D Tooth now intends to develop animated products for use in dental schools and for continuing education for dentists.

"They will be digital textbooks," Mr Pearson said.

3D Tooth

Software of Excellence