2023 in Retrospect: 10 Key Insights in Digital Dentistry and IOS Market
- Vagelis Yiaglissis
- Jan 10, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 17, 2024
As the year draws to a close, we are pleased to share with you the pivotal market updates that have significantly influenced the Digital Dentistry and Intraoral Scanners sector in 2023. This year has undoubtedly been a remarkable period for the dental industry, marked by substantial growth across various segments, strategic partnerships, and notable acquisitions.
Key trends we observed are software and platform ecosystems that are becoming the heart of digital dentistry highlighting an evolution within the sector. Concurrently, we've also witnessed shifts in market dynamics, including potential challenges arising from a slowdown in new appointments, which have started to make a noticeable impact on the industry.
Medit's Growth: Medit's installation of intraoral scanners grew by nearly 50% in Q1 2023 compared to last year, alongside a 44% increase in Medit Link users. This highlights Medit's robust market presence and their software's role as a key differentiator in digital dentistry solutions.
Dentsply Sirona Insights: Dentsply Sirona's investor day revealed they have over 60,000 intraoral scanner units installed, with market penetration estimated at 27-33%. Additionally, they predict that 40% of dental practices will be part of Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) within 5 years, indicating a significant shift in practice management.
Align Technology's Market Analysis: Align Technology reported over 90,000 iTero unit installations, with an estimated total of 150,000-170,000 intraoral scanner (IOS) units in the market as of 2022. They estimate a market penetration of approximately 19%, differing from Dentsply Sirona's estimations.
Straumann Group’s Expansion in China: The Straumann Group acquired AlliedStar, an IOS manufacturer in China. This move is aimed at offering competitive intraoral scanner solutions in China and addressing price-sensitive markets, aligning with their strategy to become a digitally-powered oral care company.
Medit Acquisition by MBK Partners: Medit Corp., a leading 3D dental scanner maker, was acquired by MBK Partners for 2.45 trillion won ($2 billion), indicating significant investment interest in the digital dentistry sector. The acquisition was announced at the end of 2022 and successfully completed in 2023.
SmileDirectClub's Closure: SmileDirectClub shut down operations following Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Founded in 2014, the company initially collaborated with Align Technology before pivoting to a direct-to-consumer model, highlighting the volatility and competitive nature of the dental aligner market.
Market Trends: A notable slowdown in new orthodontic appointments and adult case starts in North America was reported, impacting companies like Align Technology. This trend indicates changing market dynamics and potential challenges in the orthodontic segment.
Commitment to Open System Principles: Workflow Integrations by Dentsply Sirona and 3Shape, These companies expanded their workflow integrations, allowing for more seamless digital dentistry processes, particularly in scan-to-lab workflows and in-office manufacturing.
Intraoral Scanner Price Overview: A study provided a detailed price overview of various intraoral scanners, ranging from budget options like the Alliedstar AS 200E ($10,000 USD) to high-end models like Dentsply Sirona's Primescan ($35,000 USD). This highlights the diverse range of available technologies and price points in the market.
Intraoral Scanners Usage Study: A survey of 1,072 dentists showcases a strong daily usage of IOS, with interesting findings regarding dentist behaviour, IOS usage and ratings of different systems.
DMI Note: The insights from the study on the Intraoral Scanner (IOS) market are intriguing and valuable. However, we must carefully account for the digital bias that online surveys may present. Despite the survey indicating a high IOS usage rate of 78.8% among dentists, the reality of market adoption paints a different picture, being considerably lower. Curious about the nuances of digital bias, and seeking deeper insights into market penetration, market share, as well as the key drivers and preferences of dentists? Our team at DMI is ready and eager to provide you with our extensive market knowledge and expertise, helping you achieve your objectives with precision and clarity.
In summary, 2023 has been a year of significant transformation and progress within the digital dentistry and IOS market. From Medit's impressive growth to the strategic expansions of major players like Straumann Group and Dentsply Sirona, the landscape of digital dentistry is evolving rapidly, navigating through various challenges and embracing new opportunities.
Dental Market Insights
