Dental CAD software: the main programs for labs and clinics
Dental CAD software compared for labs and clinics: exocad, 3Shape, inLab, Blender for Dental, DWOS and AI tools, how they are licensed and who each one suits.
Dental CAD software is the program where a scan becomes a restoration: crowns, bridges, abutments, splints, dentures and models. The choice affects which scanners and mills work together, how licenses are paid and which skills the team needs. This post gives an overview of the main dental CAD programs for labs and clinics, how they are licensed and who each one suits, with links to the detailed comparisons.
The main programs
exocad DentalCAD
exocad DentalCAD is the most widespread open dental CAD in labs. It reads scans from most scanners and exports to most mills and printers, and its features come as a base license plus add-on modules for implants, bars, dentures, splints, smile design and more. Licenses are sold through resellers, as perpetual licenses or as the Flex subscription. The posts on exocad licenses and exocad system requirements cover the practical side.
3Shape Dental System
3Shape Dental System is the other large lab CAD, closely linked to 3Shape scanners and the 3Shape communication platform. It is common in labs that work mostly with clinics using 3Shape intraoral scanners. The exocad vs 3Shape vs Blender for Dental comparison explains the differences in daily work.
inLab and CEREC
Dentsply Sirona offers inLab for labs and CEREC for chairside work in the clinic, both built around its own scanners, mills and furnaces. The exocad vs inLab post compares the lab side.
Blender for Dental
Blender for Dental adds dental modules to Blender, a free open-source 3D program. The modules are paid, but the system is cheaper to start with and very flexible, with strong tools for implant bars, guides and custom work. The Blender for Dental vs exocad post explains what it does differently.
Dental Wings DWOS
DWOS is the CAD of Dental Wings, used in labs working with Dental Wings scanners and in some implant manufacturers’ workflows. It is less widespread than exocad or 3Shape in European labs.
AI and cloud tools
Cloud tools such as Dentbird propose crowns automatically and charge per design or by subscription. They are fast for simple crowns and still need a technician to check and finish the result. The Dentbird review and the post on AI in dental CAD explain what works today.
Overview
| Program | Licensing | Typical user | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| exocad DentalCAD | Perpetual or Flex, modules | Labs, design centers | Open, wide module range |
| 3Shape Dental System | License and service plans | Labs in 3Shape networks | Integration with 3Shape scanners |
| inLab and CEREC | Dentsply Sirona system | Labs and clinics on Sirona hardware | Closed chain from scan to mill |
| Blender for Dental | Free Blender plus paid modules | Labs, designers, clinics | Flexibility, cost |
| DWOS | Dental Wings license | Labs on Dental Wings systems | Integration with its scanners |
| AI cloud tools | Per design or subscription | Labs and clinics | Speed on simple crowns |
Free options
No free version of exocad DentalCAD or 3Shape Dental System exists. What is free and what only looks free is covered in free dental CAD software, from Blender to Meshmixer and the tools inside scanner portals.
How to choose
Start from the work the lab or clinic actually does and from the scanners and mills it already uses. An open system such as exocad gives the most freedom in choosing hardware. A closed chain is simpler when everything comes from one manufacturer. Training matters as much as the license: software the team does not know well costs more in remakes than it saves.
Teams that want to learn exocad on their own cases can start with exocad training, and those who need designs without building the skill in-house can use outsourced CAD design.
Frequently asked questions
Which dental CAD software is the most used?
In labs, exocad DentalCAD and 3Shape Dental System are the most widespread. In clinics, chairside systems such as inLab and CEREC from Dentsply Sirona and the software tied to intraoral scanners are common.
Is there free dental CAD software?
There is no free version of exocad DentalCAD or 3Shape Dental System. Blender is free, and Blender for Dental adds paid dental modules on top. Some scanner ecosystems include simple free design tools.
Which dental CAD software should a beginner learn?
The one used where you want to work. In most European labs that is exocad, so it is the most useful start. 3Shape is common in labs and networks built around 3Shape scanners.
Can AI replace dental CAD software?
Not today. AI tools propose crowns and other restorations quickly, but the result still needs checking and finishing in a CAD program, and the technician stays responsible for the design.