exocad DentalDB: organize orders and the case archive

DentalDB is the first window of exocad and the one many technicians fill in as fast as possible to get to the design. That is a pity, because a well-kept DentalDB is the lab’s case archive: who ordered what, for which patient, in which material, and where every file is. This post explains how to use exocad DentalDB to organize orders and the archive, based on the official documentation and on how I set it up in labs.

Fill in the job so the case can be found later

Every job in DentalDB has a client, a patient or case name, a technician and notes. Fill them in the same way every time. A client list kept clean, without the same clinic entered three ways, makes searching possible a year later. The patient field should follow the lab’s rule for names or pseudonyms, consistent with its data protection policy.

The Notes field is the place for what the next person needs: implant system and components, tooth library, aesthetic requests or anything unusual in the prescription. Notes written there travel with the case instead of staying in an email.

Tooth definitions drive the design

Clicking on the teeth in the arch sets the restoration type and material for each position. Connectors are created automatically with a pontic and can be toggled between adjacent crowns, and a red toggle means the materials of the two teeth do not allow a connector. The antagonist and the scan mode, such as an intraoral scan, are set here as well.

These choices decide the wizard steps, the material parameters and the cement gap, so a wrong definition costs time later in the design. It is the first of the habits in 5 exocad mistakes that slow down your workflow. Choosing the right material configuration matters too: exocad maintains configurations with material manufacturers and distributes them through dentalshare.

Project folders and the archive

When the job is saved, DentalDB creates a project folder with the project file, preview, scans and construction files. The status indicators show whether scan, design, upload and CAM are completed, and Open in explorer opens the folder. Images and documents, such as clinic photos, can be dragged into the case so they stay with it.

Decide where these folders live before the archive grows. A shared drive or server that all workstations use, with a clear structure, is easier to back up and search than folders scattered over several computers.

Duplicates and variants

Duplicate in the Project menu copies a job into a new one, with a new folder and the option to include scans and construction files. The design scene file is not duplicated, to avoid inconsistencies when the job description changes. When a variant of a design is needed, exocad suggests copying the scene file by hand into the new project folder.

Backups and handover

The archive is part of the lab’s records for custom-made devices, so it needs a real backup: automatic, to a second location, and tested by restoring a case at least once. The dentalshare action sends a case to a partner, and Upload and Copy send designs to a production center or a manufacturing folder. For sending scans from clinics, see scanner portals.

Sources

• exocad wiki, DentalDB application

Frequently asked questions

Where does exocad save the cases?

When a job is saved, DentalDB creates a project folder that holds the project file, preview, scans and construction files. The button Open in explorer in DentalDB opens that folder directly.

Can I copy a case to make a variant?

Yes, with Duplicate in the Project menu, which creates a new job and folder and can include or exclude scans and construction files. The design scene file is not duplicated, to avoid inconsistencies, but it can be copied by hand into the new folder.

How should a lab back up exocad cases?

Back up the whole folder where DentalDB stores the projects, automatically and to a second location, together with the program folder settings. Restoring one case is the way to test that the backup works.